SKIN GUIDE: What Ingredients To Use For Each Skin Type
an easy to follow guide
The first in a series of skin guides. You might know I love chatting skincare on social but I think it’s great to have something more long form to explain things properly and I’ll answer any questions you have in the comments or on chat for paid subscribers.
Building a skin routine can feel daunting for many, so I’ve created an easy to follow guide for you. As you know, my goal here is to help us all have skin we feel comfortable and beautiful in – no matter what that looks like – and to help everyone understand different ingredients and products – and how they work and how best to use them.
A GOOD SKINCARE ROUTINE INCLUDES:
cleansing (once in the morning, twice in the evening)
an eye cream (both morning and evening)
exfoliation (this can be in the form of a toner, serum or even mask)
hydration (an essence and / or serum are the best way to deliver it into the skin)
moisturiser (to lock your serums in)
daily sun protection (to help prevent from worse or future damage)
HOW TO FIGURE OUT YOUR SKIN TYPE:
This is my favourite easy test to do - it doesn’t take much time and it’s good to do every couple years in case your skin type changes.
The test: wash your face, don’t apply any products and leave it for 30-45 minutes.
After this time, have a real look and feel of your skin.
If your skin feels tight = your skin is Dehydrated.
If it’s flakey = your skin is Dry.
If it looks and feels the same = your skin is Normal.
If it’s starting to look and feel a little greasy = your skin is Oily.
If it feels both tight / dry and looks a little shiny in areas = your skin is Combination.
Below I’ve outlined the best ingredients to look out for for each skin type, and my top product picks for each. Affiliate links have been used which means I received a small commission from any sales. I appreciate your support by using these links as it helps me create all this information and content.
We should ALL be double cleansing at night, exfoliating a couple times a week, hydrating our skin twice daily with serums and wearing daily SPF. Those are the non-negotiables for all ages and skin types.
OILY
what ingredients to use: Oil! Yes, it’s sounds counter productive but actually feeding your skin oil topically means it doesn’t need to produce so much itself. Balancing the sebum (oil) production is key, too, so using a clay mask once or twice a week will help with this. Apply just in your moist oily areas (normally t zone) for just under 10 minutes for best results - and don’t let it dry out! You want to balance the oil not remove it all.
You’ll likely prefer to use a light weight moisturiser too rather than a thick texture which will feel too heavy for your skin. Your aim is to balance the skin – and using the super soothing and oil soluble exfoliator that is salicylic acid (BHA) will be perfect for you.
DEHYDRATED
Dehydrated means skin is lacking in water and tends to feel tight. This can be due to environmental aggressors or ingredients that were too drying for your skin (eg essential oils and alcohol). Hyaluronic acid is your best friend as this is literally like a tall glass of water for your skin. If you want to get more out of it apply serums to moist / just misted skin and always follow with a moisturiser to lock it in.
Using gentle cleansers like gel and milk will also help keep hydration in instead of stripping the skin. Hydrating masks are amazing – especially sheet masks as they also help keep the hydration going in rather than out. Don’t exfoliate everyday but instead around three times a week, one of which can be a resurfacing mask – enzymes are great for this as so gentle also. Oral probiotics will help restore microbiome on the skin that may be lacking and causing the dehydration. And of course – drink some more water!
COMBINATION
what ingredients to use: exfoliation is key to help both dry and oily areas of the skin as it’ll remove dead skin cells on dehydrated / dry areas, and help unclog pores from oily areas. BHA is best for this as it is oil soluble – you can use this daily in a cleanser if necessary – or in liquid toner or serum form 2-3 times a week. You also want to hydrate the skin, but not with thick, emollient creams but rather lightweight water gels and lotions that don’t feel heavy on the skin. Gel and milk cleansers will be perfect, too.
Flooding it with hydration will help naturally balance it, too, so hyaluronic acid is your best friend as well as a daily mist or essence to help prime the skin for hydration or rehydrate throughout the day.
NORMAL
what ingredients to use: You’ve won the skin game! Your skin is happy and balanced. Essentially, nothing is off limits but any good skincare routine includes exfoliation, hydrating and protection. A lactic acid or PHA will be great to keep skin smooth and ageing at bay.
Daily SPF will also prevent your skin from future issues, and hydration will keep it glowing, while antioxidants like vitamin c or niacinamide will keep skin looking bright and even.
DRY
what ingredients to use: Dry skin is lacking in oil so you want to be using rich, creamy texture in all areas: from cleansers to creams and oils. Nourishing, repairing ingredients such as omegas, niacinamide, ceramides and antioxidants will help rebalance the skin. You can use a hydrating mask once or twice a week to deeply hydrate the skin.
To help remove any flakiness use daily gentle physical exfoliants made from powder or AHA’s to give you glow while allowing your products to penetrate better. Essences and mists will also help add soothing hydration and prep your skin to absorb serums better.
Make sure to subscribe (simply pop your email in the box above) for my next Skin Guide - which will be on skin issues such as sensitivity, pigmentation, dullness and wrinkles.
