Skin Type. Do You Know Yours?

Skin, we all deal with it, and we all go through a period of time where we just have no idea what is going on with it, be it breakouts, dry patches, an ever-present sheen, or some combination of all three. Knowing your facial skin type is important for caring for the skin that faces the world everyday. Most people know that there are 3 main skin types: dry, oily, and combination, and for some, the added bonus of sensitive skin. But do you actually know what it means to have a specific skin type? Not to mention, do you know how your skin type might be affected by your workouts, or sweaty face?

Here are two simple methods to help you determine your skin type:

1. The Bare-Faced method: Start with a clean face from a shower. Do not put on any lotions or serums. Wait roughly half an hour after your shower and look at your face (cheeks, chin, nose, and forehead) in the mirror. Is it starting to look oily? Does it feel tight? If you can’t quite tell, then wait a full hour after your shower, by then you should be able to see any oil or dryness, and where.
2. The Blotting Sheet Method: This method is much faster and simpler than the bare-faced method. All you do is take a blotting sheet and gently pat the different areas of your face, you’ll be able to tell whether you have dry, combination, or oily skin, depending on the amount of oil the sheet absorbs. Don’t forget to hold the sheet up to a light to properly see how much oil is on the sheet!
   
   

Now that you know two methods to determine skin type, it’s important to know what that means for you and your skincare regimen.

 Dry:

If you found that your face felt tight and dry after your shower, or that the blotting sheet picked up little to no oil, you most likely have ‘dry’ skin. What does that mean for your sweaty workouts? When you exercise, and subsequently sweat, especially in air conditioned environments, you may feel your skin tighten and dry out more quickly. From this dryness you can also experience some other symptoms such as redness, fine lines, and in more severe cases cracks. The best way to combat exercise induced dryness, or dryness in general, is to immediately wash the sweat of your face after a workout with warm water, and apply a gentle oil-free and non-comedogenic moisturizer or serum. Our REVIVE ME deep replenishing serum is an excellent product to use, as it’s jam packed with sterols and hydroviton, both of which aid in deep skin hydration.

Normal/Combo:

Combination skin is the most common of the skin types, and as such is aptly called ‘normal’. But what does it actually mean? On our faces we have an area called the ‘T’ Zone. It’s the area comprised of the forehead, nose, and chin, in the shape of, you guessed it, a ‘T’. To have combination skin essentially means what it sounds like. That you produce some oil in the ‘T’ Zone, but the rest of your face is comparatively dry. While there are a bunch of different methods by which to treat your combination skin, it’s important to maintain a proper skincare regimen through your workouts. When it comes to combination skin, products make all the difference. Remember,  ensuring you properly protect you skin from the sun is always #1. Using a lightweight SPF30 sunscreen like our PROTECT ME is essential for maintaining a healthy balance between oil and dryness.

 Oily:

Oily skin, the skin type that afflicts so many. It has us going through blotting paper like crazy, while trying to cover up all of those pesky pimples that surface. Oily skin is one of those skin types that you just KNOW you have, after all, it’s hard to ignore that wonderful sheen you have on your face. But, having oily skin, albeit annoying, is not all bad. In fact, oil itself is great for the skin as it helps preserve it and keep away wrinkles. However, as with most things in life, it’s all about finding that healthy balance. Dermatologists recommend washing your face with a mild non-comedogenic face wash, like our PURIFY ME, morning, evening, and especially after workouts, when your sweat mixes with the oil and sits on your face, clogging your pores. In addition, the doctors warn against the temptation to scrub your face, suggestion a more gentle approach.

Sensitive:

Now we come to the illustrious perils of the sensitive skinned gal. Those of us ‘fortunate’ enough to be plagued with sensitive skin have the added bonus of not only having to determine whether we have dry, combination, or oily skin, but ALSO have to double and triple check everything that comes in contact with our face. What does it mean to have sensitive skin? Well, it means you’ve basically got it all! Congratulations, you get the redness, the blotches, the allergies, the dryness, the breakouts, the “what the heck is my skin doing?!” all in one (or some mix of the aforementioned).

Those of us with sensitive skin, especially those of us who hit the gym hard, have to take added care and really ensure we use only the best ingredients. At the same time, we must remember not to overload our delicate faces with too many products. Luckily for the sensitive skinned chicas out there, our 123FRÉ Set was not only designed especially for the sweaty and active woman. It was also designed to be sensitive and soothing, with our unique Argania Active Complex formula.

Face The Day:

Now that we’ve taken you through the different types of skin and given you simple solutions, it’s time to face the world.Take back your confidence and get control over your skin! After all, it’s all about who’s behind the face, not what’s on it.

If you want even more information on the various skin types, and methods to test for them, then check out this great article by My Awesome Beauty Or to read about 6 holistic beauty tips to help give your skin that coveted FRÉ glow, click here.