Why the best skincare starts with finding your skin type
Oily, dry, combination and normal – these are the four common skin types, and all bring their own very different problems. We have you covered on what works and what doesn’t
When it comes to choosing skincare products, we often look at the brand or price while omitting the most critical step – identifying your skin type.
In general, there are four common skin types – oily, dry, combination and normal. While you can ask a dermatologist to analyse your skin with proper equipment, it is not really necessary. According to dermatologist Dr Carmen Lam Ka-man from Skin Central, you can find your skin type by looking for the following signs.
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Oily skin can be identified by shiny appearance and dilated pores, and is sometimes accompanied by comedones (whiteheads and blackheads) and pimples. “It’s caused by overactive sebaceous glands, which can be hereditary or hormonal,” says Lam.
Dry skin is characterised by a dull, thin appearance with invisible pores. In more severe cases, there may also be scaling, peeling and fine wrinkles. Dry skin occurs when the sebaceous glands are not producing enough sebum to lubricate the skin, and can either be hereditary or a result of ageing.
Combination skin, as its name suggests, refers to the condition where different areas of your face have different skin type. In most cases, the T-zone – the forehead, the nose and the area around the mouth – is oily with dilated pores, while the cheeks and other areas of the face are dry and show signs of peeling.