Posted by Katarina Fajfar
on March 18, 2025
The skin is an extraordinary organ that communicates more to us than we can imagine. How we care for it is extremely important. It is important that our skin is healthy, as this is the only way its processes can function properly.
The skin is not something we take for granted. Its functions of temperature regulation are extraordinary, as is its ability to protect against UV rays and evaporate water. It is an organ that tells us how our body feels inside, and it is right to pay attention to its signs and symptoms.
Knowing different skin types can help you understand your skin better. If you often wonder what your skin is like, how it behaves, and why certain products don't suit it, it could be because your skin care routine is not correct and you don't know your skin well.
I present to you the 4 basic skin types defined by Helena Rubinstein at the beginning of the 20th century and which are still the basis by which we act today, despite the fact that skin types are now being implemented much more comprehensively. According to the Baumann classification system, it is based on a questionnaire and defines 16 skin types.
OILY SKIN
Oily skin is caused by increased sebum secretion from the sebaceous glands. It is not only a problem for women, it is also a problem for men. The period of sebum secretion is precisely during puberty, due to the influence of androgen hormones. It can manifest in mild forms, but the condition is often also a result of acne. Visually, it is certainly not a pleasant skin type and is unpleasant for many.
Features:
- enlarged pores (forehead, chin, nose),
- shine,
- genetic design,
- stress,
- hormones,
- unhealthy diet.
Oily skin care:
- Gentle, mild care with cleansing agents that do not irritate the skin.
- Using gentle exfoliants (these help exfoliate the stratum corneum and thus prevent acne).
- Use of antimicrobial agents.
- Care products that contain ingredients that absorb excess lipids on the skin's surface.
- We do not use heavy, greasy creams or ointments that contain ingredients that make the skin even more oily and are unsuitable in terms of ingredients.
DRY SKIN
Dry skin is characterized by a lack of water in the stratum corneum due to a decrease in the content of natural moisturizing factors or a changed lipid composition. Due to the impaired barrier function of the skin, increased transepidermal water loss is characteristic. The development of dry skin is caused by insufficient water intake into the body and exposure to external factors (low humidity, low temperature, wind, polluted air, air conditioning). The optimal water value in a healthy stratum corneum is 13 to 20%, clinical signs occur when the water content in the stratum corneum falls below 10%.
Features:
- the skin is dull,
- less willing,
- dry white scales,
- cracks,
- rough to the touch,
- grave,
- itchy,
- tingling, prickling sensations.
Dry skin care:
- Products for dry skin mostly contain moisturizers, emollients, and occlusives. Moisturizers provide adequate skin moisture by binding water, causing the stratum corneum to swell slightly, giving the appearance of smoother skin.
- In natural cosmetics, glycerol, sorbitol, and urea are often used as humectants. At lower humidity, humectants bind water from the deeper layers of the epidermis, which consequently leads to a worsening of the condition of dry skin.
- Therefore, it is important to combine moisturizers, occlusives (e.g. lanolin) and emollients (e.g. vegetable oils) in care.
COMBINATION SKIN
Combination skin is a combination of dry and oily skin at the same time. It often manifests itself with its typical T-zone, where the skin is oily, and dry skin on other areas of the face. Oily skin has two subtypes. When sebum is more liquid, we speak of oily oily skin (oily, shiny, greasy to the touch) , when it is waxy, hard, present even in the pores, we speak of asphyxiated skin (rough, irregular, dry to the touch, blackheads, pimples).
- Taking care of combination skin is often challenging, as we are in a way taking care of two categories of skin type.
- Combination skin can be caused by hormonal changes, unhealthy diet, stress, improper care, and the use of medications.
- It is important not to dry out the skin, to use the right combination of cleansers and other care products, and to ensure proper pH and sufficient moisture on the skin and inside it, in the room. We avoid alcohol, as it only irritates the skin, and as a result, it will become even more oily than usual.
NORMAL SKIN
Only a few are lucky enough to boast skin that is completely free of problems. It is easier to find a normal skin type in children than in adults. Its main characteristics are a smooth surface without expressive changes, irregularities, obvious signs of photoaging. Even skin tone, visible but not enlarged pores, balanced sebum production, skin peeling and adequate skin moisture. The skin is healthy, beautiful and radiant. Undemanding and problematic. We would all like that.
Normal skin care products should be formulated to maintain the healthy balance that skin has.
IMPORTANT: No matter what skin type you have, daily SPF protection is extremely important. Read Katarina's excellent article about the importance of this one here .
Maham, Monika CEO, author of the award-winning blog of 2018 in the category of best Slovenian beauty blog of 2018/ Sugarlove blog .