Skin care

The way in which we take care of our skin and the products we use play a big role in the appearance of our skin. Obviously other factors such as diet, lifestyle and genetics influence our skin type, but  today I'm going to focus on how you identify your skin type and the sort of products you should use in order to keep your skin healthy.

Oily

Oily skin types require a lot of care to keep sebum (oil) levels under control. If you have this skin type, you tend to be oily all over, especially on the T-zone ( forehead, nose, chin) and are prone to acne and enlargened pores. A consistent skin care routine is needed; cleanse, tone and moisturise. Toner is optional, and only required if you have very oily skin. You should wash your face twice a day, no more than that, (unless you've been excercising) because otherwise this could over-dry the skin, causing it to produce even more sebum to replenish moisture levels. A foaming, oil free cleanser is best, and be wary of medicated cleansers which can sometimes irritate the skin. Your day moisturiser should be light and oil free. Some brands have the additional benefit of controlling oil levels throughout the day; these are often labeled as 'balancing'. Night moisturisers should again be light and oil free. Moisturise twice a day after cleansing. A toner can be used after you have cleansed and before moisturising, to remove any excess oils. If you are using any skin treatments you should wait at least 15 minutes after applying moisturiser, to give it time to absorb.

Combination

Combination skin is defined as having an oily T-zone and dry skin on the other areas of your face. This requires a slightly more complicated skincare routine because you need to adress both the oiliness and dryness. You should follow the same steps as the routine for oily skin, but skip the toner, and opt for a more creamy cleanser, making sure it is still labeled as 'oil free'. You may require two moisturisers, a richer one to use on your drier areas and a lighter one on your oily t-zone.

Dry

If you have dry skin, then you need to be using richer, more nourishing formulas to keep your skin hydrated. Your cleanser should be a cream formula, and look for soothing ingredients such as aloe vera. Mositurise twice a day but don't be tempted to moistuirse more than this because you can easily overload your skin. At night time make sure you use a rich moisturiser packed with nourishing ingredients such as vitamin E which will help keep your skin moisturised and healthy. You could also try using a serum which has more concentrated ingredients to nourish the skin.

Normal

If you have normal skin than you are extrememly lucky, and you don't have to deal with any problem areas. Stick to the 3 steps: cleanse, tone, moisturise, but be sure to use gentle, light formulas with preferably natural ingredients which will be less likely to irritate your skin.