How to Pick the Right Skin Care Products for You

Manufacturers of skin care products classify skin by type. Each skin type has its own needs, and choosing products designed for the appropriate type can help bring the skin closer to its healthy ideal.
Most products intended for dry, normal, oily, or combination skin refer specifically to facial skin unless the product's packaging mentions otherwise. Someone with an oily complexion above the neck could have dry skin on the legs and feet. Look for the skin care product that matches the skin type of the area it is meant to cleanse, tone, or moisturize.

Normal Skin

Smooth, even skin that looks clear and feels supple is considered normal. People with this skin type rarely get the blemishes that accompany oily skin or the rough patches that come with dry skin. Normal skin produces enough natural oil to have a dewy look a few hours after washing. People with normal skin should choose products designed to keep their skin in this state of glowing good health.

Dry Skin

When the skin does not produce enough natural oil or lacks sufficient water content, it becomes dry. Dry skin feels taut and itchy; it may have rough patches where it has become dry enough to flake. Dry skin looks dull on lighter tones and ashy on darker complexions. As skin ages, it often tends to become dry. Although mature skin has its own needs, skin care products designed for it also combat dryness. Products for dry skin aim to replenish moisture and protect the skin from further moisture loss.

Oily Skin

Oily skin has over-active oil-producing glands and develops blemishes readily. Skin that has a slick surface within half an hour to an hour of washing the face probably falls into this category. Excessive oiliness contributes to acne by clogging the pores and giving acne-causing bacteria a place to thrive. However, skin needs a certain amount of oil to stay healthy, so skin care products designed for oily complexions must reduce oil without stripping it away completely.

Combination Skin

This common skin type is oily in some areas and dry in others. The forehead, nose, and chin tend to produce more oil. This area, the T-zone, may need special care for oily skin while the cheeks require extra moisturizer for dryness. Skin care products that normalize the skin by adding moisture without clogging pores can be beneficial for combination skin.

Mature Skin

As skin ages, it grows thinner and more delicate. It also produces less of the protective natural oils that used to keep it supple. Like skin care products for dry skin, products for mature skin are typically creamy and emollient. Skin care lines designed for mature skin may also contain antioxidants, alpha hydroxy acids, and other ingredients with anti-aging properties.

Skin Care Essentials for Every Skin Type

For good health, every skin has a few basic needs. Skin should be clean, moisturized, and protected from the sun's ultraviolet rays. At its simplest, a skin care regimen includes products to fill these three fundamental needs.

Skin Cleansers and Soaps

Skin requires regular, gentle cleansing for a lifetime. Manufacturers offer a tremendous range of bar soaps, foaming face washes, and cleansing lotions to keep the skin clean. While bar soaps or body washes suffice for most of the skin, faces have slightly different needs. Look for a facial cleansing product designed for the appropriate skin type to get the skin clean without drying it or clogging pores.
As a rule, bar soaps are more drying than lotions and foaming washes. Soaps are slightly alkaline and can affect the natural acidity of the skin. For oily skin, this can be a benefit, but those with dry or mature skin may prefer a foaming lotion that is closer to skin's natural acidity. Regardless of skin type, a facial cleanser should remove oil and dirt from the skin without the need to scrub. Scrubbing too hard during cleansing can cause irritation for oily, acne-prone skin and roughen dry skin.

Moisturizers

All skin needs occasional moisturizing. Moisturizers consist of two components: a humectant and a protective ingredient. Humectants, ingredients that draw water molecules out of the environment and into the epidermis, hydrate the skin while protective ingredients form a layer to hold that moisture next to the skin. In a moisturizer for dry, normal, or mature skin, that layer of protection usually comes from an oil. Moisturizers for oily skin are usually oil-free.
By definition, oily skin already has sufficient oil, but it still needs hydration. A light moisturizer designed for oily or combination skin can replenish lost moisture and create a smoother, more even surface. Moisturizing oily skin also helps remove shed epidermal cells that could otherwise find their way into pores and cause clogs, so it is an important step even for oily skin.

Sunscreens

Most of the visible effects of aging are caused by years of sun damage. Ultraviolet rays can even contribute to cancer, so sunscreen is a vital component for any skin care regimen. While darker skin tones are far less susceptible to skin cancer, people with dark skin typically get more serious types of skin cancer when they do develop it. Dermatologists therefore recommend that everyone wear a sunscreen daily regardless of skin tone.