Ultimate guide to figuring out your skin type

Let’s take the mystery out of figuring out your skin type. To get us started we need to address what are the different skin types.

1. Oily
2. Normal/ Combination
3. Dry

Notice how “sensitive” isn’t on the list. Yup that’s right, sensitive skin is technically not a skin type. I’m sure a few of you reading this are thinking “that’s not true, I have sensitive skin!” well you may very well have sensitive skin, but its not your skin type. Sensitive is simply a descriptor usually meaning your skin is highly reactive. Still don’t believe me? Proof is right there in the fact that people with any of the skin types can be considered sensitive. 
On that note we should talk about “acneic” or “acne prone” skin. You guessed it- just like sensitive skin, acne is a descriptor and not a type. Although a lot of people think if you have acne you automatically have Oily skin, that is not true either! Any of the skin types can have acne (and a little bonus fact is that a lot of skincare and specifically marketed to acne prone skin is what is actually what is making them oilier, because of ingredients that strip the skin of its natural oils which causes the skin to overreact by increasing its output of oil)
Another thing you may have noticed is that Normal and Combination are listed as the same type. Why is that? Well because it is completely natural to be a little oilier in the T-zone. Can you imagine what an incredibly small percentage of people would be considered normal if the requirement was that they had to have completely perfectly balanced skin. The word normal by definition means the standard, usual, typical. So in other words, most people on average are that type which is why it is called normal, but you can feel free to call it combo since that is basically the same thing.


Now that you know there are only 3 skin types I bet that has already cleared up some of the confusion. Time to dive into what the characteristics are of each type are. If you take a look at the chart you can see I’ve divided it up by skin type as well as some specific markers to look for that can help you determine which category you fall into. These markers are…

1. Shine
2. Temperature of the skin
3. Flakiness
4. Thickness 

Have you ever taken the time to check any of those things? Considering how so many brands are making everyone feel like they need to fill their pores with primer you have probably paid some attention to that one lol. But you may not have ever really thought about the thickness or temperature of the skin on your face before. It’s best to analyze a makeup free and skincare free face.
So let’s break down how each one of these will present themselves in the different skin types so you truly understand what to look for. 
If you have Oily Skin: 
    Shine- do you get shine literally anywhere and everywhere on your face? I call this floor     to ceiling, wall to wall shine. Sure it will probably present itself in the T zone first, but as the day goes on if you don’t do anything to combat the shine your face would become an oil slick all over.
    Temperature- if you gently touch the back of your hand to the skin on your face does it feel a bit hot? It will for an oily person because their skin is literally working harder to produce more oil.               
    Flakiness- sometimes the excess oil on the skin makes it hard for your skin to naturally shed itself. Someone oily may have flakes around the nostrils or through the brows because the the dead skin gets trapped in those areas from the combo of oil & hair (brows), or oil & crevice (nostrils)
    Thickness- gently pinch the skin on your face between your thumb and pointer finger to check the thickness. The oilier the skin the thicker it becomes. 


If you have Normal/ Combo Skin:
    Shine- you can be one of the lucky few who doesn’t really get very shiny anywhere, all the way up to super oily as long as it is completely contained in the T zone alone. The shinier the T zone gets the closer to becoming an oily skin type you become as it will eventually start spreading out from there, so use it as a warning that something you are doing is starting to create a problem and needs to be corrected.
    Temperature- when you touch your face with the back of your hand it feels pretty normal. Warm but not hot             
    Flakiness- no flakes should be present. A few things that could throw you off though are flakes from allergies, sunburn, or if you are a picker!
    Thickness- the pinch test should reveal pretty average skin thickness. Our skin will also get thinner as we age so keep that in mind.


If you have Dry Skin:
    Shine- there will be zero shine on someone who is truly dry. This can make the skin seem lackluster
    Temperature- if the skin on your face is cooler than the back of your hand you just might have dry skin. It is literally the opposite of an oily skin that is working hard to produce more oil, a dry skin isn’t working at all.             
    Flakiness- it is common for a dry skin type to have flakes on the lower cheeks and even the forehead. Sometimes it may not be full on flakes but instead feel a bit rough. As the skin begins to naturally shed itself it will be mixed with oil normally while it is in the process of sloughing itself off, with the absence of the oil in dry skin the shedding skin obvious during that process because it is dried out creating those flakes.
    Thickness- dry skin feels obviously thin, it doesn’t always even need to be touched to make this determination because you can see veins through it. I mentioned that our skin gets thinner as we get older, and it also will get dryer and dryer.




There are some things that can trick you though! I mentioned that allergies, picking the skin, and sunburn can cause flaking but also keep in mind some skin treatments that cause skin peeling. Enlarged pores may be a sign of oily skin but once again the culprit can be picking at your skin as well as the use of harsh scrubs, age (loss of elasticity), and also if you were once oily but are no longer those large pores will be left behind. In case you are checking things out with some makeup or skincare on be aware of products that will make you appear more matte like powders and some primers. On the other end a dewy foundation can make you look more shiny as well as using the wrong moisturizer (or using a night cream as a daytime moisturizer).


So now that you know what each skin type really is, and what to look for to determine yours I want you to feel empowered! You can take this information to make better choices when it comes to your skincare and makeup. Drop a comment below and join the conversation. Let us know what skin type you discovered you have, is it different than what you thought? I also love hearing about the weird things people have been told by retail beauty advisors who just don’t know any better. I am a normal/ combo girl who has been told everything under the sun from oily, to sensitive, to being told my skin type is dull lol! I’ll never understand a lady who thinks that she will make a sale by making someone feel insecure by insulting them. Share your stories!