What Skin Type Do I Have?

Dry skin

Dry skin can be recognised by the fact that it feels tight after washing. The surface is often dull and can flake if you do not lubricate the skin. The pores are small and fine.

Oily skin

Oily skin has a greasy surface and visible pores. Oily skin easily develops spots and often has so-called blackheads, mainly in the T-zone.

Normal skin

Normal skin does not feel tight after washing, but nor does it become oily. Oil production is balanced and spots and blackheads are unusual.

Mixed skin

Mixed skin is a mixture of the dry, oily and normal skin types. Most commonly, people have an oily T-zone, i.e. forehead, nose and chin, while the cheeks are dry or normal. When choosing products for this skin type, you should always be guided by the parts you have most of.

Sensitive skin

Sensitive skin has blood vessels close to the surface and easily reacts to the weather and wind. Dry office environments also have an effect. Sensitive skin is thinner and can have a slightly transparent appearance. Sensitive skin is often seen together with dry skin, though in general all skin types can be affected.

Acne-prone skin

Anyone can be affected by acne, irrespective of skin type. Acne can be caused by a viral infection or the overproduction of male sex hormones. The latter is most common in the teens. Acne is often associated with oily skin.

What skin type do I have?

To determine which skin type you have your skin must be clean. Wash twice in succession but do not lubricate the skin. How does your skin feel now? Does it feel tight, or does it feel pleasantly clean? Wait 2-3 hours. Does your skin feel different, or does it feel the same as before? Does it look shiny? Take a piece of kitchen roll and press it against your skin. How does it look now? If the paper has become blotchy from your skin, you have oily skin. Press the paper in various different parts of your face to see whether you have mixed skin.

If your skin looks shiny but the paper remains clean, you have dry skin. Dry skin can appear shiny simply because the skin is tightening and stretching. If the paper becomes barely visibly blotchy you have normal skin

Most usually, you have a mixed skin, i.e. certain parts leave blotches on the paper and others don’t.  Remember that all types can become shiny after a long day of stress and meetings at work, but that it is only once the skin is clean that you know its true properties.