Did you know that your skin should dictate the products you use? The products that are best for you may also change as your skin changes. Many women find themselves using one set of products in the summer and another set in the winter. Whether your skin is dry, oily or combo, whether acne is a problem, or you are starting to worry about aging - all of those factors are important to consider when selecting skin care products. If you use an acne skin care product and you don't truly have an acne problem, you are likely over-drying your skin. If you are using products for dry skin and your skin isn't truly dry, then you are probably creating too much moisture and may start to see some breakouts. If you are using a facial masque that isn't right for your particular skin you may find your skin is starting to protest by becoming blotchy and irritated. Skin care is such an important part of our health care. Skin care is not just about looking great (although we all want to do that) - skin care is about taking care of our largest organ and keeping it healthy and problem free.
So many women are unsure of what their skin type really is and what products are actually best for them. I see and hear it all the time. Here are just a few pointers to tell help you identify your skin care issues:
1. If your face is oily in the T zone (nose and forehead) and not anywhere else, then your skin is likely combo.
2. If your skin is shiny all over and you need to reapply translucent powder during the day to manage the shine, your skin is oily.
3. If your skin looks dull and you have dry patches (especially around the corners of your nose) and when you put foundation or powder on, your find your skin looks flaky then your skin is dry.
4. Just because you get pimples does not mean you have acne prone skin. If your pores are large, if you have many clogged pores (also known as blackheads) and if you have many small or large blemishes all over your face then you likely have an acne problem. If you get a few breakouts here and there, especially at certain times of the month you don't have an acne problem. Keeping your skin clean will help, but don't use a full blown acne treatment.
Take some time to examine your skin - check it both morning and night for a few days, at a few different times of the month and just jot down what you see. Once you've accumulated some data from the different times of the day, for a few different days of the month, you can determine what skin type you have.
