AUNT MILLY writes
@SunZambian
Hello Mwana Amai and Mwana Wa Daddy
HAPPY Sunday darlings! Today we will talk about the different skin types.
Mwana Amai, you need to listen to your skin on a daily basis because it speaks to you. Identifying your skin type will get you closer to your radiant skin goal.
Did you know that every skin type reacts differently to each ingredient? This will explain why sometimes a product a friend recommended to you did not work for you.
There are four basic types of healthy skin: normal, dry, oily and combination skin. Skin type is determined by genetics. The condition of our skin can, however, vary greatly according to the various internal and external factors it is subjected to.
Today’s article will help you identify what your skin type is;
Normal skin
‘Normal’ is a term widely used to refer to well-balanced skin. The T-zone (forehead, chin and nose) may be a bit oily, but overall sebum and moisture is balanced and the skin is neither too oily nor too dry. Normal skin is characterized by;
fine pores
good blood circulation
a velvety, soft and smooth texture
a fresh, rosy colour uniform transparency
no blemishes and is not prone to sensitivity.
Dry skin
‘Dry’ is used to describe a skin type that produces less sebum than normal skin. As a result of the lack of sebum, dry skin lacks the lipids that it needs to retain moisture. Significantly more women suffer from dry skin than men. However, one should not that all skin gets dryer as it ages. Dry skin exists in varying degrees of severity and in different forms that are not always clearly distinguishable. Below are ranges of dry skin;
Dry skin – Mildly dry skin can feel tight, brittle and rough and look dull. Skin elasticity is also low.
Very dry skin – If the dryness is not treated, skin may develop:
mild scaling or flakiness in patches
a rough and blotchy appearance (sometimes it appears to be prematurely aged)
a feeling of tightness
possible itchiness
It is also more sensitive to irritation, redness and the risk of infection.
Extremely dry skin – Certain areas of the body – particularly hands, feet, elbows and knees – are prone to:
roughness
chapping with a tendency to form cracks
scaling
frequent itchiness
Extremely dry skin is most commonly found on the elderly or on severely dehydrated hands.
Oily skin
‘Oily’ is used to describe a skin type with heightened sebum production. The causes of oily skin would include; genetics, hormonal changes and imbalances, medication, stress, comedogenic cosmetics ( products that clog the skin pores).
Oily skin is characterised by:
enlarged, clearly visible pores
a glossy shine
thicker, pale skin: blood vessels may not be visible
Oily skin is prone to blackheads and whiteheads and to the varying forms of acne.
Combination skin
This one can be a little confusing for most people. In combination skin the skin types vary in the T-zone and the cheeks.
Combination skin is characterised by:
an oily T-zone (forehead, chin and nose)
enlarged pores in this area perhaps with some impurities
normal to dry cheeks
So the difference in skin reaction would be that the oilier parts of combination skin is caused by an over production of sebum and the drier parts of combination skin are caused by a lack of sebum and a corresponding lipid deficiency. Combinational skin types are also prone to acne around their cheeks and T-zone.
Now that we have figured out our skin type, we can create a strong and effective skincare routine. That will be our topic next week. Until then, thank you for reading and God bless.
As usual love and likes!!
