Identifying Your Skin Type So You Can Care for It Better
Choosing the right products starts with knowing your skin. A simple at-home test gives you the answer in a few hours.
The main skin types
There are four main profiles: normal (balanced), dry (tight, can flake), oily (shiny with visible pores), and combination (oily in the T-zone, normal or dry on the cheeks). Then there's sensitive skin, which reacts easily with redness or tingling — and it can overlap with any of the other types. Knowing your profile stops you from buying products that aren't right for you.
The tissue test
Clean your face in the evening with a gentle product and apply nothing afterward. The next morning, before washing, press a paper tissue to different areas of your face. If it stays dry everywhere, your skin leans normal or dry. If there's oiliness only in the center, you're combination. Oil everywhere means oily skin. A feeling of tightness points to dry skin.
Skin changes over time
Your skin type isn't fixed. It shifts with age, seasons, stress, diet, and hormones. Oily teenage skin can become combination later in life. In winter, cold often dries skin out; in summer it tends to get shinier. Reassess your skin twice a year and adjust your textures: lighter in summer, more nourishing in winter.
Apply it now
- Do the tissue test in the morning before applying anything.
- Notice which zones are oily, tight, or prone to redness.
- Check if your skin stings easily — a sign of sensitivity.
- Choose light textures for oily skin, richer ones for dry skin.
- Reassess your skin type with each change of season.
Frequently asked
Can skin be oily and dehydrated at the same time?
Yes. Oily skin produces sebum but can still lack water. In that case, a light moisturizer is still essential.