Skin Care for Combination Skin

Do you have skin that is not completely dry, or completely oily, or completely normal? Your skin is a combination of different types, usually recognized as being normal and oily skin or dry and oily skin. Skin care for combination skin is a little tricky but read on to discover some normal to oily skin care tips that you may not be aware of.

As all people with combination skin have oily areas, particularly in places that contain many sebaceous glands, such as the face, upper back and chest, care must be taken to ensure that these areas are not agitated. Glands producing too much oil cause these oily areas. Parts of the body with a smaller number of oil glands will be either normal or dry. The environment, age and also the breakdown of intracellular matrices, usually causes this dryness.

You can tell if you have combination skin by the way it looks. Parts of the body that seem shiny will probably contain pimples and maybe blackheads. Cosmetics such as makeup will not last for a whole day and you will need to re-apply the makeup. Areas that are dry will look dull and may be irritating or sore.

Skin care for combination skin can be a tricky business and relies on a careful balance between various products for the varying types of skin. On the one hand, excessively moisturizing the oily parts is not a good idea as it will mean that you have hundreds of spots in the morning. On the other hand, you shouldn’t use products intended for use on oily skin on the areas that are normal or dry because you will end up having skin that feels uncomfortably tight and even flaky or rough.

The best way to look after this type of skin is to wash twice a day using warm water along with a specially formulated cleansing gel. After this, use a toner that is water or glycerin based in order to aid in the removal of remaining oil or dead skin -- whatever was blocking the pores. Also, from time to time, exfoliating is a good idea as it encourages the growth of new skin by removing dead skin cells, which will help to keep your sometimes troublesome skin looking its best. Whatever you use, try to get products that are formulated for your skin type.

If you have oily and normal skin then you need to make sure your skin stays moist and hydrated, but the opposite in the areas that are oily. Try to use a water-based moisturizer as opposed to an oil-based one to help overcome this problem, and use cosmetic products that soak up excess oil, like powders or oil absorbing tissue. Treat spots as required; benzoyl peroxide cream is good for this.

If you have oily and dry skin then moisturizing your dry areas using an emollient to soften and smooth the skin is a good idea. Your eyes might require a stronger moisturizer, but just steer clear of your oil glands. Finally, always remember to use sunscreen. Many cosmetics do this now anyway as well as their main job so you do not have to worry so much.