From Causes to Treatment, Everything You Need to Know About Combination Skin

From Causes to Treatment, Everything You Need to Know About Combination Skin

 Do you know what your skin type is? If you have oily but dry skin, it might be a combination skin type. Here is everything you need to know about combination skin type and how to manage it! 

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Everyone dreams of flaunting skin that is radiant, healthy, blemish-free and glowing from the inside. But to unlock the skin like this, you first need to understand your skin type and then work on providing it nourishment accordingly. There are four main skin types - normal, oily, dry and combination. Today, we're going to focus primarily on combination skin type and tell you everything from what this skin type means to its causes and treatment. So, brace yourself while you get all the information you didn't know you needed!

    What is Combination Skin?

    Combination skin is a mixture of dry skin and oily skin. The T-zone i.e. the forehead, nose and chin are usually on the oily side, which means these areas are more prone to acne and breakouts. The cheeks and jawline are dry, so they are more prone to irritation and patchy skin.

    How to Know if You Have a Combination Skin Type?

    The below-mentioned combination skin symptoms will help you identify if you have a combination skin type: 

    1. Your Skin is Oily and Dry at the Same Time:

    If you wish to test whether you have combination skin or not, wash your face and leave it bare for close to an hour. Check if your skin looks and feels oily in some areas but dry or normal in others. If so, you have combination skin. This skin type is literally what it states - the combination of two different skin types i.e. oily and dry.

    2. You Have Larger Pores on Your T-zone:

    If you notice closely, you'll see that you have clogged or larger pores on your forehead, nose and chin as compared to your cheeks and jawline. Combination skin is characterised by overactive oil glands - it is when the sebum builds inside the pores, they expand due to excess oil, which gives them an enlarged appearance. This happens specifically in the T-zone, making the nose, chin and forehead are more prone to clogged pores.

    3. You Experience Breakouts and Dryness Simultaneously:

    When you have clogged pores due to combination skin, it mostly results in mild breakouts on the oily T-zone. At the same time, the cheeks, jawline and hairline feel dry and patchy due to the lack of oil glands in those areas.

    4. Your Makeup Keeps Slipping or Looks Patchy:

    When you have combination skin, your makeup either keeps slipping off the oily T-zone or clings onto your dry areas. If your makeup looks patchy by the evening, there are high chances that you're dealing with a combination skin type.

    Causes and Treatment for Combination Skin Type

    Now that you've probably identified that you have a combination skin type, let's look at some potential causes for this skin type and follow it up with the kind of treatment for combination skin that will help you deal with it:

    Causes:

    1. Hormonal Imbalance:

    Usually, skin issues magnify due to hormonal influences or imbalance. Your sebaceous glands have receptors on them that respond to your hormones, including estrogen and testosterone. When your body produces more testosterone, it results in more oil production in your skin and leads to combination skin.

    2. Genes:

    Combination skin can be genetic, just like other skin types. It is quite possible that you inherit this skin type from your parents and grandparents. Talking specifically about combination skin, if your mother or father dealt with a greasy T-zone and battled acne-prone skin, there are chances you're going to have to deal with those conditions too. This is because human bodies house between 20,000 to 25,000 genes, which are made up of DNA. And as you carry your parents' and grandparents' DNA, you might get some of the genes from them, including your skin type.

    3. Environmental Factors:

    The third major factor that can be one of the primary causes of combination skin is the environment you're surrounded by most of the time. Prolonged humid conditions can cause sweat glands to produce more sweat that leaves your skin shiny and moist. Prolonged heat can also cause your skin to start feeling dehydrated and sensitive.

    Treatment:

    1. Treat Dry and Oily Areas Separately:

    Since your T-zone greases up more than other areas of your face, it's important to treat it differently than the dry areas. This means you should ideally apply light-weight skincare products on your forehead, nose and chin, and use heavier products on the rest of your face. Don't settle for skincare products that are in trend or work for your friend's dry skin. You need multi-tasking products that prevent you from doing more harm than good to your skin.

    2. Reduce Breakouts With a BHA Exfoliant:

    For the uninitiated, BHA stands for Beta Hydroxy Acid. BHA exfoliants can get deeper into your clogged pores and remove dead skin cells and excess sebum that causes breakouts and acne on your oily T-zone. Using a BHA exfoliant is better for a combination skin type than AHAs (Alpha Hydroxy Acids). AHAs particularly are water-soluble acids that help peel away the surface of your skin for more evenly pigmented skin cells to make their way.

    Basic Guidelines to Follow for Combination Skin

    1. Reserve Matte-Finish and Oil-Absorbing Ingredients for Oily Areas:

    When dealing with the great T-zone, it's better to use skincare products that absorb oil to reduce excessive oiliness and mattify those areas. Don't use such products on your dry areas as they can irritate your skin further. So be very precise with your application.

    2. Reserve Emollients for Dry Areas:

    Use moisturising products for your dry cheeks, hairline and jawline. Make sure your dry skincare products don't come in contact with your oily areas as they will cause damage to your T-zone, and eventually result in breakouts and acne.

    3. Don't Hesitate to Change Your Skincare Routine:

    It's a little tricky to take care of combination skin. Your skincare products that are drying and apply a hydrating moisturiser. Certain treatments are meant to be used only once a week, so don't go overboard with them. You can alternate between different serums, depending on your skin's requirement.

    4. Avoid Products With Excessive Fragrance:

    Products that include harsh ingredients like fragrances or alcohol will end up irritating your dry and oily skin. When you use such products, dry areas may get drier and oily ones may produce more oil, all of which can powerfully lead to breakouts.

    5. Choose Non-Comedogenic Products:

    Always invest in products that aren't classed as irritants. When you're buying any product, check whether the ingredients can potentially clog your pores or not. Check for big offenders like lanolins and isopropyl myristate and big supporters like sunflower oil and hemp seed oil.

    6. Know When to Layer and When to Skin:

    Since combination skin can get challenging to deal with, it's crucial to know when to layer your skincare products and when to not. The general idea should be to start with a thinner, water-based formula and then layer it with thicker oil-based skincare products. Ingredients like AHAs and BHAs can benefit your entire face, so it's fine to layer a hydrating product that is lightweight. If your oily areas are sensitive, it's usually best to skip layering them with too many products.

    When to See a Dermatologist?

    - If the skincare products you use on your combination skin aren't accomplishing the goals they're supposed to, you need to make an appointment with a dermatologist for some professional help.

    - If your acne and breakouts don't heal or fade out even after using the right products to treat them, it's time to see a dermatologist.

    - If you've been making lifestyle changes to deal with combination skin and see no improvement, it's better to consult a dermatologist.

    How Can Pure Sense Help With Combination Skin?

    Pure Sense has a wide range of products made with natural ingredients that do more good to your skin than any harm. Our products are free from sulphates, parabens and carcinogens while being cruelty-free and earth-friendly. Let's look at a few products that can work effortlessly on a combination skin type:

    1. Grapefruit Revitalising 3-in-1 Face Mask, Scrub & Cleanser:

    This unique 3-in-1 formula is designed to cleanse, hydrate and make your skin baby-soft. It is packed with vitamin C-rich grapefruit that boosts collagen and brightens your skin; capric triglyceride that restores moisture; and kaolin that gently exfoliates dead skin cells, cleans pores and prevents breakouts. 

    2. Macadamia Reviving Face Serum:

    This face serum is highly hydrating as it contains vitamin E-rich macadamia nut oil that restores moisture, improves skin elasticity, soothes your senses and softens your skin. It even contains mafane flower extracts that help reduce fine lines and wrinkles while leaving your skin smooth and supple.

    3. Grapefruit UV Protection Lip Balm:

    This lip balm is made with exotic ingredients that provide your lips with intense moisture. Not just that, it is loaded with antioxidants that exfoliate dead skin cells, absorb sunlight and protect your lips from damage, and remove skin discolouration. Together, this lip balm focuses on giving you fresh, rosy lips. 

    4. Nightly Skincare Bundle:

    This bundle consists of: Grapefruit Revitalizing face cleansing gel Macadamia Skin reviving face serum Macadamia Renewing night cream Your night-time routine will be sorted when you start using these three products for combination skin.

    - The grapefruit-enriched face cleansing gel gently cleanses your skin and brightens it at the same time.

    - The face serum hydrates your skin and battles expression lines as well as dullness.

    - The night cream replenishes your skin and keeps it moisturised all through the night. 

    Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

    1. Is serum good for combination skin?

    Yes, serums can be an effective part of your daily skincare routine for combination skin. They deliver vitamins and antioxidants to your skin. The best serum for combination skin would be the one that can improve the overall look and feel of your skin without damaging your greasy and dry areas.

    2. What kind of facial is good for combination skin?

    As combination skin has dry and oily areas, each area needs to be treated differently., Chemical peels, enzyme treatments, microdermabrasion treatments are the kind of facials that suit best when you have combination skin. It is recommended to go for a facial once a month or every three weeks as that's how long your skin's life cycle is, post which the skin cells grow back.

    3. What are the main characteristics of combination skin?

    Some of the main characteristics for combination skin are: Dry and oily skin spots Mild breakouts and dryness all at once Larger pores on the forehead, nose and chin Makeup slips off or looks patchy Skin gets oilier in summer and drier in winter

    Conclusion

    We understand that it's not an easy job to take care of combination skin. But once you figure out the right treatment, skincare routine and the right kind of products to use, you can soothe and heal your skin, and pretty much get a hold over your complicated skin. Also, read articles such as Skincare Routine for Normal Skin Type to take care of normal skin type.