Practically every beauty product you spot is made for a specific skin type. So what happens when you pick the wrong one that isn't suited for you? You skin goes awry, that's what. Sometimes that includes redness, breakouts and itchiness. Obviously no one wants that so the first step to fix this is determining your skin type. From there, you can work your way to find out what products and treatments work best for you.
There are a few ways to find out where you fit on the skin scale - all you need to do is keep a close eye on your face.
Method 1 - The Tissue Test
Wash your face thoroughly, pat it dry with a soft towel and leave it bare for an hour. Then place a thin sheet of tissue over your face and gently press it into the skin. In all likelihood, you'll see a few oil blotches and like the Rorschach test, here's exactly what they mean. If your skin feels healthy without much oil imprinted on the tissue, you have normal skin. If the oil spots are specifically on the T-zone, cheeks and chin, combination skin it is! If there aren't any signs of oiliness and your skin feels tight, you have dry skin. Finally, if the tissue is excessively greasy, the votes are in - your skin is oily.
Method 2 - The Moisturiser Test
Once you moisturise your face in the morning, notice the state of your skin every hour. If your face feels tight in an hour or two, you have dry skin. If it looks shiny and feels greasy, you have oily skin. If only your T-zone is oily, combination skin is what you have. And if your skin feels nothing but firm and fresh a few hours later, you have healthy, normal skin.
Method 3 - The Overnight Test
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Dermatologist Dr. Rashmi Shetty weighs in, "Start by washing your face with a neutral face wash at night. Skip the skin care products, switch off the air conditioner and sleep in a well-ventilated room overnight. In the morning, you'll be able to touch your skin and feel whether it is oily or dry. Based on where these patches lie on your face, you'll figure out if your skin type is normal, oily, dry or combination."
