If you are unsure how to manage your skin, then Live to 100 is here to help you discover your ideal skincare routine.
Identify your category
The first—and possibly the most important—step in discovering your ideal skincare routine is to identify what skin type you are. While everybody is unique, most skin types fall into five main categories: normal skin, oily skin, dry skin, combination skin and sensitive skin. Once you understand what skin type you have, you can go about choosing how to treat it and make it shine. An easy way to identify your category is to blot your face with a clean tissue first thing in the morning, then to read these telltale signs:
Normal skin—will not leave any traces of excess sebum (oil) on the tissue when blotted. Your skin will be relatively even and smooth, soft to the touch and will have no outstanding problems.
Oily skin—will leave blots of sebum and facial oil when dabbed with a tissue. Oil will be especially prevalent around the forehead and nose due to overactive sebaceous glands. This may be due to diet, lifestyle, hormone levels or hereditary genes.
Dry skin—has a very low level of sebum and therefore will not leave anything on the tissue when tested. Dry skin does not hold natural oils easily so is often flaky and tight. This can often lead to an itchy and uncomfortable feeling, especially in harsh weather conditions.
Combination skin—involves a build up of sebum around the T-zone (forehead and nose), but dryness in other areas such as the cheeks. This should be clear when tested with a tissue.
Sensitive skin—is an umbrella term for people whose skin can react, become inflamed or irritated by different things. It can be a product of a condition such as rosacea, eczema or allergies, or simply just from luck of the draw. This skin type can react to perfumed products and other strong chemicals.
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Treat your skin
Now you know what type of skin category you fall into, here is what you can do with that information to form your ideal skincare routine.
Normal skin—if you have normal skin you are blessed with the freedom to choose what type of products you use. Ensure you remove makeup or residual dirt from your face each evening and morning. Use products that are labelled normal skin. Clean the skin with soap. Once rinsed, wipe face clean with a toner and finish with a moisturiser without harsh chemicals.
Oily skin—due to oil build-up, you will be more prone to spots and breakouts. You can prevent oil build-up in the pores by regularly cleaning the skin with gentle soap-free cleansers. After cleaning your skin with a cleanser you will want to hydrate it with an oil-free option. Scout out a light moisturiser that is oil free—that is the key. The upside to this category is that you will not be prone to wrinkles; in fact, your excessive sebum is like nature’s anti-wrinkle cream.
Dry skin—wash the skin each evening with a soap-free mild wash and after replenishing with the best creams. Rich moisturisers that sink deep into the skin’s layers should be used to help any excessive dryness for this category. Skincare products for dry skin should be both non-irritating and nourishing, along with being protective—check the label and look out for these key words.
Combination skin—treating this skin type will involve tackling each area of the face differently. You need to target the specific zones and not allow them to become muddled. Use a rich moisturiser on cheeks or wherever the dry patches are. Make sure this doesn’t merge into the oily areas of the face. For the T-zone, use a strong facial wash and finish with an oil-free moisturiser. This may be a little more fiddly, but the results will be worth it.
Sensitive skin—sensitive skin needs a special routine to ensure it stays healthy and doesn’t do any extra harm. Look out for perfume-free, allergen, soap and detergent-free and dermatologically tested. Your products should be all natural to prevent any reactions. Make sure any washes or cleansers you choose are non-drying; these are notorious for provoking reactions.
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