For each skin type that exists, there’s both upsides and downsides. Take oily skin, for example – the upside is that you’re not falling victim to dryness and are therefore able to stave off the signs of aging for longer, but you’re also having to tame an oil slick. With dry skin, you get to enjoy a perfectly matte complexion, but you might find yourself taking the short straw when it comes to the early onset of wrinkles, fine lines, dullness, inflammation and cracking. For combination skin, it’s often a bit of both, and hence you’re probably well aware of the struggle. Since everyone’s skin is different, from pH levels to how it reacts to the products we treat it with, it’s a tricky business trying to cater for so many variables. However, despite the difficulties we each may face when caring for our body’s largest organ, it’s by no means an impossible task.
When looking for ways to treat this skin type, as its name suggests, a combination approach is often the best solution. You want to control excess sebum production without stripping the skin of its natural oils, and hydrate the drier areas without resorting to heavy, potentially clogging products. Those of us who suffer from oiliness tend to reach for harsher products before tending to the dry regions of our faces in order to get immediate results. However, this is actually quite counter-productive since products that deplete the skin of sebum too quickly and too harshly can end up having the opposite effect – it upsets your dermal barrier, prompting the production of yet more sebum to redress the balance. One of the best ways to avoid such a reaction is to start by treating your whole face as though you have sensitive skin, even if you don’t. This way, you’re not over-taxing any part of your face (including your drier areas), and are therefore not triggering any unwanted dermal responses. You can do this by choosing formulas that rely on humectants and emollients, which are excellent at hydrating and soothing your dermal layers without overloading them with more than they can handle. Dermatologists often recommend humectants like hyaluronic acid, aloe vera and glycerin since they’re gentle yet effective. Emollients like shea butter and squalene are also good options since they help to lock in moisture and thus prevent hydration loss. Finding the right products for combination skin can be misleading at times since there’s plenty of products that have contrasting ingredients. For instance, you might find a moisturizer that includes several emollients but may also contain alcohol or synthetic fragrance. For best results, steer clear of alcohol (especially denatured alcohol) and artificial fragrance, since these can be very drying, not to mention bad for your overall dermal health.
Particularly when the seasons change, our external environment can influence our skin and how it behaves. However, this doesn’t have to be a bad thing if you learn how to adapt to these changes and use them to your advantage. A good example of this is during summertime. Warmer weather means an increased amount of humidity, which has been proven to have a softening effect on the skin. When this happens, your face tends to have a greater tolerance towards products that contain more potent ingredients like retinol. Of course, this varies from person to person, so don’t worry if your skin doesn’t react the way you want or expect it to. If your skin is receptive to retinol, warmer temperatures make it the perfect time to see if it works for you. If not, don’t worry – there are other options like bakuchiol, which is a plant-based alternative that’s earned its place as a popular anti-aging treatment. It’s reported to be as potent as retinol and is stable for use in direct sunlight, which makes it ideal to use during the warmer months. Unlike retinol, it doesn’t cause aggravation or dryness, which is a huge plus. If you’re interested in reading about it, pop over to our article Why Bakuchiol Is The New Retinol to discover more.
While on the subject of summer, those of you with combination skin might find that this is a time during which your T-zone gets a little congested, while the cheek area suffers from dryness caused by the heat. When we’re feeling hot and bothered, the last thing a lot of us want to do is make up an elaborate skincare routine with lots of steps, so a helpful thing to do is to find a product that caters for all. Bearing this in mind, a sage piece of advice is to look into more light-weight options like a non-comedogenic oil, or a moisturizing product with a gel base that you can use on the whole of your face since these will not only help to hydrate, but tame sebum production in one go. As we’ve mentioned in our previous blog posts, moisturizing any part of your skin that’s already oily may sound counterproductive, but in actual fact it’s helping to trick your skin into thinking it’s sufficiently hydrated. This prevents it from producing excess sebum in order to self-lubricate, saving you from a greasy T-zone. It’s a win-win.
If you like the idea of using a non-clogging oil, argan is a savior in this field. With a comedogenic rating of 0, it’s ideal for all skin types and all areas of your face. It’s also crammed with the good stuff – linoleic and omega fatty acids as well as vitamin E all lend a hand in making this oil incredibly nourishing without clogging up your pores. Though it’s a little higher on the comedogenic scale with a rating of 3, avocado oil is also a popular choice among dermatologists. This is because this carrier oil is full of nutrients. Vitamins A, D and E as well as various fatty acids, beta carotene and the emollient lecithin contribute towards hydration and UV protection, making it a very valuable addition to any skincare routine. Use sparingly if you have oilier skin, as a little goes a long way. Read more about argan and avocado, as well as other oils in our Carrier Oil Glossary and Facial Oil Glossary respectively.
If oils aren’t your thing, you might want to look into masking as another way to help rebalance your skin. More specifically multimasking. If you didn’t already know, multimasking is the process wherein more than one mask is applied to different areas of the face to produce various results. For combination skin, the desired outcome is often to purify the T-zone by reducing sebum, tighten the pores by dissolving excess dirt and moisturize any dry zones. Combining products to suit combination skin is like a plate spinning act – you just need to know how and where to focus your attention to make products work for you. Charcoal masks are great for the T-zone, while those with hyaluronic acid are ideal for the cheeks, or anywhere you’re experiencing a lack of moisture.
Those of us with combination skin know how useful an exfoliation session can help from time to time. It can brighten up the complexion by ridding your pores of dead skin cells and other debris, soften your dermal texture and eradicate those pesky dry patches, especially in the winter time. However, it remains true that you can have too much of a good thing – overdoing any form of exfoliation can leave your skin irritated and inflamed. Exfoliate gently once per week, or even once a month if you’re already prone to sensitivity. Regardless of whether your skin is sensitive or not, a konjac sponge can be a good place to start. Konjac sponges are sponges made from the root of the konjac herb, and have been met with great praise when it comes to gentle exfoliation. As such, they’re often recommended by dermatologists to help improve the complexion without damaging your dermal barrier.
Though any skin type can benefit from the following, some final ingredients to consider working into your regime are: vitamin C, sunscreen, antioxidants and ceramides. Vitamin C brightens the complexion while encouraging collagen production, sunscreen protects against photoaging, antioxidants fight free radicals and ceramides shield the skin against external stressors while ensuring that moisture remains locked in. If you wish to read about any of these in more detail, visit our respective blog posts on What Is Photoaging?, What Are Antioxidants?, What Are Ceramides? and What Is Oxidative Stress?