There are several different skin types, as well as combinations of skin types, and in turn, different conditions associated with each skin type.

Here, I’ve outlined the most common skin types and their characteristics for you. Hopefully, this will help you identify your starting point – and from there, help you choose the right skincare routine.

You can generally choose your face cream based on your skin type, provided it is in balance. Every skin type has its own baseline for when it is in balance. So there’s no point in thinking that choosing a particular face cream can change your skin type to a different, or more desirable, one.

The different skin types, in brief

Normal skin: A well-balanced, normal skin type is supple, has a fine, even and smooth texture, feels neither too oily nor too dry, and has almost no visible pores. A normal skin type does not mean that it is the most common skin type.

Dry skin: Dry skin has fine, almost invisible pores and low sebum production. It therefore struggles to maintain a good moisture balance, becomes dehydrated quickly and is more prone to developing small, encapsulated white bumps (milia) as well as fine lines and wrinkles. In other words, it lacks both moisture and oil. Dry skin often also has more superficial and fragile blood vessels. At times, the skin may feel more sensitive, rough, slightly flaky or tight on the surface.

Mature skin: With age, the skin’s connective tissue changes, and the skin loses its plumpness, moisture, oil and firmness. Mature skin is often thin and bears the marks of a life well-lived, with wrinkles from joy and worries. A lack of moisture and oil often manifests as dryness lines, and the skin may struggle to maintain its radiance. The skin is often marked by many years of exposure to free radicals and may have pigmentation spots, clusters of sebum, a few enlarged pores and, otherwise, many of the same characteristics as dry skin.

Sensitive skin: Delicate, sensitive or reactive skin. There are many names for it, and sensitive skin often requires more consideration and care than, for example, normal skin. The characteristics include visible and dilated capillaries on the cheeks and nose, irritation, flushing and redness. The skin may be particularly sensitive to stress, heat, cold and certain foods and drinks. Skin conditions such as eczema and rosacea fall under the category of sensitive skin. The skin of children and young people is delicate and new and should therefore also be cared for as sensitive skin.

Oily skin: This skin type is often confused with acne-prone skin or skin with spots. Oily skin can develop spots and blackheads if the pores become blocked. This happens more frequently than with normal or dry skin, as there is a tendency towards overproduction of sebum, which accumulates more quickly in the pores along with dead skin cells, dirt and pollution. However, spots can arise for various reasons – and in all skin types. Oily skin has visible pores, a shiny skin surface and is in a great position when it comes to wrinkles! The protective and moisturising skin barrier in oily skin protects against dehydration and keeps the skin supple and plump.

Combination skin: Most people have a combination of several skin types. Often, two different skin conditions are dominant, and there are many possible combinations. The two I see most often are:

Dry or normal skin on the cheeks, but an oily T-zone (nose, chin, forehead), where the skin naturally has larger pores and produces more sebum. It may also be just the forehead or just the nose that is oily.

Sensitive skin is often seen in combination with dry skin, mature skin and oily skin. Sensitive skin manifests itself in many ways. It may be genetic, or the result of dermatological conditions, but very often it is caused by skin care that is too drying or too harsh. All skin types can become unbalanced, stressed and experience irritation, a tendency towards spots, or too much or too little sebum production.

Discover a complete skincare routine with products tailored to your skin type in our guide Your skin, your care.

If you’d like a more personalised analysis of your skin, I always recommend seeing a beautician who can examine your skin more closely under a magnifying glass.

All the best
Christina

Christina is a qualified beautician with 14 years’ experience in the skincare industry, both as a professional practitioner and, for the past 6 years, as an expert in holistic skincare and product development at Karmameju Skincare.