Mastering Combination Skin – 5 Tips You Can’t Live Without

Just when you thought dry skin was difficult enough to handle, there are skin types which not only have dry skin, but oily skin on top of it. Combination skin is more difficult to manage; since you are dealing with dry areas of your face and oily in different areas of your face at the same time.

Tip 1: Unlock the Mystery

How do I know if I have combination skin? Well, if you notice that parts of your face are oily and other parts are dry, then you have combination skin. Combination skin can for the most part feel like normal to dry. The oily parts are usually concentrated in the
T-zone across the forehead, nose, and chin areas. Other ways you can tell if you have combination skin is if your face feels tight after washing. In the areas of your face that feels tight tend to look dull, flaky or even rough. Your skin will look shiny, feel greasy, have larger pores, and tend to be more prone to acne in the T-zone.

The chin, forehead and nose are predominantly oily and have large pores. The cheeks and the areas around the eyes are typically dry, and have small pores. Understanding which areas of your skin need treatment for oily skin, and which needs treatment for dry skin is the key to success. Without special care, this leads to wrinkles can form prematurely below the eyes – you just need to know which areas need what treatment.

Tip 2: R-E-S-P-E-C-T

When dealing with combination skin you need to treat your skin with respect. When applying your different moisturizers apply them in an upward motion to avoid stretching your skin. Your skin won’t keep its elasticity on its own; it needs help staying happy. When your combination skin is happy so are you!

Tip 3: Wash Away Your Troubles

You can manage combination skin effectively and easily by using a gentle cleanser twice a day. Use luke-warm water and clean cotton cloths. Do not scrub your skin excessively – be especially careful in the dry areas. The goal is not to remove all oil from your skin; you actually need to leave some of it there for protection.

Tip 4: Moisturize Effectively

You need to use a high quality moisturizer (think professional skin care products) to help your dry areas. On the oily areas of your face use a lighter moisturizer. When looking for moisturizes, you are looking for products to act as a balancer your face – these are serious skin care products which contain alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs or fruit acids) or retinols. Vitamin A derivatives also help manage combination skin types. When trying to control that shine in the T-zone, use oil absorbing make-up especially for oily skin care.

Tip 5: Live the Right Way

Moisturizing your skin alone with creams and lotions is not enough to keep your skin healthy. Make sure to drink plenty of water, yes water; just as you need to hydrate your skin from the outside you need to nourish it from the inside as well. Avoid smoking and excessive amounts of caffeine and alcohol.