SKIN TYPES & SKIN CONDITIONS

SKIN TYPES & SKIN CONDITIONS: WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?

Did you say skin types?

Skin types – normal, dry, combination, oily – are rather subjective assessments. They were created by the cosmetics industry to help consumers identify their skin’s specific needs.

However, this classification does not take into account the complex reality of skin life:

1. It changes over time

2. Its needs evolve with the seasons

Why should we talk about “skin needs” instead of “skin types”?

Because there is no official classification for skin types in dermatology.

Indeed, dermatology considers the amount of sebum naturally produced by the sebaceous glands to assess the hydration and protection needs of the skin barrier.

The most common type therefore is combination skins, with an excessive sebum production in the middle face region (forehead, nose and chin). However, two extreme skin types exist:

· Very low sebum secretion (constitutional dry skin)

· Oily skin with high sebum production (blemished skin)

What is a “skin condition”?

Skin condition relates to the skin’s state at any given moment. It is by definition temporary, and varies according to the environment (climate, season, temperature, pollution), lifestyle (diet), and care routine (use of stripping or inappropriate products).

All these factors can considerably affect the skin’s condition.

Understanding the different skin conditions

Dehydrated skin: lacks suppleness and softness and can feel tight from time to time.

Lipid-dry skin: permanently tight and rough. It retains water poorly, a sign that the skin barrier is altered.

Sensitive skin: reddens easily, with feelings of discomfort, irritation and even itching.

Blemished skin: thick, with dilated pores, with or without pimples and blackheads, and can be shiny, especially in the middle face region.

Dull skin: lacks tone, is lackluster and shows signs of fatigue.

While it is essential to be attentive to your skin’s needs in order to develop a suitable care routine, skin aging is a cross-cutting issue that concerns all skin conditions.

How can you adapt your care routine to your skin’s needs?

Observe your skin after cleansing: if it feels tight, it needs hydration.

If it feels tight during the day, it lacks lipids and needs nutrition.

If redness appears temporarily, your skin has been sensitized and needs to be soothed.

If you notice shine, blackheads or pimples, your skin needs to be mattified and purified.

In case of dullness, you need to boost cell renewal and fill up on antioxidants.

What about skin aging?

In all cases, your skincare products should also contain active agents that prevent or correct aging, depending on your age of course!

Your Institut Esthederm esthetician can draw up a personalized beauty assessment and provide the right care at the right time.

Take seasonality into account

With the seasons, the skin needs to adapt to changing temperatures, humidity levels and UV exposure.

Adapting your care routine with each new season can help your skin adjust to these new environments: the air can be very dry at high altitude or on a plane, so use richer creams in those cases. Conversely, if you’re going on a tropical holiday with very high humidity levels, make sure you use light, low-lipid textures for your sun protection!

03/08/2023