There are so many cleansers, creams, scrubs, pastes, and liquids on the market today but how many of us know which ones are appropriate for our skin type? The first thing to do is determine what skin type you actually are. To do this, wash your face and gently pat it dry. Do not moisturize or apply makeup or any other type of product for around three to five hours in order to let your skin breathe.



After at least three hours have passed, press a tissue to your face making sure you press down on the forehead, nose and cheeks. When you remove the tissue, if it is oil free and your skin does not appear flaky or feel tight, then your skin type is more than likely normal. If the tissue is oil free but your skin feels tight or flaky, then you probably have dry skin. If oil comes off on the tissue on the cheek area, then your skin is oily. If oil comes off on the forehead and/or nose area, then you have combination skin.

No matter your skin type, you may also have sensitive skin. That is skin that reacts to facial products by becoming inflamed, red, blotchy, and/or itchy.

Now you have determined your skin type, it should be much easier to work out which skincare products will be best for you. For each skin type we have put some basic advice below:

Normal skin - To maintain fresh look to your skin, it is important to keep its balance which means you will need to regularly hydrate your skin. Wash with a water-soluble cleanser at least two or three times a day, being careful to avoid soaps with lathering agents which can often strip away the skin's moisture. Aim to use something that is creamy in consistency. After cleansing, aim to use a moisturizing lotion.

At night, exfoliate the skin to get rid of dead skin cells. Use a moisturizing cream rich in alpha-hydroxy acids or glycolic acid. These will help to maintain the skin's delicate balance while still getting rid of the dead outer layer of the epidermis.

Dry skin - choose products that will hydrate the skin and make it more supple. Dry skin should only be washed once, at the end of the day using a gentle, milky cleanser.

Moisturize dry skin with a very rich emollient cream. Apply it over skin that has been splashed with water and is still damp to the touch. This will help to set the moisture into the skin.

Dry skin should not be exfoliated every night. Once or twice a week is more than sufficient. Always use a lotion containing retinol or alpha-hydroxy acids. Retinol helps to stimulate collagen production plumps up the skin while it also smoothes it out. Alpha-hydroxy acids exfoliate dead, scaly skin cells to make room for the fresh, new cells.

Oily Skin - To remove excess oils from the skin, wash twice a day with a non-soap cleanser designed specifically for oily skin. After washing, don't automatically use a moisturiser but check to see if one is needed. If your skin feels soft and supple then there is no need to moisturise. If it is slightly tight or dry, use an oil free lotion that won't clog the pores.

At night apply a retinoid lotion that is enriched with vitamin A to exfoliate the skin. Apply moisturizer only if the skin feels tight or dry.

Combination Skin - For the T-Zone, remove dirt and oil with a gentle, non-soap cleanser. Avoid lathers that will dry out the already parched areas of the skin.

In the morning and at night, apply a lightweight oil-free moisturizer. If the T-zone feels oily, skip the moisturizer in that area.

Exfoliate the skin every night with a cream containing alpha-hydroxy acids or retinols. If the skin becomes red or irritated after two or three exfoliations, then cut back to two or three times a week.

Sensitive Skin - To prevent irritation irrespective of the type of skin you have, wash only with a gentle fragrance and dye free cleanser. Be sure to avoid ingredients like acids, botanicals and irritating preservatives like ethanol and propylene glycol. Avoid anything heavily scented or overtly coloured in moisturizers.

Exfoliating sensitive skin with anything that has fruit acids or physical granules is not advised. Those products are highly likely to irritate sensitive. Instead, look for a cream high in antioxidants like vitamin C that also hydrates and smoothes.

Follows these above steps and you are on the way to great looking skin.