Understanding different skin types…

What type are you?

Vibrant, beautiful skin has always been considered an important part of health. But in today’s modern environment, soft, smooth, flawless skin can be difficult to achieve and even more challenging to maintain. Your skin’s health is largely determined by diet, lifestyle habits, and sun exposure, which can sabotage healthy skin and leave lasting effects on skin strength, resiliency, and appearance.

In the early 1900s, four different skin types; dry, oily, combination, and sensitive, were identified and characterized by Helena Rubinstein. Each of those skin types is characterized by its own features and specifications such as:

Dry Skin (Xerosis)

This skin type is characterized by a dull gray-white color, rough texture, and an elevated number of ridges. The oily secretion of the sebaceous glands, which contains wax esters, sterol esters, cholesterol, di- and triglycerides, and squalene is believed to protect the skin from environmental influences and, when production is lower, contribute to dry skin. When the body’s natural oily layer on the skin dries out, the skin is unable to produce enough oil and moisture for the body to replenish the amount being lost. For the most part, the skin is able to replace that which is lost, but sometimes the body's efforts are not enough and the skin needs more protection.

Oily skin

Sometimes also known as acne prone skin, Oily skin is particularly common in adolescents and young adults. At this age there is a dramatic increase in sebum production under the influence of the hormones. Oily skin is characterized by the abundance and nature of the sebum excreted at the skin surface by the sebaceous gland, target organ of androgens. It is most frequently encountered in adolescents and young adults. Excess of sebum gives the skin a shiny appearance, particularly on the forehead, the sides of the nose and the chin. In severe cases, various forms of acne can develop. An oily skin is also thick, well moisturized and covered with a protective oily film.

Sensitive skin

Sensitive skin is more common, with more than 40% of people claiming to have such skin. Sensitive skin is generally considered as skin which is easily irritated and probably has a genetic element. Some people with this condition cannot tolerate contact with any cosmetic products, however well-formulated they may be. Sensitive skin can be associated with a medical condition called atopy, where people have an inherited predisposition to eczema, hay fever and asthma. About 15-20% of the population has the genetic ability to develop eczema, asthma and hay fever.

Combination skin

Also known as “mixed” type of skin, this skin form is considered variable when exposed to different external and internal factors such as weather, climate, medicines intake, diet consumption etc.,