How to Determine Your Skin Type?

It is important for us to be comfortable in our skin! Understanding and listening to our skin is the most significant component in responding adequately to our skin’s needs. Your first golden rule is to identify your skin type. Once this is done, your next steps would be identifying a skin-care routine that works best for you. Ultimately, the type of skin you have dictates how you need to care for it.

While a more accurate diagnosis of your skin type can be done by a professional, there are some indicators that you can look for when trying to understand your skin type. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, there are five prominent skin types: Sensitive skin, normal skin, dry skin, oily skin, and combination skin (dry & oily). With the exception of sensitive skin types, your type of skin is impacted by the production of sebum – an oily secretion of the sebaceous glands, responsible for lubricating the skin.

What are the characteristics of different skin types

1. Sensitive skin: If your skin type is sensitive, then you would realize that your skin gets irritated or inflamed easily. Skin burns, stings, or itches or visible reactions to substances/products are common with sensitive skin. Sensitivity of the skin might also be due to skin conditions, such as rosacea.
2. Normal skin: If your skin type is normal, then your skin is producing enough sebum to keep your skin hydrated but not to the extent to cause greasiness. Normal skin types are even in complexions but might have some blemishes here and there.
3. Dry skin: If your skin type is dry, then your skin is not producing enough sebum. Your skin might feel tight, especially after exposure to water, might flake, itch, or even crack, and might look rough.
4. Oily skin: If your skin type is oily, then your skin has excess sebum. Since sebum is an oily secretion, your skin might feel greasy, look shiny, and be prone to blackheads and acne. Acne develops when sebum and dead skin cells clog hair follicles.
5. Combination skin: If your skin type is a combination of oily and dry, you might experience a greasy-feel in some places but an oily-feel in others. Your cheeks might feel dry, for instance, but your T-zone, the zone that includes your forehead, nose, and chin, might feel oily.

In addition to the above indicators, easily identify your skin type through washing the face with a gentle cleanser such as JOHNSON'S® Even Complexion Face Wash with Soy & Red Berry, pat drying it with a clean towel, and noticing how the skin feels right after the wash and then over the next few hours.

How to identify your skin type:

1. Sensitive skin may itch or burn right after washing.
2. Normal skin will not change much; it will look clean and even in tone.
3. Dry skin may feel tight after the wash and may look dull or flaky.
4. Right after the wash, oily skin may give a matte look but after a few hours may become greasy.
5. Combination skin will include both observation of dry and oily skin with the cheeks feeling tight and dull but the T-zone giving off a matte look at first, which later becomes oily.

Regardless of your skin type, always keep in mind that skin needs to be cleaned, moisturized, hydrated, and protected from the sun.

Check out JOHNSONS® Fresh Hydration® Water Gel Cleanser with Rose Water which helps clean the face and hydrates the skin with ease. If you are looking for something that helps you protect your skin from the sun, check out JOHNSONS® Fresh Hydration® Day Cream SPF 20 with Rose Water.

It is about time that you fall in love with your own skin – that’s what beauty is all about!