How to care for your different skin types

One of the first steps to properly caring for your skin is to first understand what type of skin you have. Depending on how your skin reacts to sun exposure and different climate changes, the five major skin types are: oily, dry, normal, sensitive and combination.

Normal Skin

Normal skin is known to maintain a healthy balance in the midst of diverse climate changes, due to its good health. The best way to care for normal skin is with a regular healthy skincare regimen.

Oily Skin

If your face still gets shiny and greasy after washing it, then chances are you have oily skin. Oily skin is a result of high levels of sebum production in the body, and because of this, oily skin is more susceptible to acne and breakouts. To care for oily skin, it is important to pay attention to your diet, stay clear of refined sugar, salt and food with unhealthy fats. To get rid of excessive oil after cleansing, be sure to wipe your face with an astringent, or for a more natural substitute use cucumber juice; which absorbs oil and refines pores. Never equate oily skin with being naturally moisturized, because oil from the skin's sebum production has very little to do with the skin's level of hydration; however, when picking a moisturizer be sure to pick those that are oil-free.

Sensitive Skin

This type tends to react very quickly and oftentimes harshly to both product and environmental changes. Just like with oily skin, a sensitive skin is very predisposed to acne breakouts and rashes. The best way to take care of sensitive skin is to avoid using products with harsh and unknown chemicals, and use products that are specifically designed for sensitive skin. With sensitive skin, it is also important to pay attention to the type of makeup products you use. To test your skin's sensitivity when using a new product; perform a patch test on your wrist to see if it reacts.

Dry Skin

due to the lack of adequate oil production in the skin, people with dry skin tend to experience feelings of tightness and irritation after washing their face. To care for dry skin, it is important to stay clear of soaps with high levels of alkaline, which have the ability to further dry and irritate the skin. Look for facial cleansers and soaps with moisturizing agents and be sure to effectively moisturize your skin after cleansing with products that contain natural oils.

Combination Skin

skin that can be considered both dry and oily especially around the nose, cheeks and forehead. To best care for combination skin, use astringents to soak up areas with excessive oil and moisturize afterwards.

Remember that regardless of your skin type, it is very important to wash your face twice a day with a mild cleanser and moisturize afterwards.