In this section, I'll be walking you through the process of determining your skin type and identifying skin concerns. Assessing your skin is the first and most crucial step in building any effective skincare routine.
Your skin can change over time, so it’s important to do a skincare assessment periodically. Factors such as age, hormonal changes, lifestyle patterns, medications, medical conditions, and weather can all impact your skin, so it’s possible that products that once worked wonders for you are suddenly not meeting your needs. Season changes are a great time to reassess your skin.
SKIN TYPE
Skin type is determined by how much sebum your skin naturally produces on its own. The amount of sebum your skin produces strongly influences not only how oily your skin might appear, but also how quickly your skin loses water, and therefore, how quickly it becomes dry. Your skin type can be normal, dry, oily, or combination.
To determine your skin type, wash your face and then wait an hour. Don't apply any skincare products after washing your face—doing so will interfere with your skin's normal state, and the idea here is to get an understanding of your skinâ's moisture and oil levels when it's left to its own devices.
Once the hour is up, it's time to observe! Examine your skin, and decide which of the following profiles is your best match.
NORMAL
Normal skin is skin that is balanced in terms of moisture. It produces enough natural oil to feel smooth to the touch and retain enough water that it stays moist, but not so much oil that it can be seen on the surface. Normal skin does not necessarily mean “perfect skin,†but you tend to have fewer skin issues than many of your peers.
Your skin type is normal if:
- Your skin does not appear shiny or oily
- You skin does not feel tight or overly dry to the touch
- There are no obvious signs of flaking
- You have very few, if any, enlarged pores
- You tend to have very few acne breakouts, and those you do experience are minor
Normal skin benefits most from proper cleansing and moderate moisturizing. Hydrating toners, emulsions, and face oils are ideal for maintaining the enviable state of your skin.
DRY
Dry skin is characterized by an underproduction of sebum, which makes it less smooth to the touch and also prevents your skin from retaining the amount of water needed to keep it optimally hydrated.
Your skin type is dry if:
- Your skin feels tight
- You skin feels dry to the touch
- Your skin appears dull
- Any fine lines or wrinkles you may have appear more pronounced
Dry skin can also sometimes be indicated by:
- Flaking
- Red patches
- A textured appearance
It's important to note that sometimes people mistakenly believe they have dry skin, which is a skin type, when they are actually experiencing dehydrated skin, which is a skin concern. The difference is that dehydration is a temporary state that causes rapid water loss due to damage to the skin'™s natural protective barrier. This moisture barrier damage is generally brought on by outside factors. Additionally, it's possible (and actually common) for skin to be both dehydrated and oily. Dehydrated skin can be remedied in a few weeks and, with vigilance, kept away indefinitely once it’s repaired.
By contrast, dry skin is dry even if the natural barrier is intact, because it’s simply not producing enough sebum on its own. It is the long term state of your skin rather than a temporary condition that has a long term remedy.
Dry skin benefits most from multiple layers of hydration in the form of light, hydrating toners, humectant-based serums, and emollient face oils with a thicker, more occlusive cream layered on top to seal in the moisture.
OILY
Oily skin is characterized by an increased amount of surface oil caused by an overproduction of sebum. Oily skin tends to be visibly shiny and slick to the touch.
Your skin type is oily if:
' Your face is shiny with visible oil, especially at the end of the day
' Pores appear enlarged in some areas
' You experience frequent acne breakouts or blackheads
People with oily skin are often tempted to over cleanse with harsh, drying ingredients, or even avoid moisturizing altogether. This may seem to help in the short term, but in the long term, this can cause oiliness to worsen. These approaches make you more susceptible to a damaged moisture barrier, which would cause even more surface oil to emerge, and presents the risk of becoming a vicious cycle.
Instead of stripping skin with harsh cleansers and scrubs, switch to using an oil-based cleanser in conjunction with a gentle facial cleanser in the evening, and the same gentle facial cleanser on its own in the morning.
And don't skip out on moisturizingoily skin still needs hydration. Just avoid the heavier creams, and stick with light emulsion formulas and watery, gel-based creams. Oily skin needs more humectant moisturizers, and fewer or no occlusive moisturizers.
COMBINATION
Combination skin is oily in some areas while being dry in others. One of the most common patterns for combination skin is an oily T-zone (forehead, nose, and chin) and dry cheeks, though combination skin can occur in other patterns as well. Keep in mind that minor differences in skin are normal; true combination skin has pronounced differences in oil production from one area of the face to the other.
Your skin type is combination if:
-' It's noticeably oily in some areas while dry in other areas
- Pores in oily areas are enlarged
- Oily areas are more frequently prone to blackheads and acne breakouts
- Dry areas are prone to dry, red patches or flakiness
If you have combination skin, look for products that have “balancing†in the name or description of the product. These products are designed to keep your oily areas under control without drying out the rest of your skin. Light layers of hydration are key for combination skin because they provide moisture for dry areas without weighing down oily areas. Additionally, if the differences between your dry and oily areas are extreme, it can be beneficial to use different product types on contrasting areas of the face.
SKIN CONCERNS
Skin concerns describe a condition or occurrence outside of your skin's natural moisture levels. Acne, hyperpigmentation or red marks, aging, and dehydration are all skin concerns. The best way to identify your skin concerns is to think about what struggles you’ve had with your skin consistently over the past three months. This is enough time to identify an ongoing concern and distinguish between something that needs to be addressed and something that may have been a one-off, short term issue. Short term issues should be treated as well, but when investing in an entire skincare routine, looking at the big picture will bring you the most value.
ACNE
Acne is one of the most common skin concerns, as well as one the most complex skin conditions to care for. It can affect any skin type—even dry skin—though it’s most commonly seen in oily and combination skin types. Acne can manifest as blackheads, whiteheads, closed comedones, cystic acne, or some combination of the above. While the occasional minor breakout is normal and common, those who are truly acne-prone suffer from frequent, consistent, moderate to severe breakouts.
Acne can be caused by multiple factors such as genetics, hormones (caused by pregnancy or even hormonal birth control), climate, product sensitivities, or a damaged moisture barrier.
There are a wide variety of cosmetic ingredients that treat acne symptoms. We’ll look at some of those specific ingredients when we get to building your routine. It’s important to note that some people are more responsive to certain treatments than others, so finding the right combination of ingredients to effectively combat acne can be a bit of a trial-and-error process.
Acne often occurs in conjunction with other skin concerns; hyperpigmentation and sensitivity are common additional concerns for acne sufferers.
Note: Those with moderate to severe acne should visit a dermatologist or general practitioner, as sometimes acne can be a symptom of a larger medical issue such as PCOS or another serious condition. Additionally, doctors can prescribe stronger medication such as retinoids, antibiotics, or hormone supplements for acute acne cases.
WRINKLES & FINE LINES
Aging is inevitable, therefore making wrinkles and lines the most common skin concern of all—it’s something that everyone has to contend with at some point in their lives. Some people begin to see fine lines appear in their twenties, while others may not see any significant lining until well into their forties. The rate of aging varies widely for people, and is influenced by factors such as genetics, environment, sun exposure, and lifestyle choices. Although there are many causes of aging that are out of our control, there are also a number of steps that can be taken to delay their onset or lessen their severity.
Consistent skin hydration, sun protection, and proper cleansing are key factors in delaying the onset of wrinkles. It’s ideal to begin these practices in the teen years, but it’s never too late to start. If you’re worried that you’ve missed the boat by neglecting your skin into your 20s and 30s, don’t be! You may not have had a head start, but beginning a diligent skincare routine now will certainly slow the arrival of wrinkles that may form in the future, and diminish the intensity of the lines that have already appeared. It’s far easier to prevent the signs of aging than it is to reduce them once they appear.
DEHYDRATED SKIN
Dehydrated skin is skin that is parched because of an inability to hold water. This condition happens when your skin’s natural protective barrier, often referred to as the “moisture barrier,†is damaged. Skin is composed of multiple layers, with the protective, outermost layer being the stratum corneum. This layer is also what is commonly referred to as the “moisture barrier.†It’s composed of dead, flattened cells called keratinocytes, which are continuously shed and replaced by newer keratinocytes and held together by fatty acids, ceramides, and sebum. Together, the sebum and keratinocytes act as a waterproof barrier that effectively keeps water in the skin and prevents bacteria, irritants, allergens, and other microorganisms from penetrating it. This surface layer of skin is slightly acidic, and can have a pH ranging from 4.0 to 7.0. Healthy skin tends to have a pH of 4.7 to 5.5, while higher pH levels are often accompanied by sensitivity, acne, and even eczema.
When the moisture barrier is compromised, skin is left unprotected and begins to experience water loss. This leaves skin susceptible to dryness, irritation, stinging, redness, sensitivity, and acne. Moisture barrier damage can also cause an increase in sebum production as the body tries to repair what’s been done. Additionally, the sebum your skin produces in its damaged state will be more visible on the surface, since there are more openings between cells for it to escape through when the barrier is compromised. If you’ve ever had skin that’s simultaneously dry and oily, it’s the result of a weakened moisture barrier struggling to correct itself.
There are many things that can cause damage to the moisture barrier. Common causes include:
- Overexfoliation
- Using cleansers or other skincare products with an alkaline pH (higher than 7.0).
- Cleansing too frequently or vigorously
- Sunburn
- Windburn
- Side effects of oral or topical medications
- Medical conditions
Dehydrated skin can manifest differently from person to person. Signs that your skin may be dehydrated can include:
- Extreme dryness, especially if sudden
- Sudden, pronounced appearance of wrinkles and fine lines
- Resistance to the absorption of skincare products
- The onset or an increase in skin sensitivity
- The onset or an increase in occurrences of acne breakouts, eczema, redness, flushing, or contact dermatitis
- Crepey and/or flaky patches, particularly around the eyes, nose, and tops of the cheeks
- Skin feels oily on the surface, but when touched or rubbed beneath the oil it feels thin, dry, and papery
Dehydrated skin can be frustrating to deal with, but with patience and the right skincare products, it can be easily corrected. The best remedies for dehydrated skin are gentle, low pH cleansers, and moisturizing products with humectant, emollient, and occlusive properties. The Korean skincare approach of product layering is actually quite ideal for addressing dehydrated skin, since it follows a pattern of light, hydrating layers of moisture followed by more emollient and occlusive products to seal that moisture in.
Once the moisture barrier has been repaired, many people find that other skin conditions they thought were separate concerns, such as acne and skin sensitivity, disappear as well. It can take anywhere from one to four weeks to heal a damaged barrier, so patience and consistency are important!
PH TIPS:
• Aim for cleansers that have a pH of 5.0 to 5.9 — this is the ideal range. A pH of 6.0 to 7.0 can be acceptable (pure water is 7.0, which is neutral), but lower is generally better, particularly for dehydrated or sensitive skin.
- Most cleansers don’t advertise their pH in their literature or product packaging, but you can test it at home with a pH strip. They’re very inexpensive and can be found on Amazon, eBay, or at your local drugstore.
- When measuring the pH of your cleanser at home, mix the cleanser with a bit of water. This will give you the most accurate picture of what the pH of the cleanser will be when it reaches your skin.
- If you can’t pH test at home, you can always try contacting the manufacturer and asking about the product’s pH level.
SENSITIVITY
Skin sensitivity is a complex skin concern that can be caused by a number of things. Some people have naturally sensitive skin, others may have sensitivity as a result of other skin conditions such as rosacea, allergies, a compromised moisture barrier, or as a side effect from another product in their routine (prescription retinoids, for example).
Skin sensitivity can manifest in a number of ways, including redness, flushing, or a burning sensation when certain skincare products are applied. It can also coincide with frequent contact dermatitis, eczema, or even acne. Sensitivity levels can vary widely in terms of severity.
Sensitive skin can be difficult to work around but, with patience, it’s possible to find effective products that work for you. Recommended treatments for sensitive skin include gentle, low-pH cleansers without harsh surfactants, and an avoidance of skincare products that contain fragrance or alcohol. Regular application of gentle, hydrating skincare products, and sun protection is essential for the care of sensitive skin.
DULLNESS
Dullness is exactly what it sounds like—it describes skin that lacks brightness and has a lackluster appearance. It’s often accompanied by an uneven skin texture, which only contributes to an overall drab appearance. It most commonly occurs with dry or combination skin types, and is caused by a build-up of excess dead skin cells.
Thankfully, this is a condition that is easily remedied. With exfoliation, consistent sun protection, and key skin-brightening ingredients, you can get your youthful, luminescent glow back in no time. In fact, the Korean skincare world has an insane number of products dedicated to this very purpose.
UNEVEN TONE / RED MARKS / HYPERPIGMENTATION
Uneven skin tone, hyperpigmentation, and red or brown marks left behind after a pimple has disappeared are all very common skin concerns caused by an over-production of melanin in a particular area. These marks and patches can be triggered by a number of things including acne, wounds, hormonal changes (especially pregnancy), or sun damage. Forms of discoloration can affect people of all ages for a host of reasons, but for many women, uneven skin tone and hyperpigmentation are the first and most visible sign of aging.
When the discoloration is caused by acne or a healed wound, it’s often referred to as post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) or, in some cases, post-inflammatory erythema (PIE). These types of spots can worsen if the area is picked at or if the preceding pimple was popped—so keep your hands away from that breakout, no matter how tempting it may be! PIH and PIE can also be worsened by infection, sun exposure, or additional injury to the area.
Some forms of discoloration are more easily dealt with than others, but all forms of hyperpigmentation can be improved upon and often completely remedied with the right skincare products. Many of the ingredients designed to treat dullness also do a great job lightening skin discolorations, and once again, the Korean skincare market has a lot of product ranges to offer when it comes to correcting melanin-related skin concerns.
NEXT: SKINCARE INGREDIENTS