Skincare Routines For Normal, Dry, Oily and Combination Skin:
We've divided the article into 4 different sections.
Choose the one that suits your skin type and begin your road to flawless skin using the routine we've outlined below!
Table of contents:
(click the image for your skin type)
Normal Skin Is Characterized By:
Skincare Routine For People With Normal Skin
According to a study by Jean Roberts, based on the information from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), only 27.7{285d6d0ec33f832d63ba71e7361dfa254e621171fe0222a0c97ebd34aa916c6a} of individuals between 12 and 17 years of age had normal, healthy skin; so, congratulations, you hit the genetic lottery on this one!
So, what does it mean to have "normal" skin?
Well, normal skin is what's referred to as a skin where sebum production and moisture are well-balanced. In other words, the skin is neither too oily or too dry, it's just right.
We can, however, mention a "subset" of a normal skin type where the T-zone (forehead, nose and chin) are a bit oily but not to the extent where it cannot be easily manageable.
But even if your skin is normal, well-balanced, or even flawless, that does not mean you should refrain from using any skincare products. Quite the contrary, you should follow a good skincare routine that will help you maintain this balance!
Here is a simple routine you can follow:
1. Face Wash
Cleansing your skin once a day should be enough to help you maintain that healthy glow. Use a gentle cleanser that removes dirt but does not strip away natural oils. The one we recommend is Vitamin C Cleanser from Simplified Skin.
2. Toner
Right after a face wash, you can put your toner to work. It will help you rid your skin of any remaining residue and prepare it for the rest of your skincare routine. Our recommendation is Neutrogena's Alcohol-Free toner.
3. Moisturizer
A toner is something you can do without, but a good moisturizer is essential for keeping your skin well hydrated through the day. It will revive your skin and get rid of that "dull-look". The moisturizer we recommend for normal skin is this one from Garnier.
4. Sunscreen
Ideally, you should start your day with some lightweight facial sunscreen, even when it's cloudy outside. UV rays can penetrate clouds and damage your skin. You can try Centella Sunscreen and see if it works for your skin.
5. exfoliator
Skin exfoliation is one of the favorite steps in my skincare routine and I do it up to 3 times per week. For those of you with normal skin, once a week is enough. Our top recommendation is an exfoliator from the Botanic Tree.
Dry Skin Is Characterized By:
Skincare Routine For People With Dry Skin
Dry skin is the most difficult skin type to manage; it will force you to rethink almost all actions you do on a daily basis - from taking a bath, washing your face, to going out during cold, windy weather.
Of course, dry skin can exist in various degrees of severity, which is why our advise would be to go see a dermatologist first (especially if the dryness is more intense).
So, what is dry skin and what causes it? - We use the term dry skin to describe skin that produces less sebum when compared to the normal skin. As a result, dry skin is unable to retain moisture and build a protective barrier which safeguards us from the elements.
This, in turn, leads to dryness, sensitivity, irritation and, in most severe cases, even skin cracking.
With this in mind, you need to pick the products carefully and opt for those that will help your skin retain moisture, become softer, smoother and more balanced.
1. Face wash
As always, we start our routine with a face wash, but this time we need to be extra careful and use a gentle formula which will clean the skin but help preserve delicate protective barrier. Ktchn Apothecary face cleanser certainly fits the bill.
2. Toner
A toner will help soothe your skin and remove anything your face wash missed. Make sure you use gentle, alcohol-free toner to balance your skin tone after a cleanser. As for the exact brand, try Paula's Choice skin toner, it will do wonders for your skin.
3. Moisturizer
When it comes to dry skin, moisturizer is your best bet as you need something to help hydrate your skin and lock in as much moisture as possible. There are a lot of good moisturizers for dry skin, and Jivi face moisturizer is certainly one of them.
4. night cream
Though you can, and should, use a night cream if you have normal or oily skin, we decided to emphasize it in this section simply because it will give your skin that much needed "extra push" and replenish it while you sleep. L'Oreal Paris night cream will give you just that.
5. Sunscreen
Applying sunscreen every morning before you go out is another crucial step in protecting your skin and maintaining that delicate balance you already built . We will also recommend Centella Sunscreen as it is one of the best overall.
Oily Skin Is Characterized By:
Skincare Routine For People With Oily Skin
Those of you that follow my blog know that I have oily skin and, though I've come to terms with it and learned how to manage it, I still wish I had normal skin...
If you have oily skin, you know exactly what I mean. Oily skin is prone to enlarged pores, breakouts, blackheads and whiteheads. It truly was a nightmare, especially in my teen years.
So, what does it mean to have oily skin? Though the exact cause is not yet determined (it may depend on genetics, hormones, environment etc.), having oily skin means your sebaceous glands are working overtime and are producing more oil than our skin needs.
I'm sure that most of you, myself included, think of oily skin as a curse but once you "survive" those troublesome teen years, true benefits of oily skin will... shine through! One of the main benefits of having oily skin is reduced appearance of wrinkles and an overall younger look.
I often get compliments, well I like to think of them as compliments, when people say I look much younger than my actual age.
Back to the routine... Since oily skin is a bit tougher than the "rest of the pack," we can hit it a bit harder and use a more intense routine.
1. Exfoliator
I put exfoliator first simply because it made the biggest difference in my skin's appearance when I started using it. I use it 2-3 times per week (depending on the rest of my skincare routine). A natural coffee face scrub from Margano is something you have to try.
2. Face wash
Many people make the mistake of using a harsh cleanser to try and scrub all the oil off your face. But recent studies showed that it's more beneficial to use a mild cleanser and regulate sebum production. One of the best ones I've tried is Brickell's face wash.
3. toner
Researchers showed that the best ingredient for oily skin is witch hazel - it contains tannin which makes it a natural astringent. Natural astringent toner will help remove dirt buildup from pores and make them appear smaller. The one you should try is Leven Rose.
4. moisturizer
Just because we have oily skin it does not mean we should steer clear of moisturizers. We should, however, use light, non pore-clogging formulas. Moisturizers such as tea tree moisturizer from Era Organics.
Combination Skin Is Characterized By:
Skincare Routine For People With Combination Skin
Combination skin is also tricky to deal with since you have both oily and dry areas. Usually the “T area” is oily (forehead and your nose, and sometimes the chin) while the rest of your face is dry.
So, how do you address it then?
Finding the best skincare routine for combination skin is a challenge but you need to look at the bigger picture here - instead of trying to address every single blemish and enlarged pore, try to balance the skin overall with products that will clean it thoroughly, while keeping your skin hydrated and healthy.
1. Face wash
Since people with combination skin have oily T-zone, it is best to use a gentle face cleanser that will remove excess oil but won't dry the skin too much. A face wash such as Garnier's gentle cleanser.
2. toner
As with all other products in the "combination" skin routine, it's all about the balance - you need an alcohol-free toner to balance the oily areas and be gentle on the dry ones. We recommend Tree Of Life's vitamin C toner.
3. moisturizer
When it comes to moisturizing your skin, you have two choices - to moisturize only dry areas of your face, or to apply it to your entire face. We prefer the latter approach and this is why we recommend THENA natural moisturizer.
4. face mask
Face mask is excellent for combination skin since you can apply it only on the problematic areas - forehead, chin and nose. The mask we recommend is the one from Majestic Pure Cosmeceuticals.
