What's Your Skin Type?

As we age our skin alters including your skin type. You may have always had oily skin and so you've stuck to using skin products specially aimed at oily skin – however, you need to re-evaluate your skin type as the decades pass by!

I used to have the classic T zone of oily skin and yet now I've noticed that my skin is much drier than it used to be. So how do you find out which skin type you are? Well, it's pretty simple really and doesn't require any new skin care products:

1. Wash your face in the normal way using a lathering crème wash.

2. Pat dry and then wait for 30 minutes.

3. Look at your face in the mirror using natural light if possible.

4. Look at the 5 different skin types below to find out which skin type you are.

1. Normal Skin Type:

• Your skin will have an even tone without any oily or tight dry areas. 

• The colour will also be even with no signs of blotchy red patches. 

• Your skin feels soft and supple to touch. 

• You can use just about any method of cleansing their face without it feeling tight or showing dry areas. 

• By lunchtime your skin will still look and feel fresh and clean. 

• You occasionally have spots or pimples, if you're under a lot of stress or menopausal. You're able to use skin toners without any problems. 

• Your skin feels soft and comfortable morning, noon and night. 

2. Dry Skin Type:

• Your skin will feel dry and possible itchy, which is worse during extremes of temperature. 

• Your skin looks pale, flaky and feels rough to touch. 

• You may have become more aware of fine line wrinkles. 

• You never have outbreaks of spots or pimples. 

• After washing or cleansing your skin feels tight and stretched. 

• You notice your skin tingling after using toner. 

• You skin feels more comfortable after cleaning with a cream cleanser than with soap. 

3. Oily Skin Type:

• Your skin has a shine or shiny areas. 

• Your skin can withstand cleaning with soap and water. 

• You have large pores and a tendency to have spots and pimples. 

• Your skin feels greasy after cleaning with a cream cleanser. 

• Your skin feels refreshed after you applied toner. 

4. Combination Skin Type:

• You have the classic T-zone (chin, nose and forehead) which is oily while your cheeks are dry. 

• You have occasional outbreaks of spots or pimples on the T zone. 

• Your skin will look shiny on the T zone and dry elsewhere. 

• The T zone can tolerate cleaning with soap and water, while your cheeks will feel and look dry. 

• The T zone can tolerate and feel refreshed when you use toner, but your cheeks may sting and feel irritated.

• Your skin will feel greasy on the T zone, but soft and supple on your cheeks after you've applied moisturiser.

5. Sensitive Skin Type:

• Some areas of your skin feel dry and itchy after using soap or 'standard' cleansing creams. 

• Redness and flaky areas often appear by midday. 

• You occasionally have outbreaks of spots and pimples. 

• Your skin itches and sting if you use toner.

• Sometimes your skin feels comfortable and sometimes it feels itchy and uncomfortable when you apply moisturiser.

Conclusion:
Once you have looked at your skin and decided which category it falls into you'll know which skin type you are and can alter and adjust your make-up accordingly.