Glossary
A classification system dividing skin into five primary types based on sebum production, hydration, and sensitivity: normal, dry, oily, combination, and sensitive. Identifying your skin type is the essential first step in building an effective skincare routine because different types require different product formulations and active ingredients.
Normal skin: Balanced sebum production, adequate hydration, minimal sensitivity. Not too oily, not too dry. Pores are small to medium. The easiest skin type to manage. Dry skin: Insufficient sebum production and/or impaired barrier leading to excessive transepidermal water loss. Feels tight, may flake or look dull. Needs rich emollients and occlusives. Oily skin: Excess sebum production. Shiny appearance, especially in the T-zone (forehead, nose, chin). Larger, more visible pores. More prone to acne but slower to show wrinkles. Combination skin: Oily in the T-zone, normal to dry on the cheeks. The most common skin type. Requires a balanced approach that addresses oiliness centrally without over-drying peripheral areas. Sensitive skin: Reacts easily to products, environmental factors, and fragrances. Redness, stinging, and irritation are common. May overlap with rosacea, eczema, or contact dermatitis.
The bare-face method: Wash your face with a gentle cleanser, pat dry, and wait 30 minutes without applying any products. After 30 minutes, examine your skin. Shiny all over: oily. Shiny T-zone but normal/tight cheeks: combination. Tight, flaky, or rough: dry. Comfortable, no shine, no tightness: normal. Red, itchy, or stinging: sensitive.
Skin type is your baseline (oily, dry, etc.). Skin concerns are conditions overlaid on your type: acne, hyperpigmentation, aging, dehydration. You can have oily skin that is dehydrated (lacking water while overproducing oil). You can have dry skin with acne. Your routine should address both your type (base products) and your concerns (active treatments).
Yes. Hormonal changes (puberty, pregnancy, menopause), aging (skin tends toward dryness with age as sebum production declines), climate changes, and medication can shift your skin type. Reassess periodically rather than assuming your teenage skin type persists into adulthood. Most people experience a gradual shift toward drier skin starting in their 30s.
Gentle, pH-balanced cleansers (5.0 to 5.5), sunscreen (universal requirement), and humectant moisturizers (hyaluronic acid-based) work across all skin types. Product selection diverges primarily at the moisturizer weight (light for oily, rich for dry) and active ingredient level (sensitive skin needs gentler concentrations).
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