What You Need To Know About Skincare Types…
Lots of people don’t know this but your skin is the biggest organ in your body. Yep. The biggest. People knowing this fact and actively choosing not to take care of their skin never fails to shock me. I often put the lack of interest down to a lack of knowledge and I’m here to rectify that and hopefully help you get to know your skin a little better.
The first thing to know is that there are layers to your skin. When you buy products over the counter, they are targeting your epidermis. If you’re lost already don’t worry. Your epidermis is essentially the top layer of your skin (the bit you can see) and frequently rejuvenates and renews. Think of a snake shedding its skin but not quite to this level…
It is the bottom layer of your skin which produces melanin with the purpose of protecting you against UV rays. Although we are mostly all guilty of doing it; getting a tan is not good for our skin. When we are tanned our skin works to create melanin to protect us from the sun. I like to wear a factor 50 sunscreen and use a few fake tanning drops for that sun kissed glow!
I want to mention the importance of understanding the difference between lighter and darker skin tones. Particularly in reference to melanin production. Those with darker skin have more melanocytes, therefore meaning they produce more melanin. The natural SPF of those with darker skin is 13.4 compared to those with white skin having a natural SPF of 3.4.
(To find out more about skincare for those of colour, ‘The Black Skin Directory’ is a great source).
—
So, the different skin types.
Helena Rubinstein developed three categories of skin types over 100 years ago and we have followed and adapted these ever since. She determined these skin types based off of the production of secretions from the skin glands. They are ‘normal’, ‘over-moist’ (oily) and dry. Since then the universal understanding of skin types would be categorised into, dry, oily, normal and combination skin.
Before I continue it is important to note the difference between skin type and skin condition. Your skin type is your genetic makeup (those listed above), with a skin condition being something that generally needs more specific treatment (eczema etc).
There are also a number of gender differences to take into account when it comes to your approach to skincare. I know all about this after having written my dissertation on this topic and finding it fascinating. It is widely understood that scientifically, men have a thicker epidermis. This implies their skin to be less sensitive compared to that of women as well as men having higher collagen production meaning tighter and firmer skin. Exactly what we often spend obscene amounts of money on to achieve!!
—
When we speak of skin conditions we are referring to those such as acne, eczema, psoriasis etc. These are often best treated with professional help and generally prescription medication.
Dry:
small pores
skin feels ‘tight’
skin feels dull in appearance
can be flakey
your skin is not absorbing products effectively
skin doesn’t feel plump
Hyaluronic acid is your best friend if you are experiencing any of these symptoms. It is like pouring a glass of water over your face and it sinking into your skin.
There is a long list of reasons why your skin may be feeling dry, however, there are 3 things that can often be the culprits: alcohol, sugar and salt. Before you say anything, I know that at least one of these is generally an integral part in people’s lives and can be hard to avoid. All I am saying is that if your skin is feeling particularly dry, to consider if any, if not all of these, may be to blame. Everything in moderation is generally the rule that is followed, however the phrase, ‘sugar is the devil’ was not cloned from nothing and will not be beneficial to any organ in your body, let alone the largest one.
Oily:
shiny skin
large pores
clogged pores/blackheads
possibly more obvious spots
When your skin is oily this often causes you to become more prone to excessive sebum production. I’ve said it before but hydration here is necessary. Although it seems like drying out your skin might be the best thing, it’s not.
Normal:
moisturised
smooth skin texture
balanced sebum levels
no concern over pore size
The word ‘normal’ irks me slightly as the opposite implies abnormal, however this is not the case. All skin is simply different. The use of the word ‘normal’ when discussing skin types is meant to suggest a good balance overall, although this can often fluctuate.
Combination:
mixture of all skin types
This is said to be the most common of the skin types with people often presenting with an oiler T-zone and various dehydrated areas of the face.
—
Now that you have read about the different skin types you can begin trying to identify which fits your skin the most. This is a very important first step to take before investing money and time into skincare.
It is important to note that your skin can react and change due to a number of external factors but staying consistent and understanding your skin will help you to combat any problems thrown your way.
