This blog post covers the following topics:
Identifying your skin type
How to care for normal skin
How to care for combination skin
How can I tell what skin type I have?
There are 4 common skin types:
Normal - If your skin is normal, lucky you! This skin type is low maintenance and reflects a picture of health. Normal skin is smooth, elastic and free from dry patches, excess oil, redness and other signs of irritation. However, just because your skin is normal doesn't mean it requires no upkeep.
Oily - Oily skin looks shiny, and not a natural glow either! Signs of oily skin include greasiness, large or clogged pores, acne and blackheads. If you think you may have oily skin, check out our tips for managing oily skin.
Dry and sensitive - If your skin seems to be itchy, dry and flaky, or reacts to changes in the environment or products, your skin is likely dry and sensitive. You may also be prone to skin conditions such as dermatitis and allergies, in which case, a visit to your dermatologist may be prudent. Also check out our skincare tips for dry and sensitive skin.
Combination skin - As the name suggests, you exhibit signs of a combination of the above in different areas. For example, your T-zone (forehead and nose) may be oily, but your cheeks may be dry or normal. Alternatively, you may generally have normal, flawless skin, but have a patch or two of dryness. In this case, which skin type takes precedence? Thankfully, there are products available that cater specifically to combination skin. However, as combination skin can certainly be unique, a more bespoke solution may be required - namely, to apply products catering to dry skin to the dry areas, and products for oily skin to your oily areas.
How to care for normal skin
Cleanse your skin twice daily with a fresh, active cleanser. Cleansing milks are generally more gentle on the skin, with Sothys' range of cleansing milks being pH balanced for a natural feeling. We recommend the Vitality Cleansing Milk (Lait démaquillant vitalité), which has been formulated for both normal and combination skin types. The Vitality Cleansing Milk contains grapefruit extract, which brightens and revitalises skin.
Exfoliate once a week with Gommage Exfoliant. This is a gentle exfoliate that uses oat flour extract and beeswax to keep the skin free from dead cells.
Hydrate in the morning and at night with the Hydra-Protective cream. It is lightweight and contains chaparral extract to renew skin cells. Inclusion of mattifying powders allows the control of sebum production, leaving your skin to look less oily (i.e. mattified).
How to care for combination skin
Cleanse your skin twice daily with a light cleanser. Sothys' Purity Cleansing Milk (Lait démaquillant pureté) caters specifically to combination skin. It is emulsifying and contains iris extract for skin purification.
If your combination skin includes an oily skin type, mask your face once or twice a week to control sebum production at any oily areas. Sothys' Absorbent Mask (masque absorbant) uses apricot kernel powder to absorb excess sebum.
Hydrate in the morning and at night with the Purity Lotion (lotion pureté). Continuing on with the iris theme, this product combines iris extract and soluble clay to relieve clogged skin.
Apply serum purifiant to the face and neck where acne or blemishes are identified, avoiding the eye area. It is fragrance free and accelerates the skin's healing process, and therefore makes a great product for spot treatment of problem areas.
One final tip: It is also important to keep your skin protected from the sun each day. Living in Australia, the UV index can be high, regardless of whether it is winter, or if the whether is overcast and cloudy. Sunscreen and ensuring you avoid sun exposure during peak UV times (generally ranging from 11am to 2pm).
Weena Skin Care is an authorised stockist of Sothys Paris. We work with Sothys products on a daily basis in our professional beauty treatments, and consequently we also sell these products to our clients for use at home.
We are located on Sydney's North Shore at Shop 3A/379 Victoria Ave, Chatswood NSW 2067.
Alternatively, contact us on our landline at 02 9412 2277.