Skin Care

Do you know if your skin is Oily,Dry or Sensitive? Whenever a woman says she’s not sure, then she usually has Normal/Combination skin. Anyone who has oily, dry or sensitive skin, is sure.

Normal/Combination skin is the ideal and may feel slightly dry or slightly oily within 2 hours after cleansing. If your body produces oil that may be a little more or a little less than you need, you’re still within the normal range. Normal to Dry/combination skin has dry cheeks and a normal T zone. Normal to Oily/ combination skin has normal cheeks and an oily T zone.

The person with Dry skin knows that her body doesn’t generate enough oil to keep her facial skin moist. The under activity of her oil glands results in skin that feels dry or tight within minutes after cleansing. This type skin has very tight pores and generally has spots of dry flakey skin.

If your skin is really shiny or very oily within 2 hours after cleansing, then you have Oily skin. This person knows that her body has over active sebaceous (oil) glands, and her face produces too much oil. This type has enlarged pores, is generally oily all over, and is prone to outbreaks or acne.

Women with Sensitive skin know their skin type because their reactions may be itching, splotchiness or swelling. Today, almost all popular cosmetic companies have developed a group of products that are hyper-allergenic. Designed to work for dry sensitive or oily sensitive skin, these products are specially formulated to be very mild and gentle.

When your skin care products are not made for your skin type, you can expect some type of negative reaction. You can depend on dry skin flaking, peeling or even cracking open; many years of using the wrong products will result in skin that wrinkles 10 to 20 years earlier than it should. That explains the importance of using proper (pH balanced) facial skin care items as early and consistently as possible.

Oily skin will have more severe, longer lasting problems if your skin care products contain oil. There will be clogged pores, and there may be facial infections that develop into cysts due to bacteria and overgrown skin cells that stop natural follicular growth. The long lasting effects could be permanent, dark pimple spots or uneven facial surface and extremely large pores.

A few of the more sever reactions that sensitive skin might expect are extreme dryness, burning and itching. 1st degree burns that look like eczema and possible scarring. Products designed for sensitive skin will leave your face feeling normal; not too dry, oily or itchy. Before using a new product, test a little behind an ear and give it 24 hours to see if you’ll have a negative reaction.

The average of normal/combination skin type doesn’t suffer with problem skin, but a lot of other people do. Products for your skin type will leave your skin feeling fine, normal, not too dry, itchy or oily. Knowing what type skin you have and only using appropriate products means you’ll minimize or eliminate those severe problems and eventually the cost of a dermatologist.

Andi Bradshaw is a licensed esthetician. If you’re looking for the latest techniques in makeup or skin care, then you’ll love her books. They cover “what it does and how do I use it” of every topic in each of her 17 books. Visit tinyurl.com/88e9ho and get a FREE recipe booklet for Lip Glosses, Balms & Butters Affordable Skin Care Books

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