How To

How to Determine Your Skin Type

Contributor
By eHow Contributing Writer
(24 Ratings)

Determining your skin type is easy, and the information will help you when buying moisturizers, cosmetics and facial cleansers.

Difficulty: Easy
Instructions

Things You'll Need:

  1. Step 1

    Wash your face with a skin cleanser, then rinse and pat dry.

  2. Step 2

    Wait one hour.

  3. Step 3

    Note whether your skin feels "tight."

  4. Step 4

    Press a separate piece of tissue onto each area of your face: chin, center of cheeks, outer cheeks, center of forehead, outer forehead and nose.

  5. Step 5

    Examine each tissue and look for oily residue or flaky skin residue.

  6. Step 6

    Interpret the results. Oil on each tissue indicates an oily skin type, while oil on only some tissues (specifically those on the T-zone, which is the center of forehead, nose, chin and center of cheeks) indicates a combination skin type. Flaky skin residue on all tissues - without oily residue - or a tight feeling in the skin indicates a dry skin type. No oil and no flaky residue on any parts of the tissue indicates a normal skin type.

Tips & Warnings
  • Pore size is another indication of skin type; small pores generally indicate dry skin, while large pores mean oily skin.
  • Remember that there are many factors that affect your skin type, such as weather, emotions, hormones and stress, and this will cause your skin type to be in a constant state of fluctuation.
  • "Combination skin" products that claim to serve different functions on different parts of the face are suspicious. You're better off using different products on different areas.

Comments  

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Anonymous

Anonymous said

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on 6/30/2006 You should wash your face every day and night to get rid of oils and makeup. When you're about to go to bed, you should tie your hair in a pony tail (loosely), then lie in your bed directly facing the ceiling. The reason why you do this is because the oils and dirt from your hair will get in your face and give you more pimples if you don't sleep with your face to the ceiling.

Anonymous

Anonymous said

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on 3/16/2006 I wash with a creamy cleanser, use a mix of water and ACV (apple cider vinegar) to tone, and then apply my favorite moisturizer; Pond's cream for dry skin. It works well to keep my skin in top shape.

Always wear a sunscreen, SPF 15 plus every day in every season.

A good exfoliant is any cleanser mixed with baking soda or sugar (white or brown).

You can make an aspirin mask by dissolving uncoated ASA tabs (5-10) in some warm water enough to make a paste and apply to you face (leave it on for a few minutes), lightly scrub your face and wash off! Just make sure you are not allergic to ASA! I have also substituted plain yogurt or aloe vera gel instead of water and it works well!

Anonymous

Anonymous said

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on 3/30/2006 Buy some alcohol swabs and rub on a cotton swab till wet. Then rub the cotton swab on the pimple (If necessary any type of strong alcohol could be used). The alcohol dries out the pimple before it springs to life. Carry around alcohol swabs to swab your soon-to-be pimple during the day for faster results.

Anonymous

Anonymous said

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on 3/11/2006 I absolutely love Origins products! I use Checks and Balances frothy face wash for my combination skin. It also works well with oily skin. I follow with the United State tonic and then use Have A Nice Day with SPF 15 moisturizer (day) or Night-a-Mins (night). The aroma is soothing and your face will be illuminated and balanced!

Anonymous

Anonymous said

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on 11/22/2005 When you have a zit or a pimple that you want to get rid of quickly, I find that if you put a little bit of toothpaste on it overnight, it dries it out, causing it to go away.

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