Think of your skin type as a key that unlocks the world of skin care. With so many products labeled “for normal to oily skin” or “gentle for sensitive skin,” it’s tough to choose the right one without first understanding what your skin needs.
Knowing your skin type will help narrow down your product search, and it’s the first step toward getting the results you really want. Using a moisturizer formulated for dry skin when yours is oily might lead to clogged pores, while a serum for oily skin might lead to irritation if yours is sensitive.
Luckily, it’s super simple to determine your skin type! Get started with our quick test:
How To Find Your Skin Type
First, use a mild cleanser like Dream Clean to wash off any dirt or makeup. Pat your skin dry and stop there – no serums, moisturizers or other products. The goal is to see how your skin reacts when it’s left to its own devices. After about an hour, notice how your skin looks and feels, paying extra attention to your cheeks, nose and forehead.
- If your skin feels tight all over, you likely have dry skin.
- If your nose and forehead show some shine, but your cheeks don’t, you likely have normal or combination skin.
- If you’re shiny across your nose, forehead and cheeks, you probably have oily skin.
Feel like you’re between types? Read on for more tips, plus product recommendations to help you find your perfect match.
Skin Care for Dry Skin
The most common signs of dry skin are flakiness, itchiness and tightness. Your skin is probably less elastic than its oilier counterparts and might show fine lines and wrinkles a little more readily. If it’s very dry, it can become red, rough and scaly. The goal of your skin care routine should be to seal in moisture. Gentle exfoliation to get rid of rough skin can also help your products soak in.
Skin Care Products for Dry Skin
Discover our best products for adding moisture to dry skin:
Cleansers
Look for cleansers with a cream or oil base.
Masks
Exfoliator/mask hybrids gently break down dead skin.
Oils and Serums
Essential oils and naturally derived emollients help skin retain moisture.
Moisturizers
Rich cream formulas seal in moisture. Use twice a day or as needed.
Skin Care for Normal/Combination Skin
If you feel like you need two sets of products to keep all of your skin happy, you’re probably in the combination skin club. There might be oil on your T-zone (across your forehead and down your nose) and dryness on your cheeks. On the plus side, normal and combination skin usually doesn’t experience many breakouts and tends to be firm, with minimal fine lines and wrinkles. Your skin care goal is to maintain that balance!
Skin Care Products for Normal/Combination Skin
We’ve made finding products that maintain skin balance easy! These are our best products for those of you who have normal to combination skin:
Cleansers
Consider having a couple in your arsenal to alternate as needed.
Masks
The ‘multi-masking’ trend is made for you!
Use a clay-based mask on your T-zone and a hydrating mask elsewhere.
Oils and Serums
Choose lightweight formulas to moisturize and brighten.
Moisturizers
Your skin can handle both heavier creams and lighter gels. Go with what feels best.
Skin Care for Oily Skin
You might find that makeup doesn’t stay put the way you’d like it to or that blotting sheets are a must-have. Your pores might get clogged a bit more easily and appear bigger because of that. But because oily skin has more natural moisture, it tends to look younger and more supple! Your goal is to prevent sebum buildup with gentle exfoliation and products that won’t clog pores.
Skin Care Products for Oily Skin
Incorporate some of these products into your daily skin care routine to help control and balance oily skin:
Cleansers
Look for gentle formulas that cleanse without stripping away too many beneficial oils.
Masks
Clay-based masks and those with anti-bacterial ingredients are especially helpful if your oily skin leads to breakouts.
Oils and Serums
Don’t be afraid of lightweight oils, especially those that will help you keep that youthful glow.
Moisturizers
Oily skin needs moisture, too! Look for light, gel-based formulas.
A Note on Skin Care for Sensitive Skin
If you have sensitive skin, chances are you’re already very well aware! You probably have frequent irritation and inflammation, especially when trying new products. It’s important that you introduce both skin care and makeup slowly, adding in only one new product at a time and patch testing first. Some of the most common irritating ingredients are synthetic fragrance and harmful chemicals. That’s actually major good news for our sensitive friends – you will never find those in LimeLife skin care!
Skin Care Products for Sensitive Skin
Free of harsh and harmful chemicals, these are some of our best-performing products for sensitive skin:
Cleansers
Choose cleansers without harsh detergents to get rid of impurities without stripping your skin.
Masks
Look for hydrating ingredients, and steer clear of products containing alcohol.
Oils and Serums
The fewer additives, the better!
Moisturizers
Naturally soothing ingredients, like oat protein and aloe, are a good match.
Soap
As sensitive skin tends to make up the rest of your body, too, choose a soap without irritating sulfate detergents.
Some other things to keep in mind:
Your skin type can evolve throughout your life. As we age, hormonal and environmental changes can have an effect on our skin type. You might notice new dry patches or sensitivity to products that previously worked well. Keep an open mind and keep revisiting these suggestions to make sure your skin always has what it needs!
We’re talking about skin types here, not skin concerns. Concerns include things like acne, redness, or aging that can occur with any skin type. We’ve found the best way to narrow it down is to start with products that are friendly for your skin type, and then zero in on the ones that address your specific concern. You can learn more about that in our post about skin concerns!
Now that you’ve found your skin type, you can consider your homework just about finished. Shop for new products armed with more insight and let us know which ones have been the best match for your skin!