How Do You Tell If You Have Combination Skin
What Type Of Skin Care Products Work Best For Combination Skin
There is no one-size-fits-all approach for combination skin. Picking the right skin care product depends on how dry or oily the respective parts of your face are. Depending on that, you will need to develop a separate skin care regimen for both the areas of your face.
For the oily parts of your face, you will need products that have a non-shiny and matte finish. Such products help in oil control.
Now, if you are using matte finish products on your face, it means the dry parts will need more moisturization. Hence, products containing more emollients will work great for those areas. However, avoid using such products on the oily parts as they will increase the oiliness on those areas.
When picking products for the oily parts, make sure that they are lightweight. Choose products that have a gel-like or watery consistency, and, of course, contain a high amount of effective ingredients and active agents. You can use such products all over your face and then layer the dry parts with moisturizing serums and creams.
Striking the perfect balance is the key, and for that, you need to know which areas of your face you need to layer with the right products. Now, lets take a look at how you should care for your combination skin. We have discussed a complete CTM routine for combination skin in the next section. Scroll down.
Begin With A Gentle Cleanser
Between the oil, breakouts and clogged pores, your skin is already going through enough, which is why Lain recommended using a gentle foaming cleanser to reduce oil and exfoliate. He said, Foaming cleansers contain a high load of surfactants, which are essentially detergent molecules meant to trap and remove the sebum. But he warns, Be careful not to overdo it removing too much oil, or drying out the skin, can trigger more oil production.
Fromowitz has a different take on what cleanser to use for oily skin. Hes a fan of cleansers with salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide, two ingredients that have been clinically proven to reduce oil. If you dont have sensitive skin and can handle these ingredients that can occasionally cause dryness or redness, this La Roche-Posay cleanser with salicylic acid could be a good bet for your skin, especially if youre prone to breakouts.
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Your Night Skincare Routine Steps
You’ll want to switch up your skincare routine at night â and not just because you don’t need SPF while you sleep! Your nighttime routine is the perfect time to make sure your skin is getting as many nutrients and active ingredients as possible, since your skin regenerates and repairs itself while you snooze, Dr. Magovern says . You’ll still follow the same basic three steps â cleanse, treat and moisturize â but at night, the routine will look a little bit different.
Weekly Skincare Routine For Combination Skin
Weekly skin masking is a lovely ritual that allows you nourish both your skin and soul. With combination skin, you may find that your specific concerns change from week to week, so masking is a great way of addressing specific issues that come and go.
One week you might want to use a more hydrating mask, while the following week you might want a declogging clay mask. You can also experiment with multi-masking if youd like to treat the different parts of your skin in different ways. As always, its important to never veer too strongly in any direction but to stick to gentle products.
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Do I Need Any Special Tools
Not really. A simple washcloth really does most of the work. But who needs a spa appointment when the latest skin-care gadgets and one surprisingly analog standby bring the same technology to your bathroom?
Here are a few we recommend:
Washcloth: Lightly buffing with a standard-issue clean cloth and gentle cleanser might be all you need for smoother skin. To avoid any bacteria, use a fresh cloth every day.
Sonic cleansing: A rotating disc emits pulsations that dislodge impurities from your pores. Most tools come with multiple settings for a gentle to deep clean. [
Affordable Serums For Combination Skin
As I mentioned earlier, serums should be where you spend the bulk of your skincare budget. Luckily there are plenty of great serum under $20 – The Ordinary, Geek & Gorgeous, Naturium, and The Inkey List are all great brands to look at for more options!
The Ordinary Marine Hyaluronics
All skin types can benefit from added hydration, and I love that this is not your typical hyaluronic acid serum. It’s super lightweight, almost water like, yet adds a wonderful layer of hydration – which is perfect for combo skin. Even though I have dry skin myself, I love layering this for extra moisture without the extra heaviness!
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Best Toners For Combination Skin
- Size: 8.5 fluid ounces
- Key ingredients: glycolic acid, aloe vera, ginseng
If regulating excess oil production is your biggest skin care goal, look no further than Pixi Glow Tonic.
This toner has achieved cult status in the world of skin care. Its formulated with 5 percent glycolic acid, an exfoliating ingredient that dissolves dead skin cells and oil.
This product also contains aloe to soothe and hydrate the skin as well as ginseng to improve circulation and boost collagen production.
Most reviewers say this toner has been a great addition to their skin care routines. In particular, users say it improves skin texture, brightens the complexion, and helps to clear breakouts.
- Size: 5 fluid ounces
- Key ingredients: niacinamide, cactus flower, green tea
This positively-reviewed toner from Fenty, Rihannas skin care line, is a great choice for those who have combination skin with enlarged pores.
A toner and serum in one, it contains niacinamide which can be helpful in treating acne and protecting the skin against environmental factors.
Its also made with cactus flower, which has healing and moisturizing benefits, and green tea which reduces redness and irritation.
The fast-absorbing formula delivers several benefits including reducing redness, adding hydration, and delivering a toning and brightening effect.
Many reviewers say this product gave me a healthy glow and a much more even skin tone.
Kim Nichols Md Greenwich Connecticut
Morning:
In the morning, Connecticut-based board-certified dermatologist Kim Nichols, MD, like to start off her routine by cleansing with the SkinCeuticals Glycolic Cleanser. “This powerhouse cleanser contains eight percent glycolic acid to gently target dead skin cells and refine texture,” she says. After her cleanse, she’ll spritz the Heritage Store Rosewater and Glycerin Hydrating Facial Mist, which utilizes its namesake ingredients to plump and moisturize skin. “I use this mist immediately after cleansing,” she says. “The rosewater and glycerin not only moisturize and refresh skin but also act as a humectant to lock in moisture, allowing my morning antioxidant to penetrate deeper into the skin.”
As a board-certified dermatologist, of course, SPF is the final step in her skin-care routine. “I personally love the EltaMD UV Clear Tinted SPF 46,” she says.
Night:
To wash off a day’s worth of makeup, sweat, and dirt, Dr. Nichols actually reaches for the Heritage Store Rose Oil as her first cleansing step. “It contains a nourishing blend of oils that soothe and gently remove any makeup and excess sebum from the face, the perfect first step to any double cleanse,” she says. After rinsing, Dr. Nichols completes her double cleanse with a gentle cleanser.
Once her cleansing routine is over, she uses a retinol serum as the final step of her night regimen. “Retinol improves the appearance of pore size, discoloration, and fine lines,” she says.
The Extras:
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Uneven Oil Production Over The Face
Sebum production is the main factor by which skin types are determined, so combination skin means that the skin produces neither too much nor too little oil as a whole, although certain parts of the face will be oilier than other parts . To determine if you have combination skin, wash it with a mild cleanser and then wait an hour or two if some parts of your skin feel oily while others feel a little tight then you probably have combination skin.
Under $25 Picks: Affordable Skincare Routine For Combination Skin
Combination skin and on a budget? Ive got your routine covered.
Continuing my series on cheap and cheerful skincare products, this post focuses on the combination skin type or those living in warmer and/or more humid climates. Or if heavy creams just arent your thing, youll find some great refreshing yet still effective skincare options here!
A reminder that when it comes to skincare, you really just need 4 steps: cleanser, serum, moisturizer, and sunscreen in the morning. And if you have to splurge for a product, it would be serum sure there are expensive products in all categories but with serums you get the best return for your pricier investment.
With that said, this post will keep everything, even the serums, under $25, with some options under $10!
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What Causes Combination Skin
According to board certified dermatologist and aesthetic expert Kavita Mariwalla, MD, FAAD, combination skin is common, just like other skin types.
The difference is that combination skin is oily in some places and dry in others. For example, Mariwalla notes that its common to have an oily T-zone and dry cheeks.
Nothing causes combination skin per se , but it can change with hormonal and seasonal shifts.
As we age, skin may become drier and less oily as it reacts to hormonal changes. Other hormone-driven factors that can cause changes in skin are periods and contraceptives.
How To Find A Routine That Works For You
The best way to take care of combination skin is to find a routine that works for you and stick with it. Everyones skin is different, so what works for one person may not work for another. Talk to your dermatologist or a skincare professional to find out what products are best for your skin type.
Once you find a routine that works, its like magic so stick with it! Consistency is key when it comes to taking care of your skin.
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Do Combination Skins Need Eye Cream
Absolutely! Quite honestly, anyone over the age of 20 needs eye cream to help minimize fine lines and wrinkles thats why we formulated Eyes Eyes Baby for all skin types!
Again, the key to caring for combination skin is to focus on using products that will balance your skin pay attention to how your skin may be behaving day-to-day and treat it accordingly.
Retinol: Shani Darden Retinol Reform
This cult-favorite retinol serum is one of the few I’ve tried that hasn’t given me the retinol uglies. The formula features encapsulated retinol, which can help mitigate some of the known side effects, lactic acid for exfoliation, and apple fruit extract for antioxidant protection and additional anti-aging benefits.
To shop: $88
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Beauty Of Joseon Relief Sun Rice + Probiotics Sunscreen
Step Five: The last and final step of my morning routine is drinking my Bowe Growe, she says. The elixir targets inner skin carewhat she considers the missing layer of your skin-care routine. Bowe Growe is a vegan elixir made with a blend of polyphenols which are powerful plant-based nutrients that help rebalance your gut microbiome and support healthy skin from the inside out. I treat the skin from the inside out and from the outside in as part of my three-dimensional approach to skin health, and although I eat an incredibly healthy diet, I also believe in smart, strategic supplementation. Bowe drinks one to three drops of the elixir in four ounces of water once per day.
Dermalogica Overnight Retinol Repair
For very sensitive skin, Bowe would recommend applying the moisturizer first to act as a buffer, allowing your skin to adapt to your retinoid. If your skin still feels tight or dry after applying your retinoid, you can apply another layer of your moisturizer on top. She calls this a sandwich technique.
Nights Three and Four, Recovery: On my recovery nights, I skip active ingredients like exfoliating serums or retinoids, she says. For me, recovery nights are all about hydration and repairing the skin barrier. Here, shell again reach for the Bowe Glow Cream to rebalance the skin microbiome and boost hydration. I use this cycle, in this order, to allow my skin to experience the benefits of these actives while minimizing irritation for optimal results.
More to Know: I use a silk sleep mask over my eyes at bedtime to block out light and help me sleep more soundly throughout the night, she says. Beauty sleep is real, and getting quality, deep, restorative sleep each night is critical when it comes to maintaining the health of my skin.
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Use A Foaming Cleanser To Remove Dirt And Oil
Many cleansers are simply too harsh for combination skin. They remove too much oil, which irritates your dry areas and makes your oily areas produce more sebum to compensate.
Thats why foaming cleansers are ideal for combination skin. Theyre effective enough to remove dirt and grime without being so heavy that they strip your skin completely.
Foaming cleansers start out as a gel or cream, but foam up into a lightweight lather when theyre mixed with water. This makes them feel luxurious without skimping on cleansing power.
Some foaming cleansers even contain a gentle exfoliant to remove dead skin as you cleanse, so theyre perfect for the oily zones of your face.
Replenix Retinolforte Treatment Serum 75x
A super efficient combo of all-trans-retinol and green tea build up the skin matrix and guard its components from the appearance of UV damage to boost anti-aging, as well as reduce acne spots and pores, while hyaluronic acid hydrates and helps barrier function. Note: This formula comes in 5 strengths: 2x, 3x, 5x, 7.5x, and 10x. Retinol newbies or those with more sensitive skin should start at the 2x strength, then gradually move up as tolerance increases over time.
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What Is Combination Skin
To put it simply, combination skin just means your skin displays characteristics of more than one skin type. “We have four main skin types that are formally acknowledgedâoily, dry, normal, and combination. Combination skin encompasses people who have two of the other skin types both present on their face,” explains licensed esthetician Lily Njoroge. “It can be oily in some areas like the T-zone or butterfly zone and dry in other areas like the mouth, which is common due to the lack of oil glands on our lips, which contributes to dryness around the mouth. But the most common combination that I see in my treatment room at Skin Wins is oily and normal,” she goes on. “Most people who suffer from acne will have overactive sebaceous glands only on certain regions of their face, while the other areas donât really produce excess oil but are also not quite dry, so theyâre normal.”
Rouleau agrees but clarifies that combination skin isn’t a condition, nor does it necessarily lend itself to the existence of other skin conditions. “Combination skin is a standard term in the skincare industry. However, combination skin simply acknowledges oil production on the face. It is not at all connected with skin conditions such as discoloration, loss of tone, eczema, acne, rosacea, etc.,” she says.
Use A Facial/sheet Mask
Treat your skin once a week with a face mask. These products serve multiple purposes depending on the ingredients they contain. They hydrate, deeply cleanse, exfoliate, and nourish your skin.
If you have combination skin, you need to be consistent with your skin care regimen. Your commitment to the routine and the products you use will ensure that your skin looks nourished and healthy.
Taking care of combination skin can be quite challenging. First, build a skin care routine that includes products that regulate excess sebum and grease on oily areas while hydrating dry regions to keep them soft and supple. Apart from following your everyday skin care routine, you should also indulge your skin with different products now and then. Follow the tips and tricks listed in the article, follow the routine, and use products regularly to find visible results of hydrated and healthy skin.
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The Difference Between A Day And Night Cream
Creams you apply in the morning are equipped to protect your skin from the environmental aggressors youll face when you leave the housemany contain antioxidants to minimize pollution-based free radicals and sunscreen to shield you from ultraviolet radiation. They typically have a lightweight consistency. Night creams, on the other hand, focus on repairing any damage you might have picked up with ingredients like retinol to speed cellular turnover and counteract dark spots. These creams also replenish moisture levels, which naturally dip in the evening, with emollients that often create a rich, thick texture.