How to find your skin type at home, and care for it

Buying the right products starts with knowing your skin. Many people use the wrong products for years simply because they guessed their skin type. This guide explains how to find your skin type at home with two simple tests, describes the signs of each type and suggests a routine that fits.

The five common skin types

Sensitivity can come with any of the other types, for example oily and sensitive. Skin type also changes with age, season and hormones, so check again from time to time.

Test 1: Wash and wait an hour

1. Wash with a gentle cleanser and pat dry.
2. Apply nothing for about an hour, staying in a room that is not too hot.
3. Look in a mirror in natural light and feel your skin with clean hands.

Tight with some flaking: dry. Shiny all over: oily. Shiny T-zone with normal cheeks: combination. Comfortable, neither shiny nor tight: normal.

Test 2: Blotting paper

One to two hours after washing, press blotting paper gently on your forehead, nose, cheeks and chin. Lots of oil everywhere usually means oily skin; oil only on the forehead and nose means combination; almost none means normal or dry. Using both tests together gives a more reliable answer.

Caring for each skin type

• Dry: a creamy, low-foam cleanser; a moisturiser with ceramides and humectants; avoid very hot water. See moisturisers.
• Oily: a gel cleanser, a light moisturiser and an oil-control sunscreen. Do not skip moisturiser. See cleansers and make-up removers.
• Combination: a light moisturiser all over with an extra layer on dry areas; a clarifying toner on the T-zone if you like.
• Sensitive: few steps, low fragrance, and patch test anything new.
• Normal: keep things simple and do not add products you do not need.

Common mix-ups

• Dehydrated is not the same as dry: oily skin can lack water and feel shiny and tight at once. Light hydration helps it rebalance.
• Skin damaged by strong products can look sensitive. Pause actives, go back to basics for a few weeks, then test again.
• Breakouts do not mean oily skin: dry skin can break out too.

How your environment changes your skin

Where and how you live shows on your skin. Long hours in air-conditioned offices dry the skin out, even if it is oily by nature. Motorbike commutes bring sun, dust and heat, which call for thorough cleansing at night and reliable sunscreen in the morning. If you have recently moved to Vietnam from a colder country, expect your skin to feel oilier in the humid months and adjust your textures accordingly; the rich cream that worked at home may feel heavy here. Hard or chlorinated water, late nights and stress can also tip the balance. Before deciding you need a new product, ask whether something in your daily life has changed.

When to see a doctor

If you have lasting redness, itching or peeling, painful inflamed breakouts or unusual patches, see a dermatologist. A doctor can diagnose what a home test cannot. Once you know your type, use the skin type finder for a short list of products on sale now, ranked by an independent score from real sales and ratings. Checking your skin again each season keeps your routine matched to what your skin actually needs.