Your Skin Type and How To Care For It

You’ve seen countless magazine articles and beauty influencers discussing the importance of a good skin care routine for years and it’s not actually just the experts. Even your friends and colleagues seem to know what they’re talking about when it comes to the best cleansers, best exfoliation methods and best moisturisers. You ask your friend who always has crystal clear skin what they use to keep their skin in such great condition. They mention a cleanser that you know you’ve tried before but stopped because it didn’t seem to keep your excess oil away. You sigh. Are you really destined to spend forever battling your problem skin? The answer is, of course not – you’ve just got to match your skin type to your skin care routine!

Identify your skin type

Skin can be fickle and not everyone will fall neatly into a specific skin type. It can change over time, due to factors such as:

• Hormones. This is why teens and pregnant women are susceptible to oily skin and acne outbreaks.
• Age. As you get older, the skin loses collagen and moisture more easily, so it can become dry.
• Stress levels. When you are stressed, the body releases cortisol, which increases oil production in the skin.
• Climate that you’re exposed to. This explains why some people only have dry skin during the winter months.

It’s a good idea to try and identify which skin type usually fits your skin the best. Once you’re armed with that knowledge, you can tailor your regular skin care routine to ensure that your skin gets everything it needs to thrive. But how do you gain that wisdom?

There are actually a couple of very simple tests that you can do at home with a spare 30 minutes that will determine your skin type.

The first simply involves waiting and observing. For this test, you’ll have to clean your face with a cleanser and gently pat it dry. Wait 30 minutes. If this results in your skin appearing:

• Hydrated and refreshed -you have normal skin.
• Shiny on the T-zone only -you have combination skin.
• Tight or flaky -you have dry skin.
• Shiny all over -you have oily skin.

The second test uses blotting sheets. Wash your face with a cleanser and pat it dry gently. Wait 30 minutes. Press a blotting sheet against various parts of your face. Hold it up to the light and see what the sheet has collected. If the blotting sheet has:

• Very little oil from all parts of your face -you have normal skin.
• A little oil from the T-zone -you have combination skin.
• No oil from any part of your face -you have dry skin.
• Lots of oil from all parts of your face -you have oily skin.

Once you’ve identified your skin type, several doors will open up to you with regard to establishing a skin care routine that really works. Our Discovery set includes all four of our body bars and offers the perfect opportunity to get started with a new, effective skin care routine, full of active ingredients, that is gentle on all skin types.

The best skin care for your skin type

Normal skin

If you are blessed to have skin that has barely visible pores, no or very few blemishes or sensitivity and a smooth, even complexion, you’re lucky enough to have normal skin. However, even normal skin needs to be taken care of in order to maintain its healthy glow.

This includes:

• Cleansing and moisturising your skin every day with our Hydrating body bar.
• Exfoliating once a week with our Exfoliating body bar.
• Using a moisturiser or lotion with at least SPF 30 daily.
• Not using lots of skin care products -normal skin requires the least amount of maintenance, so it’s best not to overload it.

Combination skin

If your skin is dry in some places, normal in others and oily in yet more places, you have combination skin. Combination skin can be prone to blackheads, shiny skin and large pores, particularly in oily areas like the T-zone. This means that your skin care routine should be slightly more complex than other skin types, as you’ll need different products for different parts of your body.

This might include:

• Using a gentle cleanser and oil-free moisturiser, paying extra attention to dryer patches of skin.
• Washing with our Clarifying body bar, which goes easy on the skin while soothing redness and blemishes.
• Exfoliating gently while spacing out exfoliation sessions if needed for dry areas of skin.

Dry skin

If your skin is itchy, flaky, has a dull complexion, is red in places and feels tight, you have dry skin. It can be aggravated by aging, genetics, the weather, certain ingredients in washing and skin care products and some medications. Dry skin is in desperate need of hydration, so a skin care routine focusing on retaining moisture is exactly what it needs.

You can achieve this by:

• Using our Hydrating body bar in your daily warm (not hot) shower or bath.
• Moisturising at least twice a day using a product with deep hydration powers.
• Using a face mask followed by moisturiser once a week for extra hydration.
• Protecting the skin with a lotion or moisturiser containing at least SPF 30 daily.
• Carrying a lip balm wherever you go because lips are notorious at drying out.

Oily skin

If your skin has large pores, a dull or shiny complexion and is prone to pimples and blackheads, you have oily skin. Hormones, stress and humidity can all aggravate oily skin and it can be tricky to keep under control. However, with antibacterial skin care products and effective cleansing, oily skin can be rebalanced.

This can happen by: 

• Using our Clarifying body bar in your daily bath or shower.
• Exfoliating once or twice a week with our Exfoliating body bar.
• Using a light moisturiser and avoiding thick creamy products.
• Using a niacinamide serum to reduce the pores and support the skin barrier.

Sensitive skin

Sensitive skin can appear and behave similarly to dry skin, particularly in terms of tightness, itching and red areas. However, sensitive skin is characterised by its sensitivity to environmental factors like sunlight, tendency to react to fragranced products and susceptibility to acne breakouts.

Take care of your sensitive skin by:

• Using our Shaving body bar for a smooth, nick-free shaving experience.
• Exfoliating once a week with our Exfoliating body bar.
• Cleansing the skin in warm water (not hot).
• Using a noncomedogenic moisturiser.
• Using a body scrub with Vitamin B5 and Vitamin E.
• Avoiding products with artificial colours and fragrances.

Whatever type of skin you have, establishing a skin care routine that you can realistically stick to is imperative to its health. Getting to know your skin will undoubtedly improve your relationship with it, as you’ll be able to finally give it the treatment it has been waiting for. Put together a team of skin care products that suit your skin type and say hello to a clear, smooth complexion!