How to Determine Your Skin Type

Step 1 of 6

Cleanse Your Face

Start with a clean slate. Wash your face with a gentle, fragrance-free cleanser to remove all makeup, sunscreen, dirt, and excess oil. Avoid using any toners, serums, or moisturizers afterward. Gently pat your skin dry with a clean towel — do not rub. This ensures your skin's natural behavior isn't masked by any products.

Step 2 of 6

Wait 30 Minutes

After cleansing, leave your skin completely bare — no products at all. Wait 30 minutes and go about your normal routine. Avoid touching your face during this time. This waiting period allows your skin to return to its natural balance and produce its typical level of oil (sebum), giving you an accurate reading of your true skin type.

Step 3 of 6

Observe Your Skin in the Mirror

After 30 minutes, look closely at your skin in a well-lit mirror. Pay attention to how it looks and feels across different zones — forehead, nose, chin (the T-zone), cheeks, and around the eyes and mouth. Note any shine, tightness, flakiness, redness, or visible pores. This visual inspection is the first key step in identifying your skin type.

• If Skin looks shiny or greasy all over, do This is a strong indicator of oily skin — proceed to Step 4 to confirm with the blotting test..
• If Skin feels tight, looks dull, or has flaky patches, do This suggests dry skin — proceed to Step 4 to confirm..
• If T-zone is shiny but cheeks feel normal or dry, do This is a classic sign of combination skin — proceed to Step 4 to confirm..
• If Skin looks balanced — neither oily nor dry, no tightness or shine, do This suggests normal skin — proceed to Step 4 to confirm..

Step 4 of 6

Perform the Blotting Sheet Test

Gently press a clean blotting sheet or a single-ply tissue to different areas of your face: forehead, nose, chin, and both cheeks. Hold it against each area for about 5 seconds, then hold the sheet up to the light to examine how much oil was absorbed. • Lots of oil from all areas → Oily skin • Little to no oil from all areas → Dry skin • Oil only from the T-zone (forehead, nose, chin), little from cheeks → Combination skin • Minimal oil, balanced feel → Normal skin If your skin frequently reacts with redness, stinging, or itching to products or weather changes, you likely have a sensitive skin type (which can overlap with any of the above).

Step 5 of 6

Identify Your Skin Type

Combine your observations from Steps 3 and 4 to determine your skin type: 🟡 **Oily Skin:** Shiny all over, enlarged pores, oil on blotting sheet from all zones. Prone to breakouts and blackheads. 🔵 **Dry Skin:** Tight or rough feeling, flaky patches, dull complexion, little to no oil on blotting sheet. May feel itchy. 🟢 **Combination Skin:** Oily T-zone (forehead, nose, chin) with normal or dry cheeks. Most common skin type. ⚪ **Normal Skin:** Balanced, comfortable feel, minimal shine, small pores, barely any oil on blotting sheet. 🔴 **Sensitive Skin:** Frequent redness, stinging, or reactions to products or environmental changes. Can co-exist with any type above. Note: Your skin type can change with age, seasons, hormones, and diet, so it's worth re-testing every few months.

Step 6 of 6

Tailor Your Skincare Routine

Now that you know your skin type, use it to guide your product choices: • **Oily skin:** Look for oil-free, non-comedogenic, and mattifying products. Gel-based cleansers and lightweight, water-based moisturizers work best. • **Dry skin:** Choose creamy, hydrating cleansers and rich moisturizers with ingredients like hyaluronic acid, ceramides, or shea butter. Avoid alcohol-based toners. • **Combination skin:** Use a gentle cleanser and apply different products to different zones — a lighter moisturizer on the T-zone and a richer one on the cheeks. • **Normal skin:** You have flexibility! Maintain balance with a gentle cleanser and a medium-weight moisturizer. Focus on SPF protection. • **Sensitive skin:** Opt for fragrance-free, hypoallergenic, and minimal-ingredient products. Always patch-test new products before full application.