Choosing products by skin type
Published
Most products are labelled for a skin type. The categories are broad, they are not diagnoses, and plenty of people do not fit one neatly.
The usual categories
- Oily — skin tends to look shiny within a few hours of cleansing.
- Dry — skin tends to feel tight, and may look flaky.
- Combination — different areas behave differently, often oilier through the centre of the face.
- Normal — neither noticeably oily nor noticeably tight.
- Sensitive — described separately, because it is about how readily skin reacts rather than how much oil it produces.
A simple way to observe it
Cleanse, apply nothing, and look at your skin a few hours later. What you see is the closest thing to an answer, and it may differ between summer and winter, which is normal.
The labels are a starting point
A label tells you who a product was formulated with in mind. It does not tell you how your skin will respond, which is why patch-testing exists.
If your skin is reacting
Persistent irritation, pain, or anything that is getting worse is a reason to see a pharmacist or a doctor rather than to buy a different product. Nothing on this site is a substitute for that.
This page describes industry vocabulary. It is general information, not advice about your skin, and not a diagnosis.
