What is your skin type?
Your skin is constantly changing for several different reasons, such as age, seasons, hormones and the type of skincare you use. This means that you need to change your skincare routine now and then by exchanging, adding or removing.
There are really only four different skin types – normal, dry, oily and mixed – but in addition to this there are many different combinations and conditions. Sensitive skin is one of these conditions, a very common one. Dry skin can be sensitive and oily skin can be sensitive. Today many people feel that their skin is sensitive and this can have varying reasons. Aging skin is also a common condition – your skin starts aging already at the age of 25. Your skin being dry on the surface is another condition, where your skin can be any skin type underneath. In short – your skin is an organ in constant change and with time it ages, so make sure to take care of it.
Love your fine lines.
Sensitive skin
Sensitive skin is, as mentioned earlier, not really a skin type but a condition that can be found in all skin types. It is quite common to experience some type of skin sensitivity. This is often caused by skin imbalance and can cause redness, irritation, bumps and tingling sensations. The skin tone can vary from a light redness to a more intense red. Your skin can react to many different things – inappropriate skincare, external stressors such as temperature change, pollution, hormones, medication, stress and not enough sleep. If your skin is thin with visible blood vessels if often more sensitive. Skin disorders like Rosacea and Perioral Dermatitis are also quite common and can be the cause of sensitive skin.
Dry skin
Dry skin often feels tight with redness and irritation on some parts or all over the face. The skin can many times feel coarse and scaly. Pores are often small or very small. There is not sufficient production of sebum and moisture and the skin barrier (the outer layer of skin) is often disturbed. The skin tone is many times uneven. This skin type often feels sensitive. Or skin often gets more dry as we get older since the production of moisture and sebum decreases. The condition is worsened through use of dehydrating cleansing products such as soap. Dry skin is quite common, especially in the Scandinavian climate.
Combination/oily skin
Combination/oily skin has a higher production of sebum and therefore has a tendency to look shiny. The skin tone can be uneven and look washed out and the skin surface often feels greasy. Pores are often large. Blackheads and pimples are common. Combination skin comes in many different variations, but they all have both dry and oily parts. One of the most common combination skin types is where the forehead, nose – the T-zone – are oily and the cheeks are dry. Comvination (mixed) skin is one of the most common skin types.
Aging skin
The skin often gets more dry, thin and sagging with age. The skin tone becomes more uneven due to hyper pigmentation. Blood vessels on the cheeks and chin become more visible, and dark circles under the eyes is common. The production of sebum and moisture in the skin decreases. When the skin loses its collagen and elastin it starts to sag and the pores are enlarged. The facial contours become less distinct. Lines and winkles become more pronounced.
Normal skin
The skin feels soft and supple without dry/scaly parts and with an even skin tone.
The pores are the same size all over the face and the skin feels neither shiny nor tight. This is due to a balanced sebum production and a well functioning moisture balance. This is a mostly problem free and resilient skin type and the one that most of us are dreaming of.