Why you should know your skin type

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Along with the rise of the late 2000s - early 2010s, YouTube beauty content creators, such as Michelle Phan, skincare was also pushed into mainstream content. After all, even now, 65% of all cosmetic purchases are influencer-informed consumer decisions.

People would flock to trending skincare products without considering the consequences that using the product could have on their skin, such as the NIVEA Post-shave balm epidemic of 2016. A true dark age for those interested in beauty content, as this product was being dubbed a ‘holy grail’ of primers, despite the ingredients found to be in the balm would cause pores to clog in the long run, along with it being fragranced – which is never good for the skin on your face. Especially not for sensitive skin.

Since then, though only recently, consumers have learned that considering these factors is essential when buying a skincare product.

What is even more important, though, is considering your skin type.

What works for one may not work for all is a statement that is especially true in this regard. Using the wrong products for your skin type can do little to help or even make your skin worse than before. As someone with oily skin, using products better suited to those with dry skin throughout my teenage years was detrimental to my skin at the time.

Sarah Cassidy, 22, echoed this sentiment. Sarah said, “I’d be using acne treatments better suited for people with oily skin, and my skin would get worse.

“It would be dry and sore for days after, and in the end, my breakouts would look worse than before because of the irritation.

“After trying so many different things, I just accepted that nothing would work.”

Sarah faced the same issue as me, using skincare targeted at those with a completely different skin type. However, we both faced it from the opposite perspective. Sarah said, “Since I started using products better for dry skin, my skin has never looked better.

“It’s made all the difference. My skin isn’t dry, flaky, red, and irritated all the time anymore and my breakouts are never as bad as they were then.”

For someone with oily skin, using cream-based moisturisers, better suited for those with dry skin, would only clog pores even more and increase the number of breakouts in the form of whiteheads and blackheads due to the pores being clogged.

Even skipping moisturiser is just as bad of an idea as using harsh products that could dry out your skin and lead to your skin producing even more oil. Using a product for oily skin, such as a gel-based moisturiser like Neutrogena’s Hydro Boost, stops this from happening while also supplying your skin with the hydration it needs.

Four basic skin types can apply to people, these are: 

Dry skin – Individuals with dry skin may feel that their skin is tight, flaky, and dry.

Oily skin – Those with oily skin may notice a shiny cast over their skin, excessive blackheads, and noticeable pores.

Combination skin – This is when the skin is a mix of dry and oily, people with this skin type usually have an oily T-zone, which is the forehead, the entire nose including the bridge, the under eye cheeks, and the chin.

Sensitive skin – Sensitive skin often overlaps with the previously mentioned skin types; you can have oily skin whilst your skin is also sensitive. People with sensitive skin often experience redness, itching, flaking, and irritation after using certain products, such as fragranced ones. There is no way to deal with sensitive skin definitively, though buying un-fragranced products and products branded for sensitive skin is a good starting point.

If you’re someone that cares about your skin, the use of products suitable for your skin type cannot go overlooked. Researching what products and ingredients would be best for your skin type would considerably improve your skincare routine, rather than buying any product simply because an influencer recommended it and others enjoyed it. 

After reading this, you’re interested in further research into products best suited for your skin type; there are plentiful resources online, such as guides and videos, that can give you the information you need on what products and ingredients would be best for your skin type.