OverviewKnowing your skin type or what
category your skin falls into is very important as it determines
how you should care for your skin. There are basically four
general categories: oily, combination/normal, sensitive, dry,
aged or sun-damaged. You should be aware that your skin type
may change over time and my respond differently in different
seasons or different climates so you should periodically recheck
your skin. Knowing which category your skin fits into can be
determined by doing a simple test.Quick
Test
1.) First you wash and pat dry your face but
do not add moisturizer.
2.) Wait about 15 minutes and then using a piece
of rice paper or a piece of lens cleaning tissue, press
the tissue on various areas of your face.
3.) Examining the tissue you will see the tell
tale signs of your skin type:
Oily SkinIf
you have oily skin, the tissue will either stick to your skin or else will
pick up oily spots all over the tissue and become translucent. Other signs
of oily skin are visible pores and the skin usually has sheen to it. When
you have oily skin, your glands are producing more oil than you need. People
with oily skin need to wash their face more often and can usually avoid
using moisturizers.The T-ZoneThe area across your forehead and down the center of your face is called
the T-Zone. This area is differentiated from the other areas of your
face because the percentage of oil glands in this area tends to be higher.
Combination/Normal SkinCombination skin occurs when the T-Zone is oily, but the rest of your face is not. In reality, combination skin is actually the most common skin type with about 70% of women having combination skin.
Characteristics: medium pores, smooth even texture, good circulation, good color, often tends towards dryness on cheeks and my be oily in the T-Zone.
Dry SkinIf
there is no oil and the tissue ends up totally blotch-free, then you have
dry skin. Characteristics: Dry skin is usually tight and the facial pores
are very small. The skin usually has fine wrinkles, flaking, red patches.
In the case of colored skin the skin may appear ashy or dull.
Two other specialized skin types that cannot be determined by the simple quick
test are Sensitive skin and aged or sun-damaged skin.
Sensitive
SkinSensitive skin is very thin and delicate
with fine pores. Sensitive skin flushes easily, is prone to broken capillaries,
and is very often allergenic and tends to easily develop rashes.Aging
or Sun-Damaged SkinThe skin is usually tight, there are visible wrinkles, the skin tone is slack especially around the cheeks and jaw line and often there are broken capillaries. Sun-damaged skin usually has a leathery texture to it.
Rubbing
Moisterizer on Your Neck in an Upward Motion Reduces Wrinkles
[False] While it is beneficial to
keep your skin moisterizer the effects of the rubbing motion do not
play any significant role. Once you stop, gravity takes effect.
The
ingredients in your moisterizer are very important. While using any type of moisterizer
helps your skin, moisterizers that contain AHA's, antioxidents and
humectants are much more effective in reducing the effects of aging.