What's Your Skin Type?

1. Normal
2. Dry
3. Oily
4. Sensitive
5. Combination

Each skin type has its own particular characteristics, these should be thought about before starting any new skin treatment routine.  Let me explain a little more about each one:

Normal skin feels nice and elastic and appears clear and fresh at all times. Normal skin is the holy grail! That’s because this skin type makes for very few or no breakouts, is not too dry or oily and does not have any marks or blemishes. Normal skin does not feel tight or dry with changes in the weather and these people have very little or no fine lines. The pores are small and sometimes nearly invisible which means that a little makeup goes a long way.

However, this type of skin is very uncommon past childhood years-DOH.

You can usually recognise ‘Normal skin’ by:

• Fine, even texture
• Smooth surface
• Small pores which are barely visible
• Good balance between oil and moisture

Looking after Normal Skin

Normal skin is the easiest to care for. The best products to use for this skin type are those that support normal skin functions. Thankfully that means that you can use any from the BAO Skincare collection! Of course, even normal skin does break out at rare times or develops rashes or skin blemishes when exposed to certain products. But this skin type usually bounces back to its normal healthy glow with some help from you with the right skin care products.

I would recommend our to use any of our face collection, in particular our Recovery Face Cream, it helps to keep your skin hydrated and balanced all day long.

Dry skin will tend to have very fine, small pores. The skin will feel tight and dry immediately after cleansing and may even be sensitive for some. This is because the skin has a lack of sebum coming from the pores. People with this skin type are most prone to developing fine lines, wrinkles and red patches. The skin is also more likely to feel rough and to take on an unhealthy appearance because of dead cell buildup. Regular moisturising, exfoliating and cleansing are a vital part of daily skin care for dry skin.

Winter can be a nightmare for dry skin. Special care is a must during winter months to avoid flaky skin and rashes.

You can sum up dry skin by these:

• Very fine pores
• Dry and dehydrated with parched appearance and may even be sensitive.
• Needs regular moisturising to stay hydrated and supple.

Looking after Dry Skin

Dry skin requires extra special care, especially during winter months. Regular and effective cleansing is very important for dry skin since clogged pores further reduce the available sebum. A nourishing and repairing facial balm works best to ensure that the dryness is not worsened by the cleansing process. Avoid washing your face too many times as it strips the skin of essential oils and moisture. Cleansing once before applying makeup and once at night is sufficient. Cleansers with good moisture retention are good choices for dry skin. Avoid alcohol based toners that dry out your skin. 

Make sure you are using nourishing thicker feeling creams.. Pick creams that have natural oils to give your dry skin new life. 

I would recommend adding our Nourish Overnight Mask as a sleeping mask to your skincare routine. Because it is a balm it contains no water and therefore will give your skin all the nourishment it needs whilst you sleep.

Luckily oily skin already has a natural barrier against moisture loss, so rich moisturisers aren’t necessary. However, some oily skin types may be prone to dryness in the winter months. When this is the case, you’ll want to moisturise more than normal. 

Proper cleansing and exfoliation should be a key part of your oily skin care regimen to prevent acne. Cleansing clears your pores and ensures that there is no debris clogging them leading to blackheads, infections and other common oily skin problems. Using a gentle face wash and face polish is a  fantastic idea for gently cleansing the skin without stripping it of essential fatty oils.

With oily skin you want to be careful not to strip your skin of its precious natural oils by using harsh chemicals and strong alcohols. So I would suggest using our Radiance Face Scrub every other evening and leave your skin bare to sleep in. Don’t worry though, this face scrub does not leave your skin dry and tight! It has lots of yummy shea butter which leaves a silky veil over your skin allowing it to breathe whilst you sleep.

Skincare experts believe that this is the most common skin type. Combination skin generally has patches of dry and oily skin.. The cheeks and the area surrounding the eyes remain dry and oil free. The T zone, (forehead, nose and chin) is oily and greasy. This skin may also have more expression lines. The difficulty with this skin type is that the oily and dry parts need different kinds of treatment and care.

You can spot combination skin by:

• Large pores especially on nose area
• Some parts are greasy while others are dry
• Needs moisturising for dry parts as well as cleansing to remove excess oil
• Dry parts feel tight after washing while oily parts become shiny/ greasy soon after wash

Best ways to look after Combination Skin

For those with combination skin, choosing products that suit both the dry and oily can be difficult. But, most people can care effectively for this skin type by choosing their skincare products from a range that is specially designed for combination skin.

With this skin type it is best to choose products that do not strip the skin of it’s natural oils, as this will confuse the skin, therefore it will produce more oil which can lead to spots.

Lightweight creams are best for balancing sebum levels but nourishing beauty balms are fabulous too as they will help repair and add moisture to the skin. Keeping a simple non fuss skincare regime works best for combination skins. Not over working and cleansing it. 

I would recommend using Refreshing Face Wash morning and night as this will help to balance your sebum (oil) levels whilst still keeping your skin hydrated and feeling fresh!