Discover Your Skin Health (Plus Tips for a Simple Regimen)
When it comes to your skin, knowing your skin type is highly beneficial to help you care for it effectively. Figuring out your skin type allows you to better understand your skin as a whole as it is always evolving and helps you choose products that will benefit your skin the most.
The health of your skin shifts due to weather changes, lifestyle changes, or even stress. So although we will learn about the different skin types, how they should be treated, and a simple method of figuring out your skin type, it's important to understand your skin type can change based on many factors.
What is skin type?
Here at xo Brown Girl, we refer to skin types as skin health - the way your skin behaves. While it's important to know your skin and what makes it tick to help with creating an effective skincare routine, the truth is your skin is constantly changing.
How you care for your skin, genetics, alongside environmental and lifestyle factors play a role in how it behaves. With that, we suggest listening to your skin and its needs instead of designating it to a specific type that can create limitations.
What's key to remember is each skin health has different needs and understanding what they are allows you to choose the right products for a healthy complexion.
How to tell what your skin health is?
One of the biggest mistakes you can make when determining your skin health is evaluating your skin without a natural baseline. Just because you had a sudden breakout, doesn't necessarily mean you are acne-prone.
To get an accurate idea of where your skin stands start by cleansing your face with a mild cleanser. Gently pat dry and refrain from applying any skincare products for a minimum of 25-30 minutes. Now, observe your skin to assess how your skin looks and feels.
What your skin health means
Once you have determined how your skin is behaving, here are details to better understand your skin health.
Oily Skin
If your skin appears shiny, you likely have oily skin. Your skin produces excess oil and is more prone to breakouts. Also, excess oil causes pores to appear larger. The upside to oil-rich skin is you have natural hydration and your skin ages slowly with fewer wrinkles.
How to Treat:
- Cleanse with a gentle cleanser that doesn't dry out or strip the skin.
- Use an oil-absorbing clay mask twice a week.
- Moisturize with a lightweight moisturizer.
Combination Skin
Shiny t-zone with possible dry areas commonly on the cheeks, this translates to combination skin. Visible pores around the nose, forehead, or chin.
How to Treat:
- Stick with a gentle skincare regimen, using various products on different parts to support your skin health.
- Rotate products to give your skin what it needs for the dry and oily areas.
Sensitive Skin
Irritated and uncomfortable skin says you have sensitive skin. Everything your skin comes into contact with may cause sensitivity and redness. Your skin feels dry, itchy, hot, delicate, and flushed from anything as simple as exercise or even gentle products. Most often sensitive skin is identified with eczema, rosacea, or dermatitis.
How to Treat:
- Use products meant for dry skin as there is often an overlap between sensitive and dry skin.
- Opt for fragrance-free products that contain fewer ingredients.
- Soothe with ingredients such as oats and calendula.
Dry/Dehydrated Skin
A tight, dull appearance and flaking speaks of dry skin. You're constantly layering with a moisturizer. Your skin needs as much moisture as possible.
How to Treat:
- Use products that contain ingredients that attract water to the skin (such as glycerin) while sealing it in.
- Apply moisturizers that are richer to help with hydration.
- To cleanse, use milky cleansers or oil cleansers.
We didn't list a "normal" skin type because it's highly subjective to each individual and we believe all skin is normal and you should love the skin that you are in.
Understanding and listening to your skin are one of the best ways to nurture it. Just remember that your skin is constantly evolving, just because you have oily skin during the summer doesn't mean it behaves the same during winter months.
xo Frankie
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