The answer to this question can be complicated. However, learning the answer may help you unlock healthier, more beautiful-looking skin. It’s important to determine your skin type to gear your daily skincare routine toward achieving your skin health goals. In this blog, we’ll go over the most common skin types, how to determine yours, and the best products to achieve skin health goals for each of the common skin types.

Determining Your Skin Type

One of the easiest ways to determine your skin type is to wash your face with a gentle facial cleanser and not apply any other products. Then, pat dry and observe your skin over the next few hours. Take note of any changes, and compare them to the information below to see what your skin type is:

• Balanced or normal skin feels healthy after washing. You shouldn’t notice any discoloration or inflammation throughout the day.
• Unsurprisingly, oily skin will start out looking flat, but it will begin to shine as time passes and skin becomes oily. Use a tissue to carefully blot the T-zone (forehead, nose, and chin). The tissue will appear oily.
• Dry skin will start to feel tight, itchy, and dry shortly after washing. As the day progresses, it may appear rough, and bits of dry skin may flake off.
• Combination skin typically combines oily and dry areas of skin or oily and balanced parts of the skin. In most cases, the T-zone becomes oily, and the skin on the cheeks is dry or balanced. You can check for oiliness using tissues or blotting papers and dryness based on the side effects described above.
• Sensitive skin is likely to show warning signs right away. You may notice stinging, burning, itching, redness, irritation, or inflammation almost immediately after cleansing the skin, and it’s likely to worsen throughout the day.
• For acneic skin, you probably won’t need the wash test. If you notice frequent breakouts with blemishes that don’t clear up easily, you likely have acne-prone skin. In some cases, acneic skin is related to oiliness. The production of excess oil can clogs pores, leading to acne breakouts. In other situations, acne is more closely related to hormonal fluctuations.
• Aging skin is something we are all likely to contend with as we get older. As skin ages, many changes occur, including the skin becoming thinner and losing elasticity. These skin changes lead to the common signs of skin aging like fine lines, wrinkles, sagging, and dark spots.

If you still feel unsure or you’d like a professional opinion before changing your skincare routine, it’s always best to consult with a dermatologist who can offer sound advice regarding skincare products and your daily routine. You can also review some of the DermSkincare product recommendations below.

Skincare Product Recommendations for Balanced or Normal Skin

If you have balanced skin, also called normal skin, you aren’t likely to have any adverse reactions to skincare products or ingredients, and you may not need any special formulas or advanced products to achieve your goals. That said, it’s still important to find the best skincare products to take good care of your skin and maintain its health and appearance. You can explore some of the dermatologist-recommended products for those with a normal skin type on the DermSkincare site. You can also partner with your dermatologist to develop a personalized skincare routine.

Skincare Product Recommendations for Oily Skin

When creating your oily skincare routine, it’s important to incorporate products that will reduce oiliness. However, stripping away too much moisture will lead to irritation, inflammation, redness, and other health concerns. Use a gentle cleanser, toner, and moisturizer morning and evening. In the morning, use a good vitamin C serum. A great option for oily skin is the SkinCeuticals Sylmarin CF. Finish up your morning routine with sunscreen. In the evening, substitute a retinol for the vitamin C serum.

Skincare Product Recommendations for Dry skin

Choosing skincare products for dry skin is all about finding ingredients that hydrate and soothe. It’s important to avoid products that have moisture-stripping ingredients like alcohol, fragrances, sulfates, and acids. Choose a gentle cleanser, use products that may be drying like toner and retinols sparingly, and don’t be scared to use a thick moisturizer morning and evening.

Skincare Product Recommendations for Combination Skin

Combination skin can be one of the most challenging to care for. Because there are usually both oily and dry areas of skin, combination skin may be difficult to keep healthy. With a targeted approach and properly formulated skincare products, combination skin can be well cared for. A good daily skincare routine for combination skin should include:

• Cleanser – use a gentle cleanser morning and evening to thoroughly clean skin.
• Toner – use a toner in the morning (you can use a toner in the evening if it doesn’t cause excessive skin dryness) to balance the skin’s pH.
• Serums and treatments – find serums and spot treatments that reduce oiliness and/or hydrate dry areas. Remember you can apply these serums and treatments to oily and dry parts of the skin separately.
• Moisturizer – without proper moisturization, your skin will continue to produce excess oil, so using moisturizer is important for both the oily and dry areas of the skin. Choose a lightweight moisturizer that’s easily absorbed, and add a thicker, cream-based moisturizer just to the dry areas of the skin.
• Sunscreen – make sure to apply sunscreen every day to protect the skin from sun damage and keep it healthy.

Skincare Product Recommendations for Sensitive Skin

It’s always important to find the right skincare products for your skin type, but this is especially true for sensitive skin. The wrong skincare product can trigger hives, inflammation, discoloration, and other serious side effects for those with sensitive skin. Before adding a new skincare product to your sensitive skin daily routine, it can be beneficial to perform a spot check. Apply the product to a small patch of skin and monitor the area for a few days to make sure there are no adverse side effects before continuing use. You can also select products that are formulated specifically for sensitive skin to minimize your risk for side effects. Some of the most recommended sensitive skin products on DermSkincare include:

• ALASTIN Skincare Gentle Cleanser – this gentle cleanser is formulated with moisturizers and vitamins to thoroughly clean skin while soothing irritation and improving hydration.
• Avene Cicalfate+ Restorative Protective Cream 1.3 Fl. Oz. – finding the right treatments and serums can be challenging for sensitive skin. This product delivers a three-in-one solution to repair, hydrate, and protect skin all day.
• Epionce Medical Barrier Cream 2.5 Oz. – for very dry, sensitive skin, this product can help repair, heal, soothe, and hydrate.

Skincare Product Recommendations for Acneic Skin

Acneic skin can be extremely difficult to manage. Using the right products for acne can also help to minimize the number and severity of breakouts. While it’s important to work with a dermatologist to develop a precise skincare routine to target the underlying sources of your acne, you can get started with the EltaMD Acne-Prone Skin Kit. The four products in this skincare set will start your acneic skin routine off on the right foot. It includes a gentle, foaming facial cleanser that removes excess oil and dead skin cells, but it doesn’t dry out or irritate the skin. There’s a toner that balances the skin’s pH. Additionally, there’s a deep hydrating moisturizer that soothes skin and smooths texture. Finally, to prevent damage or irritation caused by the sun’s UVA and UVB rays, it’s essential to apply sunscreen daily, but sunscreens can be thick, leading to an increased risk for breakouts. EltaMd UV Clear Broad-Spectrum SPF 46 protects skin, but the lightweight formula won’t build up or lead to pimples.

Skincare Product Recommendations for Aging Skin

Because skin becomes thinner and collagen production slows with age, it’s important to incorporate hydrating skincare products into your daily routine and find products that utilize ingredients that promote healthy collagen production for aging skin. Some of the top recommended anti-aging products from DermSkincare include:

• The ALASTIN Skincare HA (Hyaluronic Acid) IMMERSE Serum smooths and plumps skin, repairing natural protective barriers and reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
• The skin around the eyes is already thinner than other parts of the face, so the signs of aging are more apparent here. EltaMD Renew Eye Gel helps to keep the thin, sensitive skin around the eyes hydrated. It improves the texture and tone of the skin around the eyes and helps to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
• Sun damage is one of the main causes of accelerated skin aging, so protecting skin from the sun is an important part of your daily, anti-aging skincare routine. ISDIN Eryfotona Ageless Ultralight Emulsion Broad-Spectrum SPF 50 is a uniquely formulated sunscreen that was specifically crafted to reverse existing sun damage and prevent further issues before they arise.

Want to Explore Other Skincare Options?

Whatever your skin health needs, DermSkincare has a wide array of products available to help you achieve healthy, beautiful skin. If you’re interested in learning more, explore our site or consult with a dermatologist to learn more or develop a custom skincare routine.