I don’t like to put too much stock on giving your skin type a label – there are far too many variables at play, and skin’s behaviour can change based on so many factors, including your lifestyle, location, environment, mediation, and diet. However, it is useful, especially if you are new to skincare, to have a rough idea of what your skin type is. Imagine a scale, with oily skin at one end and dry at the other. Everyone sits somewhere on that scale, and the closer you are to the middle, the more balanced and healthy your skin is. If your skin is more on the oily side, you’re probably quite prone to breakouts, you notice your skin looks shiny (especially in the T-zone) and you probably also have enlarged pores and blackheads. If your skin is more dry, then your symptoms will be things like rough texture, flakiness, and skin feeling tight after cleansing.
Based on where you think you sit on that scale, you can make informed decisions about the products that you use. So if you have oily skin, you may want to introduce products like clay masks, niacinamide serums, and salicylic acid cleansers, to help target excess oil. If you have dry skin, then you’ll need to focus on applying moisturising products with hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid, ceramides, squalane, and glycerin.