Curating a good skin care routine begins with being able to recognise what your skin type is and what your specific skin concerns and conditions are. By confirming this, you can then target them with specific ingredients and product formulations.
Skin Analysis
As a facial specialist, skin consultations are of utmost importance to determine how the skin needs to be treated. I discuss with the client how they are finding their skin on a daily basis and any concerns they may have. Questions based on lifestyle, diet, stress levels and medication can help to build a picture so I can begin to identify why certain skin challenges occur.
Once the skin has been throughly cleansed, I will then carry out a skin analysis.
This is where I can begin to look and feel the skin. Skin texture, skin tone and any irregularities can be discovered at this point.
Skin Care Activity
1. Gently cleanse your skin. Do not apply any product on the skin for at least 20 minutes.
2. Next close your eyes and use clean hands to gently trace over the face, neck and chest area, notice how the skin feels. Are there any areas where the skin texture feels rough, oily, sensitive or bumpy?
3. Now open your eyes. Take a look in the mirror- do you see any areas of concern? Pigmentation, acne, redness, pore size, flakiness. Use the below information to decipher what your skin type and concerns are...
What is a skin type?
Your skin type is defined by a variety of characteristics. A Skin type can be categorised into dry, oily, combination and normal groups. Each have a specific range of characteristics that can be found below.
Dryness & Dehydration
Dry skin is often described as a skin type lacking lipids, while dehydrated skin is described as a skin concern that lacks water - it can be dry, itchy and dull and can be very similar to a dry skin type.
Both will benefit from the right balance of lipids. Ceramides, essential fatty acids, cholesterol, squalene and glycerides are all forms of epidermal lipids.
Dry skin will generally look matte with small pores. It can vary from slightly dry to extremely dry. It can feel tight and uncomfortable. It is usually thinner. Veins and broken capillaries are easily visible.
Due to an excess amount of dry skin, products like moisturisers do not absorb easily leaving residue on the surface of the skin. You may feel that if you apply make up it looks patchy and feels tight.
Dry skin can become easily irritated too, especially in the winter months due to cold, windy weather and the use of central heating.
You may find with age, the skin becomes drier as a decrease in natural oils occurs alongside the reduction of the skin renewal process (the skins ability to slough away dead skin).
Oily
This is due to the excessive production of sebum (oil). It can vary from remote oily areas to all over excessive oil production. The skin can appear shiny throughout the day, with enlarged pores. Closed Comedones (blackheads), comedones (whiteheads) and blemishes are a common characteristic of an oily skin type.
The skin will usually be thicker and has been known to age better than that of a dry skin. This is due to the abundance of natural oils present.
Combination Skin
A mixture of both oily and dry skin characteristics. A common perception of combination skin is an oily t-zone (forehead, nose and cheeks) and dry/dehydrated or normal cheeks.
Normal Skin - Healthy Skin
I like to think of this as a healthy skin composed of the right balance of all the factors that make up a healthy skin barrier such as, sebum and natural moisturising factors.
You may find that you have neither oily or dry areas and that you have a good balance of the key building blocks that contribute towards a healthy skin complexion. A healthy skin microbiome is also important and will be looked into more detail on features that will follow this one, so stay tuned!
What is a Skin Condition?
This is something that can be influenced largely by lifestyle factors, medication, illness and hereditary conditions.
The severity of some conditions including eczema, psoriasis, rosacea and acne may require medical intervention usually by referral to a dermatologist specialising in that condition.
Eczema
Characterised by itchy, dry, cracked, sore and inflamed red skin, eczema can vary in the severity of cases.
Eczema tends to be hereditary but can be triggered by contact with soaps, detergents and any other harsh chemicals that effect the skin’s barrier function. Exposure to allergens and certain bacteria and viruses can also lead to a eczema flare ups. Stress and environmental aggressors such as pollution and weather conditions can also trigger eczema.
Rosacea
A rose-coloured appearance most distinctly found on the nose and across the cheeks. It is a common inflammatory skin condition and can consist of visible blood vessels, spots, flushing and sensitivity.
Genetics, blood vessel abnormalities, hormonal influences, microorganisms and diet are thought to contribute to rosacea.
At present there is no cure for rosacea. However, there are a number of effective prescriptions and procedures that can help bring symptoms under control. It is best to see a dermatologist who specialises in this specific skin condition.
Acne
Having personally suffered with this myself through different periods in my life, I know how much it can effects ones wellbeing.
Acne is essentially caused by the imbalance of hormones - puberty, pregnancy and the menopause are key times in our lives when acne can appear.
The p.Acne bacteria (Propionibacterium acnes) is the bacteria commonly found on the skin which can lead to breakouts. Breakouts can be a combination of blackheads, whiteheads, papules and pustules and cysts. Inflammed acne can become infected and can lead to severe scarring.
Acne can also be of a genetic predisposition, and reflects in the size of the oil glands we may of inherited from our parents.
Cosmetics, medication and medical conditions such as Polycystic Ovary Syndrome can also contribute towards acne.
Pigmentation
Hyper-pigmentation
This can be a result of the damaging effects of sun exposure, where our melanocytes (pigment producing cells) produce melanin a protective skin darkening pigment. Melanin is responsible for protecting the body from damaging ultraviolet light.
Melasma is the most common form of facial pigmentation.
Melasma/Chloasma
Changes to hormonal levels can also cause pigmentation.
You may have heard of a condition called the pregnancy mask/chloasma ~ commonly found through pregnancy. This is where large areas of darker pigment can appear over the forehead, eyes and upper cheek area.
Hormonal medication e.g. the contraceptive pill and medical conditions that change hormone levels can also be the cause of pigmentation.
Post Inflammatory Pigmentation (PIH)
This is a result of an injury or inflammation that has occurred on the skin. Prolonged or aggressive acne and eczema can also result in PIH.
Applying a broad spectrum SPF50 sunscreen daily is the most effective way to prevent pigmentation from occurring in the first place, or to prevent it from getting worse.
Ageing Concerns
Skin ageing is a degenerative process caused by intrinsic (chronological) and extrinsic (environmental) ageing.
The characteristics one might be familiar with ageing skin are;
Loss of skin firmness and elasticity
Fine lines and wrinkles
Sun damage and pigmentation
Dry skin
Loss of facial volume/skin sagging
As we age the reduction of collagen and elastin and the disruption of our skin barrier will start to contribute toward these characteristics.
Environmental ageing is also known as photo-ageing. These are the things we can to an extent control. Lifestyle factors such as our diet, smoking, alcohol consumption, lack of sleep, stress and environmental aggressors including UV rays, will also accelerate the ageing process. If you have any further questions or would like a virtual skincare consultation please email me on
