You’ve had the same skin forever, so you are pretty confident you know exactly what skin type you are. Did you know your skin will change throughout your lifetime? In order to get the most out of your skincare routine, you must be aware of these changes and then be equipped with the knowledge on how to treat it with the right products when the transformation occurs.
Failing to alter your skincare routine and treat your latest skin conditions could be detrimental and can lead to skin irritation and breakouts! So “What is my skin type?” we hear you say…
How To Identify Your Skin Type
There are 4 main skin types:
To work out which of the 4 skin types you fall into, start with assessing your skin and creating a baseline. Dedicate a week where you use only a cleanser and a basic moisturiser. Your skin will “reset” itself and then it’s time to take note of how your skin reacts to reveal what skin type you have.
After your skin has been “reset”, use the Skin Traits checklist below and see which category you fall under.
Skin Traits
| Normal Skin | Dry Skin | Oily Skin | Combination Skin |
| Plump Healthy Non problematic Neither too oily nor too dry Balanced Minimal breakouts Generally not sensitive to most products Even skin tone | Tightness Flaking Can sometimes itch Rough texture and rough patches Minimal Acne and Blackheads Small pores Feeling the need to moisturise immediately after cleansing Makeup is ineffective, crusty or settling in lines “Crepeing” and wrinkling when you don’t hydrate well | Excess oiliness that you can wipe off Acne prone Blackhead congestion Large pores Shiny despite using mattifying products Moisturisers making oiliness worse Make up splitting and moving around | Bit oily in some places eg. nose, chin, forehead Dry patches in certain areas eg. cheeks, near mouth Combination of large and small pores Excessive spot treatment for certain parts of the face Using varying specific makeup on certain parts of the face |
Skin Types VS. Skin Concerns
It doesn’t stop here once you have discovered your skin type. From here you can pinpoint the skin conditions you are currently suffering. What’s the difference between skin types and skin concerns? Skin concerns are more temporary in nature and usually caused by external factors (as opposed to internally – your genetics). People of all skin types can have the same skin concern or condition.
There are 5 main skin concerns:
- Dehydration
- Sensitivities (eg. eczema, rosacea, dermatitis)
- Hyperpigmentation
- Acne
- Ageing
Dehydration
Dehydrated skin occurs when the skin barrier is weaker than it’s supposed to be and cannot retain water, which in turn allows evaporation to occur, leaving your skin lacking the essential moisture for it to function properly. Most common in dry skin types and contrary to popular belief, this can also happen to oily skin types. You will know this is a condition you are suffering from if your skin feels tight despite being oily. Dehydration is caused by changes in temperature. Whether it be naturally such as weather related, or artificially such as air conditioning. Other common causes are over cleansing and exfoliating with harsh products, sun exposure or simply your genetics.
Sensitivities
Sensitive skin is caused when the skin barrier is fragile and weakened and loses the ability to protect itself from outside irritants, allowing them to penetrate beneath the barrier. This in turn causes reactions like stinging, swelling, burning, itching, redness, inflammation and rashes. Skin sensitivities vary in severity, with the most acute being classified as skin disorders, such as Rosacea, Dermatitis and Eczema. These conditions may need treatment by a dermatologist.
Hyperpigmentation
Common in ageing skin, hyperpigmentation is caused by sun exposure and skin trauma, such as acne scars and Melasma, which may develop during pregnancy due to hormonal changes or due to an underlying health condition. Hyperpigmentation can range from being a latte tone to shades of dark brown and usually affects ethnicities with darker skin tones.
Acne
Acne is essentially blocked pores. Below the pores are the sebaceous glands that produce sebum, which flows upward through the pores to moisturize and protect the skin surface.
Acne has a few subcategories:
- Microcomedones – tiny blockages that cannot be seen.
- Blackheads and Whiteheads – visible, but are small without redness. Once they become inflamed, they will become papules, which are red without pus.When it is accompanied with pus, it is called a pustule.
- Nodules – when the pores are blocked deeper in the skin, solid painful lumps will develop. If it contains pus, they are called Cysts.
Causes of acne vary from an overproduction of sebum, clogged pores, bacteria or inflammation, which can be brought on by factors such as hormones, genetics, stress, diet, medication and topical products. With severe acne a treatment from a dermatologist may be required.
Ageing
One skin condition that we will all go through whether we like it or not is ageing. Not just our skin, but bone density, muscle tone and fat distribution will reveal how well we are aging. But environmental stressors such as the exposure to UV rays, poor diet, nicotine in cigarettes and subjection to pollutants also determine how well we will age. The signs of aging include fine lines, sun spots, wrinkles that etch deeper, sagging, hollowness and dull skin tone.
After establishing your skin type and the skin concerns you want to address you are ready to go forward and begin introducing treatment products one by one for healthy, clearer and glowing skin! Here at Beauty Crush Skin we have done all the hard work for you. Our skincare products are categorised by the skin types they are most suited for. Our mission is to simplify Korean skincare for everyone. Experience it for yourself today!
WE’VE DONE THE HARD YARDS… THE HYPE OF KOREAN SKINCARE IS 100% REAL!
Make that change for healthier glowing skin! Check out our Korean Skincare range at Beauty Crush Skin.
Written by Cole