Get Clear Skin: Identify If You’re Dry or Oily First

Is my Skin Dry or Oily?

Most people guess wrong about if their skin is dry or oily, so it is best to take the scientific quiz that is used by dermatologists and researcher to diagnose skin type.

I tell my patients in my dermatology practice that it is very important to understand whether their skin is dry, oily, or combination. Using products that are not formulated for your specific skin type can actually do more harm than good. For example, if you have naturally oily skin but use heavy moisturizers meant for dry skin, you may end up with more clogged pores and acne breakouts. On the other hand, if you have dry skin but use products for oily skin, your skin may become irritated, flaky, and stripped of natural oils. I always advise my patients to evaluate their skin – paying attention to shine, tightness, and how skin feels after cleansing – before choosing cleansers, toners, and moisturizers. An accurate assessment of skin type is crucial for establishing an effective skincare regimen.

Is my Skin Type Oily or Dry?

7 Symptoms that you have Oily Skin:

It is hard to find a sunscreen that does not feel greasy

You do not like the feel of oil on your skin

You do not like heavy creams

You moisturizer once a day or less

You can use any soap on your face

You are shiny in photos

You have no trouble the first 3 days in a dry climate that you ae not accustomed to

8 Symptoms that you have Dry Skin

You do not want to neglect your skin barrier so it is important to know if you have dry skin.

Here are 8 signs that you have dry skin:

skin feels rough

skin does not reflect light

you like the feel of oil on your skin

you rarely go without a moisturizer

hyaluronic acid serums do not feel hydrating enough to you

bar soap and foaming soaps make you itch or get a rash

you have scaling

your skin itches

Why take a skin type test to determine if I am oily or dry?

When I was a Professor of Dermatology at University of Miami for 13 years, I was surprised about how many people thought they had oily skin when they did not.

This is why I developed and validated a series of questions to determine if skin is oily or dry. I spent the last 19 years validating and perfecting the questionnaire and developing over 40,000 recommended skin care routines based on how the questions are answered.

This scientific oily or dry skin quiz is used by dermatologists around the world to accurately diagnose the Baumann Skin Type.

Do not try to guess what your skin type is! Even if you took our skin type quiz before- your skin type can change.

So if your skin care is not working- take the skin type test to see if misdiagnosed your own skin type.

Or visit one of our doctors or medical providers near you who uses the Baumann Skin Typing system in their medical practice.

Take the Quiz

Are you wrong about if your skin is oily or dry?

Can my skin be oily and dry?

Read more about combination skin here. It is a complicated topic so it has it’s own blog.

Why it is important to know if my skin is oily or dry?

Oily skin needs very different cleansers and moisturizers than dry skin.

Using the wrong cleansers and moisturizers for your skin type will decrease the effectiveness of your skin care routine.

You should not try and guess if your skin is dry or oily because studies show that people almost always guess their skin type incorrectly. (1)

Take the Quiz

Your skin type can change from oily to dry or from dry to oily

Your skin type can change seasonally. (2)

If your moisturizer feels too heavy or too light, you need to retake the skin type quiz to see if your skin type has changed.

When your skin type changes from oily to dry or dry to oily- change your cleanser and moisturizer.

“Combination skin types” are:

dry in cold climates

dry in hot dry climates

oily in hot humid climates

Factors that can cause a change in skin oiliness and dryness.

Stress

Hormones

Diet

Climate

Your skin type can also change depending upon what skin care products you are using.

How to know if you have dry skin or oily skin on the face

In most cases, you cannot tell if you have dry skin or oily skin.

That is why you need to take our scientific skin type quiz. Once you know your Baumann Skin Type, we can help you shop for skin care products.

You should retake the quiz if:

your products stop working

your moisturizer feels too heavy or too light

you move to a different climate

your hormones change

your stress level changes

All of these will can change if your skin is oily or dry.

Our goal is to change you to slightly oily skin which is a normal skin type.

Oily skin is healthier because the sebum on the skin is protective. As your skin type improves, you may need a lighter moisturizer. But- in winter and dry geographic locations, you may change back to a dry type.

Expect that your skin type can change. Any time your products stop working, retake the quiz.

Retake the quiz here

How to know if I have oily skin?

People tend to overestimate how much sebum they make. So try this at home test to see if you have oily skin:

Wash your face with a neutral pH gel cleanser like Cerave or Cetaphil.

Do not use a creamy cleanser, glycolic, salicylic or foaming cleanser.

Do not apply a moisturizer.

Wait 20 minutes.

How does your skin feel?

If it is shiny and very hydrated, you are very oily skin type.

If it is comfortable and hydrated but not shiny, your skin is a normal oily skin.

If it still feels like it needs a moisturizer, feels tight, stings or feels rough, you are a dry skin type.

If you could not wait the 20 minutes because you were so uncomfortable, you have very dry skin type.

8 Clues that you have Oily Skin

You can use foaming cleanser without problems including bar soap.

You do not feel a need to wear a moisturizer.

You forget to put on a moisturizer.

Need to wash the face in midday.

It is difficult to find a sunscreen that does not feel greasy.

Your pores are enlarged.

You have glowing skin.

You have an oily T-zone.

How to know if I have dry skin?

When you do the activity above, your skin will feel rough, tight, and dry 20 minutes after washing the face (unless you have used a cream cleanser).

You may not have been able to wait the entire 20 minutes because your skin felt uncomfortable.

Dry skin types prefer the way their skin feels when it has a moisturizer on it.

Very dry types always use a moisturizer twice a day.

It is unusual for a dry skin type not to wear a moisturizer.

My dry skin type patients complain that their skin is not radiant.

Darker skin types with dry skin may have ashy skin because the dry skin cells look white on a darker skin surface giving a grey ashy skin tone.

Eight clues that you have Dry Skin

You cannot use bar soap on the face.

You would never wash your face with shampoo.

You use a moisturizer twice a day.

You prefer heavy creams.

You like the feel of oil applied on the skin.

Dull skin

Rough skin

Ashy skin

Flaking skin

Itchy skin

Eczema

Do I have combination skin?

There is no such thing as a combination skin type.

There is a “changing skin type” that changes from a dry skin type in cold or dry climates to an oily skin type in warm or humid climates.

If you have an oily T zone (even if the sides of the face are dry) you are considered an oily skin type.

Do I have normal skin?

Normal skin is actually a normal oily skin type. because it makes an adequate amount of sebum to keep skin healthy and “normal”.

Normal skin makes at least 1mg of sebum per 10 cm2 of skin every 3 hours.

If you have normal skin, it is more correct to say that you have oily skin.

The best way to know if your skin is oily or dry is to take the quiz!

Once you know your Baumann Skin Type- we will give you a custom skin care routine.

You will be able to choose products from a list of products that are correct for your skin type.

DQH Can I use salicylic acid first and then vitamin C? It’s easy to create a skincare routine, but knowing how to use it is another thing entirely. In most cases, if you’re not getting the desired skin results, it could be due to the layering of conflicting ingredients. So, is it possible that salicylic acid and vitamin C are such ingredients? Or are these active ingredients the duo that’s been missing from your skincare routine? If you want answers, stick around because today we are going to explain the benefits of salicylic acid and vitamin C and how they can be used in your daily life. What are the benefits of salicylic acid for skin? Salicylic acid is one of the most commonly used beta hydroxy acids and is favored by many people with oily, acne-prone skin. This acid is derived from willow bark, and unlike its water-soluble relatives (called alpha-hydroxy acids), salicylic acid is oil-soluble, which means it can penetrate deeper into the lower layers of the skin. Once it reaches the lower layers, it can help unclog pores of excess sebum, dirt, bacteria, debris, and impurities. This results in clearer skin tones and greater definition. Not only does salicylic acid benefit the underlying layers, but the outer surface of the skin benefits as well. When applied to the skin, salicylic acid removes the buildup of dead skin cells. This is accomplished by breaking the bonds that hold dead cells to the surface. Over time, this can cause the complexion to look dull and prone to acne, blackheads, and other blemishes. If you’d like to learn more about salicylic acid and how it can improve your skin, check out this dedicated blog post from a beauty insider. What are the benefits of vitamin C for skin? Vitamin C is considered one of the most powerful antioxidants, which means it is very effective at fighting free radicals and preventing them from causing further skin damage. Examples of free radicals include pollution, central heating, UV rays and harsh climate. They attack proteins, fats and cell membranes as soon as they come into contact with the skin, causing signs of premature aging such as fine lines and wrinkles as well as hyperpigmentation, flaky patches of skin and loss of elasticity. Many people usually prefer to use vitamin C in their morning routine as this ingredient gives the complexion a radiant glow. You’ll also find that vitamin C can target areas of hyperpigmentation, plumping the skin and reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. The thing about vitamin C is that there are a lot of outdated studies going back to the 1950s that describe vitamin C as an unstable skin component. Thanks to improvements in modern technology, this is no longer the case as all products now contain a stable form of vitamin C. Visit The Beauty Insider to learn more about vitamin C. So please check out our blog post. Can I use salicylic acid first and then vitamin C? Yes, you absolutely can. In fact, it’s thought that using salicylic acid before using vitamin C ensures it penetrates faster and works faster. This is an efficient way to utilize two power sources, and the reason has to do with pH. For example, the skin’s natural pH is about 4.7, making it slightly acidic. Salicylic acid and vitamin C are also both acidic, and you’ll find that vitamin C is absorbed quickly into the skin. Therefore, using salicylic acid beforehand can increase the acidity of the skin and allow vitamin C to penetrate into the skin faster. While this is considered an effective way to combine two powerful ingredients, you need to be aware of your skin type and how it reacts to certain active ingredients. Even people with perfect, normal skin can experience skin sensitivity and irritation. Therefore, always consult a doctor or dermatologist before using any new products on your skin. It’s also important to follow skin application rules. In this case, you need to use the product correctly to ensure you get the best results for your skin. If you’re not sure what I mean, the basic rule for skin is to start with the thinnest consistency and work your way up to the thickest consistency. This prevents a barrier from forming on the surface, preventing other active ingredients from penetrating the skin. Can I use salicylic acid at night and vitamin C in the morning? Yes, absolutely, this is considered the most effective way to get returns without any adverse side effects. This is because there is enough time between applications to ensure that the skin’s pH levels return to balance. You’ll also find that Vitamin C is rich in antioxidants and is perfect for use in the morning to ensure your skin is protected and looking its healthiest. Due to the small size of salicylic acid molecules, it is an acid that is able to reach the deepest parts of the skin. While this is effective at keeping skin clear, it also increases the risk of irritation and photosensitivity. Therefore, many people prefer to use powerful BHAs in their evening routine without exposure to UV rays, pollution, or harsh weather. Warning: If you avoid using sunscreen every day, none of these ingredients will do what your skin needs. The combination of chemical peels and powerful ingredients increases the risk of further damage to the skin’s surface. Use SPF 50 every day to keep your skin protected and your lipid barrier healthy, even on cloudy days, keeping your skin in top condition.

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