How to Identify Your Skin Type: A Simple Guide

How to Identify Your Skin Type: A Simple Guide

Understanding your skin type is the first step toward creating an effective skincare routine. Without knowing what your skin truly needs, even the most expensive products can fall short—or worse, cause irritation.

In this simple guide, we’ll walk you through:

  • The five main skin types.

  • How to test your skin type at home.

  • The best way to tailor your skincare routine based on your skin type.

Whether you're struggling with dryness, dealing with breakouts, or feeling unsure about your skin’s behaviour, this guide will help you get clarity.

Why It’s Important to Know Your Skin Type

Your skin type affects how it responds to products, the environment, and lifestyle changes. Using the wrong products—such as heavy creams on oily skin or harsh exfoliants on sensitive skin—can lead to breakouts, dryness, or redness.

That’s why identifying your skin type is a crucial first step, especially if you have reactive or sensitive skin.

The 5 Main Skin Types

Most dermatologists agree there are five primary skin types. Here’s how to recognise each:

1. Normal Skin

  • Balanced—not too oily or dry

  • Few breakouts or sensitivity

  • Smooth, even texture

2. Dry Skin

  • Feels tight, flaky, or rough

  • More prone to redness and irritation

  • May show fine lines more easily

3. Oily Skin

  • Shiny, especially in the T-zone (forehead, nose, chin)

  • Prone to blackheads and breakouts

  • Pores may appear larger

4. Combination Skin

  • Oily in some areas (T-zone), dry or normal in others

  • Requires a tailored routine to balance both areas

  • Breakouts and dryness may occur simultaneously

5. Sensitive Skin

  • Reacts easily to new products

  • Prone to redness, itching, or burning

  • Often overlaps with dry, oily, or combination types

📌 Related: What Is Sensitive Skin? Signs, Causes & How to Manage It

How to Identify Your Skin Type at Home

Here’s a simple method you can do with just a gentle cleanser and a mirror:

The Cleanse & Wait Test

  1. Wash your face with a gentle, fragrance-free cleanser.

  2. Pat dry and leave your skin bare (no toner, moisturiser, or serum).

  3. Wait for about 60 minutes.

  4. Observe how your skin feels and looks:

What You Notice Your Likely Skin Type
Feels tight and flaky Dry
Shiny all over Oily
Shiny in the T-zone, dry elsewhere Combination
Looks balanced and feels comfortable Normal
Feels itchy, red, or stings Sensitive

 

This test can help you fine-tune your routine and make more informed choices.

How to Choose Products Based on Your Skin Type

Dry Skin

  • Look for rich moisturisers with ceramides, squalane, or hyaluronic acid.

  • Avoid alcohol-based toners or foaming cleansers.

Oily Skin

  • Choose lightweight, oil-free formulas.

  • Gel moisturisers and salicylic acid cleansers can help manage excess sebum.

Combination Skin

  • Use balancing products and apply different formulas to different areas if needed.

  • Lightweight moisturisers work well across zones.

Normal Skin

  • Maintain with gentle, well-balanced skincare.

  • Avoid over-exfoliating or introducing too many actives.

Sensitive Skin

  • Stick to minimalist, fragrance-free routines.

  • Look for calming ingredients like chlorella, centella asiatica, and allantoin.

📌 Related: The Best Skincare Routine for Sensitive Skin: A Step-by-Step Guide
📌 Related: The Top 10 Irritating Ingredients for Sensitive Skin

Final Thoughts

Getting to know your skin is empowering. It takes the guesswork out of product choices and helps you care for your skin with more confidence.

✅ Observe your skin’s behaviour throughout the day.
✅ Use the Cleanse & Wait Test to guide you.
✅ Re-evaluate with seasonal or hormonal changes.

Ready to build your routine? Explore rêvu’s skincare line—specially formulated for sensitive and reactive skin types.

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