With skin conditions, many concerns can be attributed to our lifestyle and wellness. What we eat, where we live, how we live, and how we feel all contribute to our skin’s health and appearance. Skin conditions can cover a multitude of things like aging, sensitivity, pigmentation, or acne. But our skin type is determined by our genetic make-up. There are 4 categories that your skin will fit into to determine your skin type.
– Oily
– Combination
– Balanced
– Dry
Different skin types may experience common concerns or skin conditions, but all have different needs. How you treat and prevent best, is determined by which products and treatment options are best for your skin type.
At Depil Brazil, we recognize that every client is special. Our trained and talented Wax Pros are delighted to talk to you during every session about your skin care concerns, and what you should do to keep your skin healthy, glowing, and smooth, even after your wax. Our wax is a specially formulated hard wax that was designed to nourish, exfoliate, and repair all skin types. So when you wax at Depil Brazil you can feel confident that every session was designed with your unique skin in mind!
But how do you know what type of skin you have? You need to monitor and take note of your skin’s current nature, and how it reacts to a few simple tests we’ve outlined below.
Characteristics of Skin Types
Oily
People who are considered to have oily skin will often exhibit a shiny face and may also deal with breakouts on a regular basis. This is due to the excess production of sebum, natural oils, combined with dead skin and clogged pores. Our body naturally produces oil to help keep our skin soft and supple, but if too much is produced, it can lead to flare-ups of excess oil. This then causes the skin to appear shiny and feel greasy, especially throughout the T-Zone area (forehead, nose and chin). Oily skin types tend to have larger, more noticeable pores, develop acne blemishes and be more prone to acne breakouts.
Hormones and genetics are two of the main causes of oily type skin, but the silver lining is that those with oilier skin types tend to have more youthful and supple looking skin because it has more natural moisture and is less prone to wrinkles.
Combination
Of the various skin types, combination skin is the most common, and also the most difficult to identify. With combination skin, part of the skin is dry, or normal around the perimeter of the face and the cheek area, and part of the skin tends to be more oily, typically around the T-Zone area. Individuals with combination skin may notice patches of shine on areas of the face, but that doesn’t mean you have oily skin. Oily skin refers to skin that has shine all over, as opposed to just one restricted area.
People that have combination skin will notice it more during certain times of the year, or in certain elements with extreme temperature changes. Like the cold, frigid winter season, or the sweltering summer season. Those with combination skin are also more prone to developing cluster breakouts and blemishes along the forehead, chin, and nose area.
Balanced
Balanced, or “normal” skin is more straightforward. Having balanced skin means your skin feels neither oily or dry, and it is not prone to flakiness, irritation, blemishes, or breakouts. The pores of balanced skin are generally small, and the texture is smooth. Balanced skin has no imperfections and a clean, soft appearance, but requires special care all the same. It is how we keep our skin healthy and thriving. In addition, balanced skin has good blood circulation, rosy color, and is less likely to be prone to sensitivity. While the skin may have some oil production, the overall sebum and moisture is balanced.
Dry
Dry skin ranges from skin that is drier than usual in certain conditions, to very dry at all times. Those with dry skin will typically notice dull, flaky, rough areas on the skin, and the skin’s texture feels tight, and shows visible lines and wrinkles. Skin may also become itchy or irritated. While oily skin produces excess sebum, dry skin produces less sebum than normal, balanced skin. As a result, dry skin doesn’t retain moisture that helps build a protective shield against external elements. Since dry skin can crack, leaving it more exposed to bacteria, although in general this is not serious, it may cause other skin disorders, such as eczema, or be more prone to infections if not properly managed.
While dry skin is largely due to genetics, there are other factors such as lifestyle & diet, hormonal changes, and climate that contribute. Dehydration is also a leading cause of dry skin, so drinking plenty of water and avoiding diuretics like alcohol and caffeine can make a significant difference in how your skin feels and looks.
How to determine your skin type
Observe and Record
This is the most common test and also known as the ‘day test’. It will allow you to observe and understand what kind of skin you have best by monitoring its behavior through a short period of time. You can do this test while just hanging out at home for the day, but we also recommend exposing the bare (no makeup or heavy skincare products) face to the natural elements. So you can do this test on a day you run errands, or hang out with friends in a natural setting you don’t mind being barefaced.
To start, wash your face with a gentle cleanser, like the Depil Brazil Joatinga Cleanser, then gently pat it dry. Leave skin bare (and do not apply any additional moisturizers, serums or treatments). After 30 minutes, examine your cheeks, chin, nose and forehead for any shine. If after 30 minutes your skin appears shiny throughout, you likely have oily skin; if it feels tight and is flaky or scaly, you likely have dry skin; if the shine is only in your T-Zone, you probably have combination skin; and if your skin feels hydrated and comfortable, but not oily, you likely have normal skin. You can also observe how your skin reacts to the environmental elements, like the outside weather, as well as what you eat in a day.
At the end of the testing period, make note of what you did and what you noticed about your skin from the test. Evaluate whether your skin feels parched, especially if you smile or make any other facial expressions. If your skin feels tight, your skin is likely dry. If there is a noticeable shine on your nose and forehead, your skin is most likely a combination. If there is shine on your cheeks in addition to your forehead and nose, you most likely have oily skin. If your skin felt or appeared one way after washing it, then another at the end of the day, you can contribute certain factors into your skincare routine.
Test With Blotting Sheets
This method is much faster and often a great differentiator between oily, dry, and combination skin types. After washing your face with a gentle cleanser, pat it dry and allow it to rest for 30 minutes. Gently pat a blotting paper on the different areas of your face. When pressed to the skin, blotting sheets absorb oil. Hold the sheets up to the light to determine how much oil is visible. If the sheets reveal an abundance of oil markings in all areas of the face, you have oily skin. If the sheet picked up little to no oil, you most likely have dry skin. Finally, if the blotting sheet reveals a small amount of oil from the forehead and nose areas, your skin is a combination. Naturally, if you only see minimal oil from every area of your face, you most likely have normal skin.
Caring for your skin type
Managing your skin can be challenging, even if you know your skin type. It takes time, effort and education to determine which ingredients help instead of harm your skin. Remember, not all products are created equally. Neither are all skin care routines. So you need to take the time to build a regime that fits your skin’s needs. To make this process easier, introduce only one new product and formula into your routine at a time. This will allow you to see how your skin reacts to certain products and ingredients without saturating or overwhelming the skin. This rule applies to both skincare and cosmetics. Patch testing a new formula on your inner forearm is an excellent way to minimize potential reactions on the face. If your skin shows no sign of flaring up, apply the formula to the area behind one of your ears before using it on your face.
Regardless of your skin type, daily exfoliation is critical. Daily exfoliation using gentle, non-abrasive ingredients, like those found in the Arpoador Gel Exfoliant, help promote skin cell turnover without stripping away the skin’s natural oils. When you eliminate the dead skin, and other dirt and debris from the skin, serums and treatments will be absorbed more easily and distributed more evenly. After exfoliating, be sure to moisturize, especially for dry skin types. Moisturizers with a gel-like texture are absorbed more quickly and less likely to cause breakouts. The best moisturizers for dry skin are those containing hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and emollients, including squalane and essential oils like avocado oil, help smooth and hydrate your skin evenly and effectively. Start with a small amount and increase as needed to avoid over-moisturizing and stressing the skin.
Oilier skin is also prone to PIH (post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation), a condition that leaves dark spots on the skin after a breakout has healed. After exfoliating use a product like our popular Barra Brightening Cream to help lighten these dark spots by polishing away the uppermost layers of skin and revealing new cells.
Our skin’s needs can change over time, and taking steps to best identify its needs is essential for it to function and look its best. While all skin types benefit from using products like cleansers and moisturizers, which ones you use will depend on what type of skin you have. Understanding your skin type is an important first step in discovering the most effective way to take care of your skin.
Keeping the health of your skin in mind and “checking in” regularly, and taking the time to learn your skin’s specific needs will help you to choose the right options that will balance skin resulting in a healthier, more radiant complexion. The Wax Pros at Depil Brazil are well versed on all things smooth and all things beautiful skin, book your appointment for your first free wax, today, and talk to your Wax Pro about all of your skin care concerns and needs.
