Ever felt your skin has a split personality? Dry in some areas and oily in others? Always shiny with large pores, yet tight, flaky, and filled with blackheads?
You are not alone in this, 6 out of 10 women have combined skin type. Thus it is important to learn how to take care of it as it’s the most common skin type.
Balancing between two skin types at once could be troubling; how to moisturize the dry areas of your face without making your oily areas worsen, even leading to breakout?
If your combined skin is always a frustration, this article is written for you.
What is a Combination Skin?
Combination skin is what the name implies, a combination of both oily skin at the T zone (forehead, nose, and chin) and dry in the rest of the face. Combination skin means that you may shininess and dandruff and blackheads and clogged pores at the same time. You may also experience uneven skin tone and fine lines.
What stimulates combination skin?
Of course, Genetics is the main reason behind the combination skin type. However, it’s important to know that the products you’re using, and how you’re using them, have a major effect on your combination skin as they can make it worse or even cause the problem.
If you’re using products with harsh ingredients to absorb all the oil out of your skin( such as sulfate and alcohol), they will dry out the already dry areas of your face while stimulating oil production in other parts that were already oily. This will lead to more combined skin.
That said, it is crucial to target the dry areas first while taking care of your skin.
How to make sure I have a combination skin type?
Wash your face using a gentle facial cleanser and wait 10-15 minutes. Place 4 tissue pieces on your nose, chin, forehead, and cheeks. If the tissue sticks on your T zone areas and fell over your other areas, it means you have combination skin.
Signs will foretell you have combination skin type:
- Shiny skin at the T zone area: due to sebum overproduction.
- Blackheads and whiteheads: When oil becomes trapped in your pores, it mixes with dead skin cells and other debris, causing a plug. When this plug is open to the air, it causes a blackhead; when it’s closed, it results in the formation of a whitehead.
- Flakes in the dry areas due to lack of oil secretion and dead cell accumulation.
- Large clogged pores at the T zone.
Does this mean I need to get to sets for each skin type?
Absolutely Not. It means you need to create balance. Whether in your skincare routine or your lifestyle.
How?
- moisturize from inside out: as your skin needs natural moisturizing that doesn't clog your pores; it is important to include fatty acids in your diet. Such as salmon, fish, and nuts.
- Exercise is important to stimulate blood circulation towards your skin cells
- Avoid products that contain sulfate, alcohol and soap in it's ingredients.
- Avoid mineral based make up products as you it ay clog your pores.
- Avoid fragrance containing products as it would dry out your skin.
Combination skincare routine
-Whether dry or oily areas, you need a low PH water-based cleanser to clean your face out of dust and dead skin cells. Go for a gentle cleanser that doesn’t dry out your face. Avoid sulfate and alcohol and never use soap.
- Use soothing, non irritant toner as it contains antioxidants and works on balancing your skin. It will also minimize oiliness in oily areas without drying out the already dry ones. Add one layer of toner on your oily areas, and more than one layer on the dry parts.
-A serum is always recommended for combination skin as it contains antioxidants and regenerates skin cells. This will soothe your skin as well as absorbing excess
oil on its surface, plus improving dry areas.
Which ingredients should I be looking for if I have combination skin?
- · Glycerin, sorbitol, hyaluronic acid, urea) are humectants that attract water to the skin.
- · Shea butter as it keeps moisture from evaporatingز
- Ceramides as it reinforces your skin barrier.
- · Niacinamide: B3 vitamin that can both regulate sebum production and strengthen the skin’s protective barrier. You can find it in our Vit C Serum.