Knowing your skin type helps you choose the right product that will make your skin healthier and look beautiful. As you might be aware, there are four skin types, namely – Oily, dry, sensitive, and combination skin.

Now which one of these is your skin type?

If you have oily skin, you will find that your skin looks shiny all the time with large visible pores oozing oil. These pores will be prone to breaking out into pimples, acne or blackheads. To know if your skin is oily, cleanse your face with a mild cleanser and pat dry to leave your skin bare for 30 minutes, without applying any face cream or moisturizer on your face. If you notice that areas on your cheeks, nose, chin and forehead are shining, then you have oily skin. To verify this further, you can gently pat a blotting paper on the areas of your face where you see the shine. If the sheet picks up more oil, then it is extremely likely that you have oily skin.

If you have a combination skin, you will find your skin oily only in some prominent places such as the nose, chin and forehead – sans the cheeks, which would be dry. Also, other areas of your body that would be dry would include your elbows, the back of your hand, and your limbs. It is important to use moisturizer on the dry patches and to use products that are only suited for combination skin type. Also, protect your skin from extreme temperatures and harsh chemicals.

If you have dry skin, you will find that your skin would be dry, wrinkly and rough. It may even look scaly, and products that are not suited for your skin type might leave you feeling itchy. Conduct a test using blotting paper on all areas of your face. If you find traces of little to no oil on it, then you have dry skin.

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If you have sensitive skin, you will find that your skin becomes red even with the use of ordinary soaps. Extreme weather conditions may also make your skin red. If you have sensitive skin, you need to be extremely careful about the skin care product you pick. Use gentle soaps and cleansers, and cover up your skin as much as you can from turning red. Don’t use harsh face scrubs that will deprive your skin of natural oils and make it rough, dry and scaly.

With a plethora of beauty products flooding the market and range of innovative cosmeceuticals introduced by reputed brands, it can be extremely confusing to pick the right one. However, if you accurately know what your skin type is, picking a cosmetic becomes much easier. Always use products that are paraben-free and organic to prevent damage to your skin. Also, when you try a new product, try a patch test before applying more of it on your face.

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