Packed on those celebrity-approved sheet masks and tried every facial under the sky but your skin still isn’t cooperating? We’ve learnt the hard way that one size doesn’t fit all, especially finding a daily skincare routine that suits you. Even the cleansing-toning-moisturizing mantra may be more effort than it’s worth.
Broadly, there are three skin types — oily, dry and normal/combination. If you’re prone to frequent acne breakouts and greasy skin, then congratulations, the sorting hat put you into the oily category. People with naturally dry skin tend to feel a sensation of tautness immediately after washing and drying their faces. People with normal or combination skin will have an oily T-zone and normal to dry skin on the rest of the face.
Dermatologist Dr Kiran Lohia, Lumiere Dermatology, decodes exactly what should be on your bathroom shelf, depending on your skin type.
Oily skin
You might feel that you’ve been dealt a band hand with your oil plate mug and tendency to break out, but Lohia wants you to look at the glass as half full. “People with oily skin age slower than the rest of us,” she says. But despite the promise of smoother skin in the long run, it’s no secret that you have to be extra careful with your skincare routine. The key, according to Lohia, is to not go overboard. “Two common mistakes that people with oily skin make are using too many products and wash their faces excessively,” she says. According to Lohia, repeated washing of the face sends the skin a signal to produce more oil (as the skin gets dryer after a wash), resulting in those intolerable acne breakouts.
What you should be doing
Use a face wash that reduces oil build-up, preferable something with salicylic acid. Follow it up with an anti-oxidant serum and sun block, and you’re good to go. Lohia also suggests using a scrub once a week.
Skincare products you can add to your arsenal
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Dry skin
It goes without saying that ‘Moisture, moisture, more moisture’ needs to be your war cry. On the flip side, your small pores prevent any need for exfoliation. So you can lay off scrubs and concentrate on building your skin’s moisture levels.
What you should be doing
Lohia, who also shares your predicament, recommends using a non-foaming face wash every day. You need to follow it up with a cream-based serum and sunblock. You can also add facial oils to your regimen to balance the moisture levels. Lohia lets us in on her own hack too. “Massage your face with a cold cream for 5 minutes every day. Aside from alleviating dryness, this will also rid your face of whiteheads and blackheads.
Skincare products to add to your arsenal
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Normal/combination skin
You might be the luckiest of the lot, but it doesn’t mean that the rules don’t apply to you. According to Lohia, everybody has an oily T-zone. The only difference is the amount of oil build-up. You need to identify which side your skin falls on — Is it more oily than dry or vice versa?
What you should be doing
Once you’ve figured out the dominant problem, you can apply the same principles for that particular type of skin (read above) and follow them for healthy skin.
Skincare products to add to your arsenal
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