Combination, sensitive, or dry skin—do these words ring a bell, but you're unable to decide what your skin type is? It's also not easy to find a skincare routine that's suited to what you perceive (sometimes wrongly) about your own skin...
So let's put these existential questions to rest once and for all! Here are some tips and tricks to help you better understand your skin type and stop making beauty faux pas.
One skin type for life
Knowing your skin type isn't something you can make up. Much like the color of your eyes and the curl (or lack thereof) of your hair, your skin type is something very personal. Except for certain medications, your skin type isn't likely to change and will stay with you for the rest of your life, so it's best to know it now!
There are three main families of skin types:
Normal skin
As the name suggests, normal skin has no particular issues or special features to report. A luminous complexion, fine skin texture, and no imperfections—they're all good!
Combination to oily skin
They are characterized by excess sebum, located in the T-zone for combination skin (i.e. the forehead and nose, which forms a T) or across the entire face for oily skin. The skin has shiny areas even after cleansing and frequent imperfections, the pores are dilated.
Dry skin
They suffer from a lack of sebum, hence this feeling of discomfort and dryness in the absence of natural lipids. The skin tightens easily, it is thin and fragile.
Know your skin type well to choose the right care
Even if, like most people, you dream of having normal skin, you should know that there is no ideal skin type. The key is to know yours well so you have all the tools you need to take care of it. Because each skin type requires special attention, otherwise you risk making your skin worse!
Normal skin
Comfortable all day long, with no excess shine and tight pores, normal skin is easy on the eyes and requires little attention. Applying a facial cleanser and moisturizer is all you need daily.
Combination to oily skin
Excess sebum, specific to this skin type, often causes imperfections. The problem is that many of us make the mistake of stripping our skin with scrubs or deep-cleansing masks to combat blackheads and pimples. But that's exactly what you shouldn't do! Combination to oily skin, like any other type, needs daily moisturization, with a light-textured treatment to avoid saturating the skin's already naturally oily hydrolipidic film.
Dry skin
They need a real boost to stem the discomfort caused by a lack of sebum. It's not so much water that they're lacking, but the natural "fat" in sebum, which is why they need to be deeply nourished rather than just moisturized. Dry skin requires the application of skincare products with a very rich texture. to provide them with suppleness, comfort and above all to prevent premature aging of the skin.