Welcome to skincare week, today I will provide you with a quiz to allow you to asses your skin type so that you can choose and use products that will improve your skin woes. Quite simply pick one answer, take not of the colour and then which ever colour you answered the most of will be your skin type. Once you know your skin type you can find some key ingredients to look for in products to aid your skin type. Enjoy!
When you wake up in the morning does your face look grey and sallow?
Yes, my skin often looks ashy and dull.
Not particularly, my skin is neither luminous or dull.
No, my skin is usually quite bright and plump.
My face can be both plump and lackluster or bright and sallow.
Yes, my skin often looks ashy and dull.
Not particularly, my skin is neither luminous or dull.
No, my skin is usually quite bright and plump.
My face can be both plump and lackluster or bright and sallow.
After washing your face or getting out the shower does you face feel tight and uncomfortable?
Yes, it feels itchy and uncomfortable.
My face feels slightly tight.
My face feels fresh and clean.
My face feels sore/itchy and becomes very red.
Yes, it feels itchy and uncomfortable.
My face feels slightly tight.
My face feels fresh and clean.
My face feels sore/itchy and becomes very red.
When you touch your face, what does the texture feel like?
Dry and/or scaly.
Smooth, no dry patches and fairly matte.
Smooth and slightly moist/greasy in areas.
Some areas are smooth but others are dry and flaky.
What does your makeup look like at the end of the day?
It is still on at the end of they day, however it has settled into fine lines and looks flaky.
Most of it is still on, skin looks slightly shiny.
It has almost completely disappeared and skin looks very shiny.
It has disappeared from the T-Zone but some areas look flaky and still have make-up on them.
Does your skin react to new products?
I have to be very careful which products I use as my skin can become red and quickly react.
If a product is too rich I will break out.
How often do you get pimples/blackheads?
Very rarely.
Perhaps once a month.
It varies.
Weekly.
Do you have enlarged pores?
No.
My pores are noticeable but not large.
I have very noticeable pores.
I have very noticeable pores.
The Results
Blue: You have dry skin.
Your skin is dry in texture and feels uncomfortable. Dry skin lacks oil so focus on adding a facial oil to your routine so that it can lubricate the skin. Use an oil/balm or cream cleanser as this will be gentle on the skin. When looking for moisturisers, look for ones with Shea Butter, Avocado Oil and Olive oil in them as they will keep skin feeling comfortable throughout the day.
Pink: You have normal skin.
Your skin is neither oily nor dry. Your main aim is not to overload your skin with harsh or overly nourishing products so keep away from products that contain Alcohol or anything astringent and also keep away from products with Shea Butter in them. However, you are quite lucky in that most products will be suitable towards your skin type.
Orange: You have oily skin.
Your face feels and looks quite greasy and may suffer from break-outs. You may have oily skin however stripping those oils may encourage an over-production of them. Please avoid any astringent, foaming or alcohol based products, they may have an immediate effect but you will suffer long term. I recommend that you clean your skin with a non-foaming cleaner, use products which have AHA's and BHA's such as Salicylic or Glycolic acid and use a lightweight facial oil (Pai and Clarins make excellent ones) to balance your skins oil production.
Red: You have combination skin.
Your skin is both dry and oil in different places. This can be frustrating and may take longer to clear. The first step is to read the Dry skin and Oily skin paragraphs, depending on how dry or how oily your skin is, follow them in conjunction. Use rich products on your dry areas, use acids all over the face and make sure to use oil as this will balance your skin, focus on balancing your skins oil levels through facial oils rather than creams.
Green: You have sensitive skin.
Your skin is sensitive and there isn't much advice I can give as it really is a matter of trial and error. The few tips I can give are: don't use grainy/manual exfoliants, choose products that specialise in sensitive skin and have simple and minimal ingredients. The biggest advice is not to believe that "all natural" products are better for you as many essential oils can be irritating, I would suggest you look for more technologically advanced skincare ingredients as they have been developed to work with skin in a more controlled manner.
Skin Concerns
Dehydration
*please read*
Now some of you may state that dehydration is a skin 'type' rather than a concern, I have put it under concern as I believe that all skin types can be dehydrated (and probably are). Dehydration is NOT dry skin (lacking of oil), it is skin which lacks water. You can tell if your skin is dehydrated if it is dull, sallow or feels thirsty once coming out of the shower. You can be both oily and dehydrated, just as you can be dry and dehydrated. Of course the first measure is to up your water intake. The second best thing to do is to use products that have Hyaluronic Acid as an ingredient - this is a molecule which is already present in skin and help to retain water.
Blackheads and Blemishes
Please remember that you can suffer from congestion with any skin type. If you have blackheads and regularly get blemishes, large or small, look to other reasons than your skin type. Blemishes aren't always caused by an over-production of oil, most of the times they are caused by bacteria, an allergy or your diet. Make sure to clean your face daily, try and eliminate any products from your routine that break you out and cut down your sugar and alcohol intake. And of course, use a clay based face mask weekly.
Medical Conditions
If you suffer from rosacea, psoriasis or eczema please visit your GP and get expert advice on your next steps. Do not try to immediately self-prescribe products as you may make the situation worse. If you ever want to try new products, make sure to do your research on which will work best with your condition and be prepared to expect a variety of results as products work differently on different skin.
So, what's your skin type?
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