A Guide to Understanding Your Skin Better

Skin care starts with understanding what type your skin is. Here is a quick guide to know your skin better- whether it is dry, oily, or combination skin. Knowing your skin can help you find a skincare routine that's best suited to your specific needs.

Dry skin

What it Looks Like: People with dry skin tend to have almost invisible pores and a complexion that looks dull and rough. You might also have reddish patches on your skin and have a tendency to show lines and wrinkles.

What to do: If you have dry skin, wash twice a day with a gentle cleanser or creamy cleansing wash. Avoid taking too-long baths, as this can help worsen your dry skin.

Applying a moisturizer that deeply nourishes with long-lasting hydration like Moiste cream, just after cleansing will help soothe skin and minimize the visible lines. Be sure to use the moisturizer while your skin is still damp, as this will help lock in moisture. And as your skin is the type that's extra-thirsty, don't be scared to apply moisturizer several times a day.

The ideal face moisturizer for dry skin should contain ingredients, such as glycerin or hyaluronic acid, that help the skin hold water. And remember that for dry skin, exfoliating once a week should be enough. And be sure that when you do, use a gentle exfoliator with skin conditioners.

Oily skin

What it Looks Like: Oily skin shows enlarged pores and a shiny complexion. All of this is caused by excessive sebum (skin's natural oil).

What to do: If you have oily skin, you might be tempted to wash your face more often to rid it of excess oil and dirt. However, it's important to still limit cleansing to no more than twice a day--washing too much can actually lead to even more oil production. As for exfoliation, this removes dead skin cells, leaves skin looking brighter and long-term, can even promote increased collagen production. People with oily skin can benefit from more frequent exfoliation (as often as once a day, provided you use a gentle scrub).

It is recommended that you use a light moisturizer, like Moiste Lotion once a day. An ideal moisturizer for this skin type is one that is light, easily absorbed, non-comedogenic and non-greasy.

Besides a moisturizer, using a sunscreen regularly and throughout the year is recommended as it helps in preventing UV damage.

Combination skin

What it Looks Like: If you have combination skin, there's a good chance that your skin has a little bit of both extra dryness and oiliness. For example, you might find that your forehead, nose or chin (the area known as the T-zone) might be oily, but your cheeks are dry. This can make it bewildering to know which products to use to get the best results for combination skin.

What to do: The best step is to use a gentle and light-weight moisturizer, like Moiste Lotion. Different parts of your face may need slightly different kinds of care (e.g. more frequent moisturization in dry areas, using light moisturizers in oily areas), so it's best to observe how your skin reacts and stay with the routine that works best.