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Skin Types

Introduction

There is a wide range of cosmetic and beauty products available which help you take great care of your skin. The first step to good make up is for your skin to provide a good foundation, like the blank canvas of an artist.

There are several types of skin:

1. Normal Skin

Normal skin has a healthy, flawless appearance. It looks matte and feels soft and smooth.

It has the least skin problems and is less common than other types.

Use moisturiser for normal skin and toner without alcohol.

2. Mixed / Combination Skin

Combination skin is usually of uniform colour and plump looking. With this skin type there are oily areas on the nose, chin and forehead - the ‘T’ zone.

The care of this type of skin requires treating each zone separately with specific products. There are moisturisers formulated for combination skin, but results are better if you use two different products.

To remove excess oil or grime, use an astringent facial toner. Use a mattifying product before applying foundation and hydrate the rest of the face with normal or dry skin cream.

3. Dry Skin

Most women use oil based products to combat facial dryness which is not the most appropriate because dry skin is actually due to a lack of water.

To keep this type of skin hydrated, it is best to drink lots of water and apply water based moisturising creams at least twice a day.

Other features of this skin are the appearance of premature fine lines and a little sun intolerance.

4. Oily Skin

Oily skin is usually plump, shiny and wet to touch. Use astringent tonic on this type of skin to help absorb excess oil. Use water or gel based creams, not oil based so you don’t saturate the skin.

With this type of skin, the onset of wrinkles are often delayed, pores may be visible and sun is tolerated quite well.

5. Sensitive Skin

This skin type is easily irritated, leading to redness and spots. It can also appear scaly, especially around the eyebrows and nostrils. Sensitive skin never looks wet.


For people with sensitive skin, it’s best to avoid the sun as it produces dryness and tightness, avoid tanning and products containing alcohol. On sensitive skin, use hypoallergenic products or creams containing soothing ingredients such as chamomile or aloe vera.