Knowing your skin type and how to care for it is the first step to soft, smooth, healthy and glowing skin. We get heaps of questions on skin type related problems every day, so we rounded up a few common ones to give you the answers you’ve been looking for!
MOST OF MY SKIN LOOKS AND FEELS LOVELY, BUT I GET REALLY GREASY AROUND MY CHIN, NOSE AND FOREHEAD. SHOULD I USE A SPECIAL PRODUCT FOR THIS AREA?
This is classic combination skin. Usually it is normal with some dry or oily areas, or even a wider mixture of just oily and dry. If your skin is mostly normal with an oily t-zone, you’re in luck. In such cases, opt for products designed to hydrate and balance normal/combination skin rather than using separate products for different areas.
I HAVE REALLY OILY SKIN. NO MATTER HOW INTENSELY I CLEANSE, IT SEEMS LIKE IT’S JUST GETTING OILIER AND OILIER. WHAT CAN I DO?
It sounds crazy, but you’re probably over-cleansing! This is a very common problem with oily skin and luckily it’s easy to put right. Healthy skin needs oil so when you try to cleanse away all your natural oil, your skins natural reaction is to produce even more.
Stripping away too much natural oil prompts the skin to produce even more. Try a skin care regimen that is specially designed for oily skin and cleanse more gently. Cleansing with a product that is specifically formulated for oily skin will help you remove excess oil without disrupting the skin's natural balance.
I SUFFER FROM REALLY DRY, FLAKEY SKIN ALL YEAR ROUND, BUT IT ALWAYS GETS WORSE WHENEVER IT GETS EXTRA COLD. DO I HAVE TO APPLY MORE LAYERS?
If you have the wrong kind of moisturiser for your skin type, applying ten layers of cream isn’t going to help. In fact, it will probably only make things worse as your skin will just get clogged and smothered. The first rule to stick by is to find a moisturiser that hydrates and replenishes dry skin properly. The second rule is that less is more when it comes to a hydrating cream – one light and even application of moisturiser is all you should use. However, always use a serum first, as it gives your skin that extra boost and care.
I DON’T MOISTURISE BECAUSE I HAVE OILY SKIN AND I DON’T WANT TO MAKE IT WORSE. MY FRIEND SAYS I SHOULD MOISTURISE ANYWAY – IS SHE RIGHT?
Your friend is right on point.
Your skin needs a balance of oil and water to be healthy, so even if it doesn’t feel like it, oily skin can definitely get dehydrated too. Without adequate moisture, skin tends to overcompensate by producing even more oil and that never works for anyone. All you have to do is make sure you choose the right products. Moisturisers for oily skin will provide the hydration you need without making your oil problems worse. On the contrary, many products will include ingredients that can reduce excess oil and mattify shiny skin.