As simple as it would be, there’s no one-size-fits-all skincare solution. As Michelle Verduzco, MD, a dermatologist specializing in cosmetic dermatology and skin of color dermatology, explains, “What works for your best friend may not work for you.”
Know your skin type
According to cosmetic dermatologist Michelle Verduzco, MD, skin type is the most important factor in determining what skincare products will work best for you. “There are no bad products necessarily, but sometimes people with different skin types use the wrong product for their type of skin,” Dr. Verduzco says.
You might have guessed it already, but those with acne-prone and sensitive skin need to be the most cautious with different ingredients in their skincare products. To all the oily skin types out there, you’re actually the winners here: Oily skin can handle a wider range of ingredients that can sometimes trigger breakouts or irritation to other skin types.
These are the ingredients Dr. Verduzco suggests for different skin types:
For oily skin: Look for products containing alpha hydroxy acids (glycolic acid or salicylic acid), benzoyl peroxide, and hyaluronic acid. “These ingredients are effective at controlling excess sebum production while hyaluronic acid will produce hydration only in areas needed,” Dr. Verduzco says.
For dry skin: Look for products containing shea butter and lactic acid. “These ingredients provide hydration and mild exfoliation to keep dry skin looking radiant,” Dr. Verduzco says.
For sensitive skin: Look for products containing aloe vera, oatmeal, and shea butter. “They’re good moisturizers and they usually don’t break anyone out,” Dr. Verduzco says.
If you’re not 100 percent sure what skin type you have, it’s worth a trip to the dermatologist to confirm. Once you understand your skin type, you can start selecting your products with a little more precision.
Here are the skin care tips and daily skin care routines for different skin types.
- Dry Skin: Some of the common characteristics of dry skin include tightness, roughness, flaking, and scaling. Due to a constant lack of moisture in the corneous layer, your skin appears excessively dull, especially on the cheeks and around the eyes. Triggered by climate, cosmetics, or medication, lack of elasticity in this skin type accentuates fine lines and wrinkles.
- Oily Skin: Oily skin is characterised by an increased amount of lipids on the surface due to overactive sebaceous glands. Though oily skin is excessively shiny, one of the biggest problems of this skin type is the fact that it is prone to blackheads, whiteheads, and blemishes due to enlarged pores. Hence, the daily face care routine for oily skin needs oil-free products.
- Combination Skin: Combination skin is when your face shows properties of dry skin in some areas and properties of oily skin in other areas. Your cheeks and under-eye area can be area while your T-zone, which is your forehead, nose, and chin is oily all the time. Hence, combination skin requires different skin care routine for different areas.
- Sensitive Skin: Sensitive skin is less of a skin type and more like a skin condition caused by various factors like skin disorders, allergies, or contact to irritants present in certain products. Symptoms include redness, itching, burning, dryness, stinging, and frequent breakouts. Hence, it’s very important to pick products that are meant for sensitive skin.
- Normal Skin: Usually considered as healthy skin, normal skin is characterised by a smooth texture and fine pores. No visible imperfections, greasy patches or flaky areas with well-balanced sebum production and moisture content. Usually found in younger women, the best part about normal skin is that it doesn’t require an elaborate daily skin care routine.