- Normal: You rarely suffer dryness or excessive shine, have a fairly even complexion, and experience few breakouts. Normal skin has fine pores and generally feels comfortable and smooth.
- Dry: You have rough, flaky, or course patches that can become itchy or uncomfortable. Dry skin often has tiny, virtually invisible pores, and may show fine lines and wrinkles. Tightness across the forehead and cheeks after cleansing is a good indication of dry skin.
- Oily: You experience frequent areas of shine on the forehead, nose, chin, and sometimes the cheeks. Oily skin tends to have pores that appear large, and may be prone to frequent blemishes or acne. A few hours after cleansing, oily skin may feel greasy to the touch.
- Sensitive: You experience frequent irritation of the skin, including redness, rashes, itchiness, and stinging or burning sensations. All of the skin types may also be sensitive, for it's usually a reaction to a perfume, dye or harsh detergent that will trigger the uncomfortable symptoms of sensitive skin.
- Combination: You have dry patches on the cheeks or sides of the face, may show fine lines around the eyes, and also experience oily shine through the T-Zone ( the T shaped area that encompasses the forehead, nose, and chin).
- Mature: You are showing signs of aging, such as fine lines, deep wrinkles, thinning skin, age spots and discolorations, and sagging or loss of firmness.
There we have it, the six most common skin types that I will be covering within this blog. Choosing a skin care regimen that fits your needs is essential to keeping your skins chemistry in balance, so it's a good idea to understand the care and keeping of your beautiful face.
Of course, your beauty is more than skin deep, so let's talk a bit about what kind of role diet, rest, stress, and exercise can play in keeping your complexion in tip-top shape. Skin is the largest organ of the human body, and perhaps the one that suffers the most abuse. Your protective covering is made up of three layers, the epidermis, the outer layer, the dermis - middle layer, and the hypodermis, which is the deepest layer within which nerves and blood supply are happily at work. Keeping your skin healthy from the inside out can really assist you in preventing common complaints and can leave you looking radiant without a drop of makeup.
The first step towards a healthy glow is to keep hydrated. Drink plenty of water throughout the day, and remember that certain beverages like coffee and sodas can be dehydrating, so be sure to keep track of your water consumption if you drink lots of caffeinated products. Eating right can really help to keep your skin looking great, as getting the right amounts of vitamins and good fats from your diet will aid cell turnover an keep your complexion firm and clear.
Vitamin E is an important antioxidant that can keep skin healthy, find it in supplements, almonds, green leafy veggies, or whole grains.
Vitamin D is important for cell development, and consuming fortified dairy products or taking a supplement with calcium and vitamin D combined is a great way to get your daily dose.
Vitamin A is another important antioxidant, and works well as a topical treatment as well.
Vitamin C not only boosts your immune system and can help ward off colds, it is also essential for building and repairing the collagen cells that keep your skin firm and toned.
Unsaturated and omega-3 fats like those found in olive oil, salmon, avocado and nuts are essential for shiny, healthy hair and beautifully soft skin.
Eating a well-balanced diet that includes a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables is important for beautiful skin, but since many of us find it hard to eat right all of the time, talk with your doctor about what over-the-counter supplements may be right for you. Remember: Some vitamins and herbs interact with prescription medications, so it's vital that you talk to a doctor or pharmacist before adding any new supplement to your diet!
Exercise and getting adequate sleep can make a world of difference in the appearance of your skin. When we work out, the increase in blood flow delivers nice boosts of oxygen to the skin. Sleeping at least 7 hours every night is important for the skins clarity and health. During a restful sleep, your cells are busy at work repairing damage and regenerating the skin - this is why a good quality night cream is usually so effective.
And now for the obvious: Stress, Sun, Alcohol, and Smoking are bad for your skin. Yes, we all have our moments, but avoiding alcohol consumption and quitting smoking will help to keep the skin nicely hydrated and reduce you chance of wrinkles and fine lines. Sun damage is a major problem - not only does it change the texture of the skin and lead to age spots, premature wrinkles, and sagging, it can cause deadly skin cancers.
With all the advances in self-tanning products, there is no excuse for roasting in the sun!
Stress is fairly unavoidable, but it also can have a really negative impact on your skin and hair. Learning to manage stress through meditation, journaling, or by discussing supplements and medications with your doctor can help you to look your best even under pressure.
Hopefully you now have a clear picture of your skin type, and what changes you can make ( if you need to!) for improving your skins overall health. If you'd like to learn about your individual skincare needs, please select the blog-post with your skin type in the title. Thanks for reading, and have a beautiful day.
