When buying a beauty product you must always choose one that is suitable to your skin type. Generally we have 5 types of skin; normal, oily, dry, combination and sensitive. You also have mature skin and acne prone skin. Determining your skin type is easy and takes a few minutes.

Wash your face with a regular face wash and towel dry it. After an hour place pieces of tissues on your forehead, nose, cheeks, chin and neck. If you see oily patches on all pieces then you have oily skin. Oily patches only on your cheeks, nose and forehead would mean that you have combination skin. If your skin feels stretched after an hour of washing it then you have dry skin. No dry sensation or oily patches means you have normal skin. Aging skin will look dull and lifeless and show hints of wrinkles and fine lines. Acne prone skin like sensitive skin type tends to break out often.

Characteristics of your skin type

Normal skin is not too oily or too dry. It is not prone to zits, acne or blemishes. It has a firm healthy appearance with tiny pores.

Oily skin type has large pores and is always prone to zits and blemishes. Though there is always a hint of gloss on your skin there may be dry flakes on certain parts of your face where the skin is dry.

Sensitive skin tends to look red at all times. This may be due to exposure to the sun or heat or even cold. It may be oily in nature as well.

Dry skin appears to have small pores, with little to no appearance of blemishes yet the skin seems dull. Age and exposure to the sun may cause the skin to lose its moisture.

Combination skin shows areas of extreme oily skin and other parts extremely dry. Normally the T-zone; the forehead, nose and chin look oily while the cheeks are dry.

Mature skin is a result of age. As we grow older the cell growth reduces and we tend to have sagging and dull skin.

Acne prone skin is oily with zits and blemishes. Pores are normally large and visible. Blackheads are visible to the naked eye.

Now that you have determined your skin type you can go ahead and indulge in the treatments that will suit your skin type.