How Do You Know Your Skin Type?

Skin is the largest organ of our body and requires utmost care and attention for keeping up its beauty and health. Everybody seeks a flawless, radiant and clear skin which is free from blemishes, spots and diseases. And, for this purpose, we also take a lot of precaution as well as invest time and money on maintaining our skin. However, many people tend to miss out on the first and foremost question on skin care – how to know your skin type? Let us understand it in detail.

How Many Types Of Skin Are There?

Before you find out how to identify skin type, you should know what are the different types of skin that one can have. Basically, there are five different skin types:

• Normal – Skin Type 1
• Oily – Skin Type 2
• Combination – Skin Type 3
• Dry – Skin Type 4
• Sensitive – Skin Type 5

Also Read : Common Skin Concerns and Treatments

What Are The Fitzpatrick Skin Types?

Fitzpatrick skin type is a more scientific and numerical classification guide for skin color. It is based on how the individuals skin responds to UV rays from the sun. In this method, the amount of pigment in your skin and the reaction of your skin during exposure to the sun helps in classifying the skin type. There are 6 different categories of skin type according to Fitzpatrick. It is not necessary that you have to meet all the specifications listed in each of those groups. You should opt for the group whose specifications match you the most.
Below are the six categories –

• Type 1 

1. Ivory skin colour before exposure to the sun
2. Light blue, gray or green eye color
3. Light blonde or red hair color (natural)
4. No tanning, skin keeps peeling, burning sensation and the skin always has freckles

• Type 2 

1. Pale or fair skin before exposure to sun
2. Green, blue or gray eye color
3. Blond hair color (natural)
4. Rare tanning, skin peels, burns often and will generally have freckles

• Type 3

1. Fair or beige skin colour with golden undertones before exposure to the sun
2. Light brown or hazel eye color
3. Light brown or dark blonde hair color (natural)
4. Might tan sometimes, burn or have freckles once in a while

• Type 4

1. Light brown or olive skin color before exposure to the sun
2. Dark brown eye color
3. Dark brown hair color (natural)
4. Generally, tans but will rarely burn or have freckles

• Type 5 

1. Black or dark brown skin color before exposure to the sun
2. Black or dark brown eye color
3. Black or dark brown hair color (natural)
4. Keeps getting tanned but never burns or hardly has any freckles

• Type 6

1. Black skin color before exposure to the sun
2. Brownish black eye color
3. Black hair color (natural)
4. Dark tan but never burns or has any freckles

Also Read : How To Take Care Of Combination Skin

How To Know Your Skin Type?

Getting expert advice is most effective way of assessing your skin type. The dermatologist will conduct certain tests which will help them identify your exact skin type. You may also try to test your skin type on your own.

Tests For Identifying Your Skin Type

It is an easy way to know your skin type just by observing and using some extra materials. Below are some of the best skin type tests which can successfully help you to find what type of skin you have –

• Blotting paper test – For this method, you would need a blotting paper and a mirror. When you use the blotting paper on the main areas of your face, it will help in determining what type of skin you have. Wash your face the night before the test but make sure that you do not apply any skin care products. In the morning, face the mirror and use the blotting paper on the main areas of your face, i.e., jaw area, under the eye, cheeks, forehead and T-zone.
  You need to observe the amount of oil on the blotting paper after you have used it on your face.

• If there is lot of oil on the blotting paper, it means you have an oily skin.
• If few of the areas are oily and few are without oil, then it means that you have a combination skin.
• Having less and average amount of oil on all the areas reflects that you have a normal skin type.
• If there is absolutely no oil on the blotting paper, it means you have a dry skin.
• If there is very little amount of oil and most of the areas have hardly any oil, it means that your skin type is sensitive.
• Visual test – One can easily do a skin type test just by looking at their skin. Make sure that you wash your face thoroughly and leave it as it is, without applying any skin products on it. During afternoon, face the mirror and take a good look at your skin.
• You might have an oily skin if your whole face looks shinier than how it was in the morning.
• If your entire face looks the same and only your T-zone looks shinier, it means you have a combination skin type.
• If you do not observe any change between your morning skin and afternoon skin, it means you have a normal skin.
• Dryness on certain parts of the face is an indicator of dry skin.
• If you notice that along with the dryness, there is little peeling and redness, it means your skin type is sensitive.
• Touch test – If you find it difficult to observe the changes just by looking at the mirror, then you can also opt for the touch test. The procedure used in this test is the same as what you would for the visual test. The only difference is that instead of just looking, you can touch the key areas on your skin to decide the skin type.

The interpretation of the results would be same as the results found in the visual test or the blotting paper test.

Also Read : Sensitive Skin Care And Tips

FAQs

• Can you change your skin type?
  Well, you can not completely change your skin type, you can definitely improve its condition by using the specific skin care products. For example, you can keep your skin moisturized to avoid getting it overly dry or sensitive.

• Does your skin type change as you age?
  Yes, as you age and because of certain other factors such as hormones, climate, allergies, etc., your skin definitely undergoes a change.

It is not necessary that your skin type will remain the same forever. Ageing and other factors will result in a change in your skin type. You must always pay attention to the changes in your skin type and use products which are suitable for that particular type of skin. This will help you to maintain a flawless and radiant skin, forever!