How to figure out your skin type

From the “skincare for dummies” section – if we had one, that is what we would call it – let’s tackle one of skincare’s most controversial topics, that is, how to understand what your skin type really is. If you think you know all about oily, dry, normal, dehydrated, and acne-prone skin types, good for you! It’s not always so clear for everyone, so we asked an expert: Renée Rouleau, who has been dealing with skincare for 25 years and helps her customers – Chiara, Sofia Vergara and Emma Roberts to name a few – to reach skin nirvana. Renée’s approach to the topic is as simple as it is enlightening, and it is based on objective criteria, examining how your skin looks on any given day. So, watch out: before you analyze your skin, make sure you get rid of all the treatments that might irritate it – that means, go easy on scrubbing, avoid frequent peeling treatments and toners that contain alcohol, for instance.

Ready? Here we go, it’s question time! Be honest: what does your skin look like?

a. Your skin never really looks oily and has few blemishes; your pores are not visible; your skin absorbs products in a matter of seconds, and becomes rough when exposed to extreme weather or pollution. Aging is an issue. = you have DRY skin.

b. Your cheeks sound just like what we described for dry skin, but the T-zone (forehead, nose, chin) tends to become shiny during the day. Pores and blemishes appear. = you have COMBINATION skin.

c. You don’t have excessively enlarged pores or oil. In summer, your skin gets shinier, but that can be easily taken care by using a tonic. = you have NORMAL skin.

d. Enlarged pores, excessive oil appearing during the day, acne-prone– which is a characteristic of you skin, and is not its own type. = you have OILY skin.

Are you sure you figured yours out properly? Don’t make one of these 3 mistakes: Renée told us these are among the most common, when people try to understand what their skin type is.

1. Focusing on small details and forgetting the big picture. Having a spot or two doesn’t mean your skin is prone to acne. It’s probably enough to use local treatment to solve that problem. Try to focus on your standard situation, either way.
2. Mixing up the idea of dry skin and dehydrated skin. Dry means your skin does not produce enough oil, feels rough, and that is usually a genetic issue. Dehydrated skin usually just lacks water and looks rough, but usually produces enough oil — so it can show a few blemishes.
3. Using “sensitive” as a label for any irritated skin issue. Everyone is different and so is the definition of the state of everyone’s face. The best thing to do, when discussing with an expert, is to explain what sensitive skin means to you: you will find you will often get contradicted, there is so much to learn!

All clear now? You’re good to go and pick the perfect products for your routine then! 😉