The whole idea of establishing a skincare routine for combination skin can really be likened to a balancing act. While you need enough moisturization and hydration to balance the drier areas of your skin, on the other hand, you definitely would not want to overdo it with those heavy creams and lotions that might just leave your oilier areas looking-or feeling-greasy. As we said, some kind of a balancing act it is.
The good news: It isn’t tough to take care of combination skin once you understand what your skin needs. To help you on your skincare journey, we’ve compiled a guide chock-full of the tips for building a balanced and effective skincare routine for combination skin. Continue reading for all the details, and discover some of the best cleaners, toners, and moisturizers for combination skin to add to your cart.
How to Determine Whether You Have Combination Skin
Before you get on with formulating a skin care combination routine, it is wise to make sure that this is, in fact, your skin type. So, what is combination skin? It means that certain zones of oily skin and dry skin may be seen on different parts of your face.
To get an idea whether you have combo skin or not, simply wash your face with a mild, strip-free cleanser, pat dry your skin, and wait half an hour to an hour. Then look at yourself in the mirror. If your T-zone-or, better still, your nose, chin, and forehead-are shiny and your cheeks are dried out, or feel dry and taut, then you probably have combination skin.
Another test, which you can try is the blotting paper test. Having washed your face, and having waited some time, take a sheet of blotting paper and press it lightly against different areas of your face. If that becomes semi-transparent, that would indicate the sheet has absorbed oil. People with combination skin typically find the T-zone area to be the one that shows the greatest amount of oil absorption, while hardly any, or no sign of oil appears on the sheet when it is lightly dabbed against the cheeks.
Try This 5-Step Skincare Routine for Combination Skin
For skincare to be effective, it doesn’t have to be complicated. Here, find a simplified five-step skincare routine that perfectly balances combination skin.
- Cleanse with a combination skin cleanser
When you have combination skin, you should never use a cleanser that will be too harsh, and thus strip the drier areas of your face from much-needed moisture. Yet you don’t want to use anything too thick or rich in formula. Take the AAD recommendation and go for a light cleanser like this classic Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cleanser. “Its gentle formula is intended for all skin types and deeply cleans without over-drying the skin.”. If you’re wearing makeup, remove it first using a light cleansing balm. This Youth to the People Superberry Dream Cleansing Balm doesn’t have that greasy feel to it, yet still hydrates.
- Employ a toner with exfoliating properties
It’s often tricky enough finding an exfoliator-and an exfoliating schedule-that works for you, and that’s without factoring in the nuances of combination skin. If you’re dealing with both dry and oily areas, you have to be extra attentive in picking out an exfoliant that isn’t going to leave your drier areas feeling tight or stripped. Mild chemical exfoliants such as glycolic acid are best, as they usually are much more delicate compared to physical ones like scrubs. Give a try to L’Oréal Paris RevitaLift Derm Intensives 5% Glycolic Acid Peeling Toner for an attempt; it’s alcohol-free and fitting for all skin types-and gentle enough that you can use it daily.
- Follow up with a serum that targets one of your skin concerns.
Serum is one important step in any skincare routine, as these concentrated treatments can work to make good on specific skin concerns and encourage a healthier-looking-and-feeling skin tone. And because they’re often lightweight, they don’t weigh down when layered underneath other combination skin-friendly skincare products.
In the a.m., we like the cult-favorite SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic Serum. This powerful formula will contribute to the improvement of skin texture and tone, noticeably reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles while helping to brighten up your complexion. Apply a light retinol serum at bedtime, like the CeraVe Skin Renewing Retinol Serum, which will help resurface your skin. We love this pick because it’s gentle yet efficient-and because it does a great deal to support the skin’s ever-important moisture barrier.
- Apply a medium-weight moisturizer over top.
Moisturizer is often one of those more finicky products to settle on, when it comes to combination skin types. You don’t want to apply anything too thick and leave your T-zone looking slick, but some super-light lotions may not be providing enough moisture to balance out those drier areas. In our experience, water-based moisturizers that contain humectant ingredients, like hyaluronic acid, are the way to go. Try the Vichy Minéral 89 48H Moisture Matte Sorbet. The unique formula features a lightweight gel texture that delivers up to 48 hours of hydration sans weighty residue. Heck, it even helps mattify shine-a serious boon for those prone to T-zone shine.
- Wear sunscreen
Here’s your regularly scheduled reminder that sunscreen is always, always necessary. No matter your skin type-or time of year, for that matter-this is truly one skincare step you shouldn’t skip. According to the United States Drug and Food Administration, the FDA, one should be using a broad-spectrum formula with at least SPF 15 daily in rain or shine. or snow. The La Roche-Posay Anthelios UV Hydra Hydrating Face Sunscreen SPF 50 fits the bill-plus, it feels really lightweight on the skin.
Not to mention, remember to follow other sun safety measures-like avoiding direct sunlight at midday-to help keep your skin protected from damaging UV rays.
5 Skincare Tips for Combination Skin
Above is just a guideline of a combination skin routine-to make sure your skin is looking and feeling its best, here are some extra things you might want to remember. Here are five tips to keep your skin balanced-feeling and healthy-looking:.
Use spot treatments to target individual blemishes: Those with combination skin may experience breakouts in oilier areas, like the forehead or chin. To help target uninvited zits without drying out your skin, try a spot treatment, like Kiehl’s Truly Targeted Acne-Clearing Pimple Patch with Salicylic Acid. This genius treatment helps protect blemishes from outside stressors (and pop-happy fingers), helping to reduce the size and redness of pimples in as little time as
as long as 24 hours.
Carry blotting papers: If your T-zone tends to get slick as hell right in the middle of the day, blotting papers will be your best friend. The paper-thin sheets help blot out excess oil and mattify the skin-and they’re so easy to just throw in your bag before heading out.
Hydrate parched areas with a hydrating mask: Cold and dry air can also make some factors worse. When you think that your skin is getting too parched and needs an extra dose of hydration, nourish it with a hydrating face mask to deliver much-needed hydration and plump up the skin. The Youth to the People Superberry Hydrate + Glow Dream Mask is one such mask; apply it to drier areas as the last step in your night time skin care routine.
Take cooler showers: Hot water can strip your skin of essential moisture and make dryness worse, the AAD says. Set your water temp to warm rather than scorching, and try to limit the amount of time you spend luxuriating in the shower.
Consider adjusting your routine seasonally: Those with combination skin often find that their dryness gets a bit worse during the colder months. If that sounds like you, consider adding a hyaluronic acid serum to your daytime and nighttime skincare routines to help give your hydration an extra boost and ward off dryness. We’re pretty keen on the Vichy Minéral 89 Hyaluronic Acid Serum, which is lightweight, fast-absorbing, and suitable for all skin types.