To know which of the above categories your skin falls under, do the following:

1. Wash your face with warm water.
2. Dry it using a clean face towel or preferably allow it to air dry to prevent the spread of germs.
3. Do not apply anything to your face after you’ve dried it.

Note the following:

• Dry: 

You may notice that it becomes somewhat tight, rough, and dull looking after you dry it.

• Oily:

You may notice that your forehead and nose regions become greasy after a few hours of drying without applying anything.

• Combination:

Some areas of your face may begin to produce more oil than the rest.

• Sensitive:

It might sting or have a burning sensation a few minutes after you wash and dry.

• Normal:

There might not be many changes after you wash and dry. 

Exploring The Best Practices That Suit Each Skin Type

With your knowledge of the different skin types, you’re only a step away from your seamless skincare adventure.

The following practices are well-tailored to each skin type, enjoy.

1. Dry

Characterized by itchy, flaky, and uneven texture, dry skin requires:

• Daily Moisturization: For an effective result, you should go for dense moisturizers. That is, it contains the essential oil that your face needs to radiate and glow.
• Stay Hydrated: Lack of enough water is one of the factors responsible for dryness of the skin. Inculcate taking 2-3 litres of water daily to help you stay hydrated.
• Avoid Using Alcohol-based products, as they have a higher likelihood of stripping your face of oil.
• Avoid using harsh soaps, or cleansers.

2. Oily

This type of skin is already known to produce excess sebum. It’s advisable to:

• Use oil-free and not dense moisturizers: This is more suitable to avoid layering your skin with the excess oil it already has.
• Cleanse twice a day: Cleaning your face in the morning and before going to bed helps you reduce the way dirt and germs clog your face. 
• Keep your hands off your face: This is as important as other tips because constantly touching your face will spread germs and dirt over your face. You wouldn’t want to do that.
• Stay hydrated: This will reduce the excess production of sebum as well. 

3. Combination

Truly, this skin type would take tips from both dry and oily. You should practice the following:

• Cleanse gently: A gentle cleanser is midway between what both skin types require. Vigorous cleansing of your skin, especially the cheek areas that are often dry can strip off the oil it has in a small quantity.
• Make it a routine to exfoliate your skin once in a while. Removing dead cells off your face keeps it more pimples-free and smoother. 
• Practice two skincare routines. Combination skin is both oily and dry, it isn’t advisable to use the same products for both regions.
• Always wear your sunscreen. For every type of skin, sunscreen is what completes your routine. You must protect your face and other exposed parts of your body from harmful UV rays as this also reduces the risk of skin cancer.

4. Sensitive

Sensitive skin requires much more attention as it is more prone to reactions, burns, and stings compared to other skin types. For safe practices, you should:

• Never use a new product without first trying it out on your hand or a small area on your face. Patch testing is important as it is a way of knowing the suitability of a product for your skin.
• Avoid staying under hot showers. Staying for too long under hot showers would do no good than to strip your face of essential oil and cause irritation. Lukewarm water comes off as a better option.
• Dab your face after cleansing as a vigorous rub would only irritate your face more. 
• Products that contain fragrances would also lead to irritation of the skin, to avoid this, stay clear of this type of product.

5. Normal

Normal skin is said to be the best among the five. However, to keep it this way, you still need to follow the basic skincare routine. These are:

• Cleanse your face often.
• Moisturize.
• Eat healthy.
• Stay hydrated.
• Always wear your sunscreen.
  

The Reasons Your Skincare Products Seem Not To Be Working

One of the rules in the skincare world is that “no shoe fits all.” Simply put, it means that no particular product or routine works for all.

“Why is nothing working on my skin?”

The following are some of the reasons behind your skincare ineffectiveness :

1. You Don’t Know Your Skin Type

As I have earlier mentioned, knowing your skin type is the foundation for building other layers. Using the one-product-fits-all approach will only lead to ineffectiveness. 

As there are different types of skin, there are different ingredients that work for each type. Constantly feeding your skin with what it already has in excess would not do it any good.

2. Lack of Consistency

Due to busy schedules, you might discover that you don’t apply your products as consistently as you ought to. 

Until you begin to see your skincare as a daily routine like taking your bath, you would most likely not see the results you desire. In the skincare world, cumulative effort (no matter how small) pays.

3. Lack of Patience

That your products don’t work almost after you start using them doesn’t make them less effective. The ingredients in some of these products aren’t the same. It takes an average of 8-12 weeks to start seeing results.

Also, skincare is practiced in patience. These products require that you correctly apply them and that you give them enough time to work effectively on your face.

4. You Don’t Consider Dermatologist’s Suggestions

Buying products based on hype or a friend’s recommendations might not make them as effective.

Doing this without consulting a dermatologist would yield a 50/50 result—it might work or not— Most times, it doesn’t!

Never forget that skin types are different and each of these skin types requires different products.

5. You’re Using Expired Products on Your Face

These days, supermarkets sell their skincare products at exorbitant rates. In your bid to make your products last longer, you subconsciously (or deliberately) begin to use minute quantity. 

However, are you aware that these products all have how long they can stay for before they expire or become ‘stale’?

From now on, take note of the Period After Opening, (PAO) signs on your products and the months written in the symbol on your skincare bottle or container.

With this, you get to know how long your product can stay for them to be as effective as you want them to be.

5. Your Pillowcase

You keep leaving bottles of new products half-used in your locker thinking they’re the ones making your face break out. Have you ever thought of your pillowcase as the problem?

Your pillow case is virtually the receiver of dust, oil, and sweat and you shouldn’t leave it for too long before you change it (minimum of once per week). Your skincare products will not be as effective if you keep rubbing your face with bacteria every night.

6. Low Water Intake

According to experts, lack of enough water will make your face and lips look dull, cracked and all patched up. 

The human body is made up of 60-70% of water, water is very important for the body to properly function. Be intentional with your water intake.

How To Track The Effectiveness Of Your Products