Skin care is definitely not "one size fits all". We all have a skin type and sometimes even have a combination of two! Let me explain.
When you look up close at your pores (I know it can be overwhelming, don't look in those 35x mirrors, no one will ever see your skin like that), you need to look at the size. Are they super small, large, or really large that you can almost see oil coming out of them? Well, your pore size will help determine your skin type. If you're thinking well all I know is large pores, what would small or normal look like? Use this fruit method for comparison. Look at the skin of apples, oranges and lemons. These represent the 3 most popular skin types. The fruit skin almost identically reflects the same texture as human skin.
OILY SKIN
An orange peel's skin is thick, very porous, and varies in pore size. That is exactly what oily skin is. It is thick with various sizes of pores, throughout each zone of the face. The cheeks, nose, forehead and chin usually produce sebum (dirt, dead skin cells and oil) throughout the day, so much so, that you may need to blot your skin to remove the excess. When your pores are larger, they are more prone and susceptible to getting clogged, causing blackheads and acne. You can definitely have dry, acne-prone skin as well, but usually it's just a side effect from your skin drying out as a result of using topical treatments or prescription medications. You may hate having oily skin, but here is some amazing news! An oily skin type ages the slowest. Yup, you heard it right! The oil on your skin is protecting and coating your skin barrier, allowing it to stay healthier and plump. When your skin lacks oil (dry skin), it can look very dull and aged with early on set fine lines. Now yes, you may be happy to hear this information, however there are some things that come along with oily skin. You MUST moisturize and hydrate your skin! If you think you don't need moisturizer or facial oil, I am so sorry to tell you that is wrong. The longer you avoid moisturizing your skin, the oilier your skin will be. It then will turn dry, causing breakouts/acne and early signs of aging. When you don't give your skin the moisture it needs, it will overcompensate and create even MORE oil on your skin. The best way to control oily skin is to use lightweight skin care, which should include a lightweight facial oil, along with a mattifying lotion or beauty product to help with shine. If you are worried about looking too "greasy" just apply a few drops of oil into your moisturizer. You might be surprised at how quickly you fall in love with facial oils :)
NORMAL SKIN
When it comes to the lemon skin, it has a medium thickness with a noticeable, but uniform porous texture. All of you with normal skin, usually know your skin type because you do not have many skin concerns. You don't really get too oily or dry and if you do, it's triggered by climate. Your skin is VERY lucky, as you are not usually prone to breakouts either (unless it is caused from internal issues like gut or hormonal imbalances to name a few). This doesn't mean you shouldn't use any skin care because everyone needs to! The good thing is that your skin can handle just about any skin care product. You are a bit more likely to age faster than an oily skin type, but that also varies with genetics. If you have great genes and a normal skin type then congratulations, you hit the jackpot!
DRY SKIN
The paper thin skin of an apple is exactly like having dry skin. There aren't many noticeable pores or bumps. Dry skin is very thin, dull and ages the fastest. It needs rich, thick products to help replenish the lack of balance and moisture on the skin. The common concerns with dry skin are signs of aging in as early as your 20s, as well as dehydration. Due to dry skin having a lack of oil, the skin is more prone to irritation. It will need reapplication of moisture throughout the day and weekly hydrating face masks. Using milky and creamy products will help balance dry skin best.
COMBINATION SKIN
If you feel your skin looks a bit like an orange in certain areas and like an apple in others, well you have a combination of two skin types! There are two common zones of the face; the T-zone and the U-zone. The T-zone covers the center of your forehead, nose, center of cheeks and chin. The U-zone covers the cheeks, jawline and chin. When you're a combo skin type you either produce a bit of excess oil in your T-zone or U-zone, or you are dry there and oily everywhere else. You can also be a mix of just dry and normal or oily and normal. You just need two to qualify your skin type as combination. This skin type can be a bit tricky to treat because it needs a few different products to balance the skin. I always recommend treating the skin with hydrating products and spot treat your oilier areas with a mattifying product. This way you get the benefits of healthy glowing skin while mattifying the excess sebum production in targeted areas.
ACNEIC (ACNE PRONE) SKIN
There are 4 grades of acne.
Grade 1: Simple non-inflammatory acne - comedones and a few papules (no visible pus). Grade 2: Comedones, papules and a few pustules (visible pus). Grade 3: Larger inflammatory papules, pustules and a few cysts; a more severe form involving the face, neck and upper portions of the back and chest. Grade 4: More severe, with nodulocystic acne. With acne prone skin there can be a multitude of triggers. Topically- improper hygiene, external environmental agressors, allergies and so on. Or it can be internally triggered from food allergies, hormone imbalances, poor gut health, auto immune conditions, medication side effects, etc. It is very important to have a soothing, lightweight skin care regimen for your acne prone skin. Your skin is inflamed and just needs to calm down. Having acne can cause black heads and clogged pores. Contrary to most that believe your pores cannot open and close. They are always open, however we can use skin care treatments to help minimize the size of pores. It is very beneficial to get skin treatments monthly with a quality licensed esthetician. For acne that won't go away with topical treatments, I recommend seeing a dermatologist, gynecologist, primary care physician, integrative medicine doctor or an integrative nutritionist to help treat your acne from the inside out.
SENSITIVE SKIN
If your skin reacts to just about anything you're definitely sensitive. You can be any of the skin types above and also have sensitive skin. You're prone to redness, inflammation and irritation. You may have been diagnosed with rosacea or have had two or more of the following conditions since childhood: asthma, eczema, and seasonal allergies.
After reading through you now know your skin type! Use this information to buy the proper skin care and makeup products suited for YOUR skin! To learn how to use our MAXXIE™ products properly for your skin type check out our "Why Are Oats Good For Your Skin?" blog post.
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