When it comes to proper skin care, the first step is to know your skin type. You must understand that treatments that work perfectly for one person might wreak havoc on another. Therefore, to achieve a flawless look, it simply means that you apply the appropriate techniques and treatments that would give you the best results.

Below are five different categories of skin types – normal, oily, dry, sensitive, and combination. See which one of these types sound familiar to you.

Normal skin

If you’ve been born with normal skin, congratulations! Normal skin is the easiest to care for.

Sure, you might suffer from a rare case of a breakout every now and then, but with the right products, your face looks healthy and glowing!

Oily skin

In her book "How to Apply Makeup Professionally," Anneke la Grange mentions that oily skin is perhaps the most difficult type to deal with. It can appear shiny or greasy, due to its own natural protection of sebum, but it is also prone to dryness in the winter months. You need a special regimen to keep it healthy and free from debris. Did you know that a chemical exfoliation can slough off dead cells and re-balances oil production?

Dry skin

If you have dry skin, you’ll notice that you have very fine pores. For some people, they experience tightness immediately after cleansing and might become sensitive.

Due to the lack of sebum production, it easily flakes, develops wrinkles, and has red patches. Dry skin requires care that will add and retain moisture.

Sensitive skin

Sensitive skin is usually thin, has a fine texture, and feels dry and tight. It is very fragile and you must be careful about the products you use and the amount of sun exposure you get, otherwise, you may suffer from itchiness, tingling, and red, blotchy patches.

It's not a good look!

Combination skin

Combination skin is characterized by patches as dry and oily areas of the face. In particular, the T-zone (which comprises of the forehead, nose, and chin), is generally oily and greasy. Other areas are dry and prone to flakiness. This skin type requires treatment for both its oiliness and dryness.

Now that you have a better understanding of what you are working with, you are now armed with the knowledge to find the routine and products that are best suited to you.