The Different Skin Types

We each have a different skin type, but do you know what yours means?

Read the desciption of the different skin types given in this article to find out!

Normal Skin Type

Normal skin is very resilient, and even though you may get the occasional flare-up, for most of the time your skin looks balanced. Normal skin looks healthy, is moist and tends not to wrinkle much.

Normal skin has small to medium sized pores and feels smooth to the touch.

With normal skin you don’t have to give it any special treatment, as it remains fairly stable no matter what you do.

Normal skin is considered the ideal skin type to have.

Oily Skin Type

Oily skin tends to be thick and because it is naturally moist it doesn’t wrinkle much with age. Oily skin very rarely appears dry, and within a few hours after washing your face it starts to develop oily shinny patches.

This is one of the major complaints people have with oily skin. Fortunately however shinny patches can be reduced with blotting paper, oil absorbing powders and foundations.

Another common complaint that comes with an oily skin type is frequent outbreaks and spots, especially during the teenage years and early 20s.

The good news about having oily skin is that your skin will naturally look young as you age. Your main challenge will be to control the oil with a proper cleansing, toning and moisturising routine.

Sensitive Skin Type

Sensitive skin is usually quite thin and with age it will develop fine lines and wrinkles.

People with sensitive skin tend to get redness in their cheeks and nose when they are outside in the cold or eating spicy foods.

Sensitive skin can become easily inflamed, so you need to be careful what skin care products you use and remember to protect your skin when you are outside.

Oily-Dry Skin Type

Oily-dry skin can be difficult to control at times because you often have visible dryness with rough and flaking skin patches.

Some of these dry areas may feel tight on the face and can even feel painful if the skin is stretched and then cracks.

Oily-dry skin tends to have an uneven skin tone with a dull complexion. Because your skin is naturally dry it doesn’t produce much oil, and so it needs to be frequently moisturised.

Acne Skin Type

An acne skin type doesn’t necessarily mean that you have acne, but rather that you are more prone to skin disruptions such as blackheads, whiteheads and pimples.

An acne skin type can easily become inflamed when using certain skin care products or when exposed to extreme weather conditions.

Acne skin needs to be exfoliated on a regular basis because the skin has a tendency to become keratinised.

This occurs when dead skin cells build up over the newer skin underneath, which then leads to blemishes and dull looking skin.

There are six levels of severity for acne skin type (the aim is to keep the skin at level one) :

Level One Acne

The skin looks normal and is not inflamed. There are no breakouts or spots on the face.

Level Two Acne

The skin appears shinny and has blackheads and whiteheads.

Level Three Acne

The skin has small raised bumps or pimples.

Level Four Acne

The skin contains large bumps and pimples with pus in them.

Level Five Acne

Cysts can be seen beneath the skin surface, and may become inflamed leading to scarring.

Level Six Acne

All of the previous symptoms are occurring at once, both on the face and on the body.