In the struggle for velvety, matte skin with an ideal shade, girls actively use caring and decorative cosmetics. But not everyone understands what kind of funds are required. Having studied the publications of the world's leading dermatologists, our journalists found out how to determine the type of facial skin in order to choose the right cosmetics for it.
Non-professional ways
Techniques for determining the type of facial skin at home are easy to implement, do not require financial costs or the use of specific equipment. The disadvantages of non-professional methods include the dubious reliability of the results. They do not take into account the phototype, the girl's lifestyle, food habits, the period of the menstrual cycle, or the reaction of the epidermis to previously incorrectly selected cosmetics.
Napkin test
It includes several stages:
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Preparation. The face is cleaned of make-up, sebum and allowed to rest for 3-4 hours. During this period, you can not engage in vigorous physical activity, go outside, sunbathe, use any cosmetics.
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Test. Requires 4 paper napkins. Preferred two-layer products. They are impregnated faster, due to which they give a more objective result than three-layer counterparts or cosmetic wipes. One sheet is applied to the forehead, cheeks and chin, pressed a little so that the paper fits snugly to the epidermis. The napkins are left for 15-20 minutes.
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Evaluation of results. Dry facial skin will not leave greasy marks on the napkins. Bold prints in the T-zone indicate a combined type of integument. The stains on most of the surface of the napkins are characteristic of the fat-prone epidermis.
The method demonstrates the most objective results in relation to young girls under 25 years old. In older women, the test does not allow to correctly determine the type of facial skin, since it does not take into account age-related changes in the structure of the epidermis and rearrangements in the work of its tissues.
Visual assessment
The essence of the method is to observe changes in the skin for 2-4 days. The longer the study lasts, the more accurate its results. In a magnifying mirror, the epidermis is examined three times a day (morning, afternoon, evening). Lighting should be directed towards the center of the face.
All the features of the epidermis, its reactions to wind, sunlight, temperature drops are recorded in a notebook. Then the most common characteristics are distinguished, on the basis of which the type of skin is determined:
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Dry. Thin dermis with closely spaced capillaries. After washing your face, being in the cold or hot sun, your skin feels tight. Peeling and redness often occur.
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Normal. It is characterized by a pleasant, uniform shade without oily sheen. Normal skin is not prone to inflammation, and irritation occurs only after the use of peels or contact with allergens.
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Combined. During ovulation, the work of the sebaceous glands on the chin, forehead, as well as on the nose and adjacent areas is activated. Similar reactions occur on the face after eating fatty foods, playing sports, and sun exposure. At the same time, the cheeks always remain dry, they can peel off when chapped.
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Bold. The epidermis of this type is characterized by an abundance of enlarged pores, permanent greasy shine, focal inflammation in the form of acne, comedones, acne.
Visual assessment is not applicable to problematic, mature and sensitive skin. In this case, for a detailed typology of the face, you should contact a professional cosmetologist.
Questionnaire
Answers to questions compiled by experienced dermatologists allow you to correctly determine the type of skin with a high percentage of reliability. The questionnaire contains 6 items:
What do you feel after washing with gel / foam / soap? a) feeling of tightness; b) the skin became smooth, no discomfort; c) itching, desire to use a tonic or moisturizer rather; d) the face is gentle, pleasant to the touch; e) it is difficult to answer unequivocally; after each washing, different sensations arise.
How can you describe the condition of the skin after using micellar water, cosmetic milk? a) soft; b) just clean; c) pleasant in places, itchy in places; d) oily; e) partly oily, partly smooth.
How does the face look in the afternoon? a) irritated, scaly or red spots; b) fresh, well-groomed; c) depending on the type of activity, or overdried, or reddened; d) shiny from fat; e) shiny in the area of the nose, forehead and chin, matte in the cheek area.
How often do acne appear? a) extremely rare; b) before menstruation or immediately during critical days; c) sometimes, without any regularity; d) regularly; e) constantly in the T-zone.
How would you describe your reaction to using a toner or any other moisturizer? a) burning; b) a pleasant feeling of softness; c) itching, desire to wash; d) freshness; e) in different ways, depending on the composition of the lotion.
How does it feel after applying a nourishing night cream? a) very pleasant; b) a feeling of saturation of the epidermis with moisture; c) it is difficult to define, always in different ways; d) the face seems too oily; e) on the cheeks – everything is fine, but it would be better not to apply the cream on the forehead, nose and chin.
If option 'A' prevails in the answers, then the skin is dry. Most of the version under the letter 'B' indicates the normal type of epidermis. If the most common answer is 'B', it is sensitive skin. Option 'G' is typical for oily integuments, and 'D' is combined. An even distribution of responses indicates a mixed type of dermis that requires specific care.
Professional determination of skin type
Dermatoscopy is a type of medical examination of the relief and structure of skin tissues using light polarization. The technology makes it possible to obtain a detailed picture of the thin anatomical structures of the dermis, which is an important condition for assessing the effectiveness of the use of certain cosmetic products.
Dermatoscopy is indicated in case of controversial results of home methods for determining skin type. For example, the presence of a greasy shine, enlarged pores and acne indicates an oily or problematic dermis, but after washing or being in the cold, the girl suffers from a feeling of tightness. This situation is typical for dry age integuments, in which, due to improper care, the work of the sebaceous glands is disrupted. In this case, professional treatment is required, and uncontrolled experiments with cosmetics will only aggravate the problem.
Dermatoscopy types:
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Contact immersion. The epithelium is covered with a special liquid that increases the tightness of the dermatoscope lens to the face. Due to optical refraction, light penetrates into the intradermal structures. The doctor determines the structure and actual state of the dermis by the spectrum of the reflected ray.
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Polarizing. Assumes the use of devices with polarizing filters and generators of unidirectional electromagnetic waves. The technique gives a more accurate result than immersion technology.
Dermatoscopy allows you to correctly determine the type of facial skin, taking into account the age, physiological or hormonal characteristics of the body.
Fitzpatrick phototype
In addition to the classification of the skin according to the degree of activity of the sebaceous glands, there is a division according to the Fitzpatrick scale (by phototype). The systematization is based on the degree of susceptibility of the dermis to ultraviolet radiation in people with different skin colors:
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Celtic. Representatives of the category are distinguished by pale, almost blue skin, which does not tan under the influence of the sun, but gets burned, which requires the use of creams with the highest protection level SPF 80 or 100.
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Nordic (Aryan). The prevalence of light shades of melanin makes the dermis less susceptible to sunburn, which results in a high risk of burning. To avoid damage, the face should be treated with SPF 70-80.
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Dark European. A phototype that naturally has well-tanned beige skin. For him, protective creams of the SPF 30-50 category are enough.
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Mediterranean. It unites people with a light brown shade of the epidermis. The Mediterranean phototype is resistant to high doses of ultraviolet radiation, so the chances of getting sunburn are minimal. For him, funds with an SPF factor of 30-50 are recommended.
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Indonesian. Typical for residents of southern and central Asia. People with natural brown skin tones almost never get sunburn, so SPF 15 is enough for them.
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African American. The group with the darkest skin. Do not burn in the sun.
When choosing cosmetics, the phototype must be considered along with the lipid balance classifications of the facial skin. Only in this case the dermis will receive not only competent care, but also proper protection from ultraviolet radiation, which is an important condition for maintaining its elasticity and youth.
Knowing how to correctly determine the type of skin, you can choose cosmetics that will satisfy the needs of the epidermis, taking into account the smallest details. Use products that are appropriate for the age and the actual state of the epidermis, then the face will look flawless under any conditions.
