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 Knowledge drop: In your 20s, your skin cell turnover decreases. (Cell turnover is a key component in keeping your skin youthful.) You know what else slows down? Your collagen production. Starting in your 20s, collagen decreases by about 1 percent per year. Should you want to prevent fine lines and wrinkles, start by eliminating behaviors that contribute to premature aging. “If it’s bad for you, it’s bad for your skin,” says dermatologist Michel Somenek. “Cigarette smoking reduces blood flow to the skin and causes premature wrinkling and a dull skin texture. Making the repeated pursed motion to inhale can also cause smoker’s lines. Alcohol and recreational drugs are toxins for the skin that damage its cellular structure and DNA,” Somenek tells us. “The faster you eliminate vices while you are young, the better chance your skin and body have to recuperate.” Also, adopting an anti-aging routine in your 20s is key. After all, the best offense is a good defense. We spoke to Somenek and experts Joshua Ross and Audrey Kunin to find out more. Keep reading for the best anti-aging products for your 20s, according to skincare professionals. Sunscreen “We all know that the sun is the number one cause of skin aging and starting the prevention in your 20s is very important,” Ross says. “The majority of your sun damage won’t start to appear until you’re in your 30s, so don’t wait until you see it surface or you’ll be behind the curve. Stay ahead of it with a good-quality zinc-based sunscreen worn daily.” Farmacy Green Defense Daily Mineral Sunscreen An invisible sunscreen with SPF 30, plus botanical extracts meant to protect skin with tons of antioxidants. Bonus: It’s clean and fine to use under makeup. Bareminerals Complexion Rescue™ Tinted Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Although we recommend you use your SPF and moisturizer separately, we also understand moments when you don’t have time or energy for that extra step. For those times, this bareMinerals moisturizer is a great thing to have on hand. Vitamin C Serum “A great introduction to anti-aging is to start with a vitamin C serum in your morning skincare routine,” Ross says. “It’s a powerful antioxidant that will neutralize free radicals and brighten the skin.” He adds that it’s a great way to counteract the effects of the sun’s harmful rays, which, as previously mentioned, are among the biggest causes of premature aging. Drunk Elephant C-Firma™ Vitamin C Day Serum The Drunk Elephant C-Firma is a lightweight serum that promises to give skin a glow by combining the brightening powers of vitamin C with ferulic acid, l-ascorbic acid, and vitamin E. The included sodium hyaluronate is meant to replace hydration loss, so you shouldn’t have to deal with any irritation. Sunday Riley C.E.O. Rapid Flash Brightening Serum This potent serum is jam-packed with vitamin C (15 percent, to be exact), which means it’s a potential superstar at both brightening skin and dousing it in antioxidants. Peptides Using peptides on your skin has many benefits, says Somenek. “The skin barrier is what defends the body against pollution, UV rays, bacteria, and toxins. It can be damaged by several everyday factors. Using topical peptides aids in building a stronger barrier,” he says. “Peptides comprise elastic fibers, which are a type of protein. These fibers help to make skin appear taut and firm. Peptides can also help repair damaged skin, relieve inflammation, and even out skin tone. Some peptides can kill acne-causing bacteria that is common in 20-somethings.” Kunin agrees, saying, “Peptides are an excellent entry point for supporting collagen.” She recommends looking for face and eye treatments that contain these collagen-boosting powerhouses. Charlotte Tilbury Magic Eye Rescue Cream This Charlotte Tilbury super-emollient eye cream has a base of coconut oil and shea butter (read: it’s incredibly hydrating). Botanicals plus peptides are meant to help reduce dark circles and boost collagen, respectively. This creamy moisturizer serves up potent collagen-boosting peptides and pycnogenol, and antioxidant-rich vitamin C. “Instead of sitting on top of the skin, peptides penetrate the outer layer so they go deep. The ‘signals’ they send tell the cells to produce elastin and collagen, which are needed for youthful-looking skin,” explains Somenek. At-Home Peel Pads Remember that skin cell turnover fiasco we talked about earlier? One way to help support it is by exfoliating. “Exfoliation is important to help keep skin fresh and luminous,” Kunin says. She recommends using at-home peel pads as an easy and effective way to exfoliate. “The goal in your 20s is to fight the slowing pace of cell turnover. It is wise to use products that gently exfoliate, yet still remove oil and other impurities. Products that have Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHA) or Beta Hydroxy Acids (BHA) are a good choice.” According to Somenek, you should only exfoliate two to three times a week. “People of all ages are guilty of over-exfoliating and that can be too much of a good thing,” he says. Dermadoctor Kakadu C Intensive Vitamin C Peel Pad A few swipes of this Derma Doctor powerful peel pad promise to leave your skin glowing and smooth, thanks to the seven (yes, seven) types of chemical exfoliants, including AHA and BHA. It also contains vitamin C via Kakadu plum extract for added brightening and antioxidant protection. KEY INGREDIENTS Kakadu plum extract is sourced from the Kakadu plum, a fruit grown in northern Australia. It contains vitamin C, which restores the skin’s natural barrier, increases collagen production, and soothes irritation. Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta® Universal Daily Peel Pads These are the gold standard of peel pads, with a cult following and over 900 five-star reviews on Sephora. They’re easy to use and contain a blend of anti-aging exfoliating acids. Emollient Night Cream “In your 20s, you need to start upping the hydration in your skincare routine. You may have been cautious of over-moisturizing because of acne in your teens, but as you enter your 20s, your skin transitions and becomes drier,” Ross says. “I recommend an emollient night cream added into your evening skincare regimen.” “Twenty-somethings need to make sure that they are not using creams that will clog their pores and cause excess oil production,” says Somenek. Opt for non-comedogenic products. Cerave Skin Renewing Night Cream One great choice is the CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream, which is a non-comedogenic night cream that leaves skin soft and glowy. It combines the moisturizing powers of ceramides and hyaluronic acid. RoC Retinol Correxion Max Hydration Creme “The best night cream ingredients contain retinol, benzoyl peroxide, and/or salicylic acid or hyaluronic acid. The goal is to moisturize, yet remove excess oil,” says Somenek. This Roc Retinol Correxion cream fits the bill as it contains both hyaluronic acid and retinol so it promises to moisturize while also being non-comedogenic.

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