How to determine your skin type at home

Let’s explore how you can easily determine your skin type at home, without needing to visit a skincare professional. Since the foundation of skincare begins with understanding your exact skin type, it’s crucial to accurately identify it to ensure you’re using the most suitable cosmetics for your needs.

Determining your skin type at home involves a few simple steps:

1. Cleanse Your Skin: Start with a gentle cleanser to remove makeup, oil, and dirt. Pat your skin dry with a clean towel.
2. Wait for an Hour: Don’t apply any products immediately after cleansing. Your skin needs time to return to its natural state.
3. Observe Your Skin: After an hour, examine your skin. Look for any shine on your forehead, nose, and chin (the T-zone), and notice if your cheeks feel tight or dry.
4. Blotting Paper Test: You can also use blotting paper. Press it on different areas of your face, then hold it up to the light to see how much oil is visible.

Based on your observations, you can determine your skin type:

• Oily: Your skin appears shiny, especially in the T-zone, and the blotting paper picks up a lot of oil.
• Dry: Your skin feels tight or flaky, particularly on the cheeks, and there’s little to no oil on the blotting paper.
• Combination: The T-zone is oily, but your cheeks are dry or normal.
• Normal: Your skin isn’t overly oily or dry, and it feels balanced.
• Sensitive: You might notice redness, itching, or discomfort, indicating sensitive skin.