Understanding your skin type (and why it changes)

Most skincare disappointment traces back to one thing: using products built for a different skin type than yours. A rich, ceramide-heavy cream that's perfect for dry skin can trigger breakouts on oily skin, and a mattifying gel that controls shine beautifully can leave dry skin flaking and irritated. Knowing your type first makes every other decision easier.

Oily: visible shine, especially in the T-zone, by midday; larger-looking pores; more prone to blackheads and breakouts.

Dry: feels tight after cleansing, may show flaking or rough patches, rarely looks shiny even by evening.

Combination: oily through the forehead, nose, and chin, but normal to dry on the cheeks - the most common type overall.

Sensitive: reacts easily to new products with redness, stinging, or itching; often accompanies one of the other types rather than standing alone.

Normal: balanced oil production, minimal sensitivity, few persistent concerns - genuinely lower-maintenance than the others.

Cleanse your face with a gentle wash and pat dry - don't apply anything else. Wait 30 minutes and check how skin feels and looks. Shiny all over: likely oily. Tight or flaky: likely dry. Shiny only in the T-zone with normal cheeks: likely combination. Comfortable with no shine or tightness: likely normal.

Season, age, hormones, and even stress can shift how your skin behaves. Many people are drier in winter and oilier in summer, or notice changes around hormonal cycles. It's worth re-checking in occasionally rather than assuming your skin type from five years ago still applies today.

A viral 10-step routine built for someone else's skin type can do more harm than good on yours. Once you know your type, look for cleansers, moisturisers, and actives formulated for it - that alone solves most of the trial-and-error that makes skincare feel confusing.