The Ultimate Skincare Routine For My Combination Skin
“Not being able to find a way to develop a suitable regime for my combination skin was stressful. But trust me, a little balance and understanding is all you need.”
Recognition to Discovery
I was in class 9 when I got to know about the different skin types, and the conditions associated with those skin types and the kind of products that needed to be applied. Even though I lacked sufficient information needed to determine my skin type, almost all my teenage years and 20’s I have spent trying out various skincare products without paying much attention to what my skin truly needs.
I haven’t really ever persistently complained about my skin, except for a few times, moments and the complaints that I still somehow vividly remember. Such complaints came on mornings and nights, when I managed to invest sufficient time to take a closer look at my skin, wonderfully engaging and throwing myself into all flaws.
“Why is my nose so oily, while my cheeks are dried to the point that it is almost chapped?”
I remember layering my cheeks and the rest of my face leaving my T-Zone with a heavy cream, but waking up to the sad reality of an overdried face and extremely oily nose and forehead.
Confusion Related to Combination Skin
I have never really witnessed or seen episodes of serious acne breakouts. My major skin issue was not a problem, it was a massive confusion. I didn’t know how to take care of my skin. I didn’t know if I had to over-moisturise my cheeks or if I had to overstrip my nose and forehead of the excess oil. The first time I went to the dermatologist, I was made to understand that my skin type was commonly known and categorised as “Combination Skin Type”. It meant that my skin had both Oily and Dry patches. Typically the oily patches are around the centre of the face, shaped in a T, known as the T-Zone. The dry patches occupy the cheeks and mostly the scalp. Suddenly the fact that I had always struggled with Dry Scalp and Oily Hair made sense.
The dermatologist also enlightened me on how Combination Skin Type can be the result of erratic weather and climate exposure and that the skin type can also be inherited. The answer to all my skin troubles was solved when the doctor said that Combination Skin Type is particularly difficult to manage as it is difficult to hydrate dehydrated parts without oversaturating the oily parts of the face with more oil.
Common Concerns of People With Combination Skin Type
If you have Combination Skin, chances are you are exhausted with acne breakouts in your T-Zone. The T-Zone of people with combination skin is excessively oily, hence excess building up of oil can block skin pores and cause bacterial infection resulting in acne. Oily Skin being greasy, draws in dirt and debris that increases the chance of acne breakouts and inflammation.
If your skin is prone to having acne breakouts due to being of the combination type, chances are you are equally likely to have Blackheads & Whiteheads. The main thing differentiating blackheads from whiteheads is that the infected pore for blackheads is opened, which exposes the accumulated dirt, giving it a darker black appearance.
Another significant problem of people with combination skin type are the Extreme Dry patches on the perimeter of the face. These patches can become tight,itchy and flaky when the weather gets too comparatively cold and dry. Such patches can also become visibly wrinkled as compared to the rest of the face. Itchiness and irritation of the dry patches can also be triggered by dandruff that is the result of dry and dehydrated scalp.
How I Took Care Of My Combination Skin
Taking care of my combination skin was tricky at first, but with time and better understanding of my skin I learned how to indulge in the right skincare for my combination skin. Before diving deep into the intricacies of finding the correct skincare regime for my combination skin, know that using the wrong products and unnecessarily experimenting can make your T-Zone parched and inflamed. The key to taking proper care of your combination skin type is by investing in a skincare regimen that carefully hydrates the dry and dehydrated patches and controls excess sebum of the oily and greasy patches.
For Combination Skin there’s no One-Size-Fits-All approach. Depending on how oily or how dry your patches are, a regimen has to be developed effectively taking care of both the oily and dry patches of your skin.
C FOR CLEANSING
Start your skincare routine with a mild cleanser that is water soluble and not harsh on your skin. Preferably use a gel based cleanser with beads or other exfoliants to ensure proper removal of oil, dirt and debris. For combination skin type you should be using the aforementioned type cleanser twice a day. Do not rub your face hard with a towel. The key tip here is to maintain the balance. It is imperative for people with combination skin to pay more attention to maintaining the balance. Over cleansing can lead to drier patches with more itchy and flaky skin.
T FOR TONING
Right after cleansing don’t forget to use a light and non-irritating toner on your face. It is recommended for people with combination skin type to use toners that have a cooling effect with additional hydration and cleansing properties. The correct toner for combination skin won’t leave your skin textured with the pores visibly prominent.
M FOR MOISTURISING
This is the most crucial part in the skincare regime for combination skin type. It is critical to be sure of your moisturiser before you apply anything else. Providing your skin with essential ingredients and active agents, moisturising for combination skin should always be followed by a light sunscreen, preferably gel based with higher SPF Value. I have recently got my hands on Sunmate Max Aqua Gel Sunscreen with SPF 100+ and there’s no going back for me. The light formulation of Sunmate Max Aqua keeps my skin thoroughly moisturised without oversaturating my face with more oil and giving maximum sun protection at the same time.
Weekly Skin Regimen for Combination Skin
Use An Exfoliator
A gentle exfoliator with the goodness of BHA is an excellent choice for people with combination skin type. Harsh and abrasive exfoliators doesn’t only make the skin prone to increased irritation and inflammation, it also makes the dry patches worse and more flaky. A BHA exfoliator on the other hand removes dead skin cells, smoothes skin texture and unclogs skin pores along with keeping skin health intact and in optimum condition.
Invest in Weekly Sheet Masks
Once in a week don’t forget to treat your skin with sheet masks. Sheet masks serve multiple purposes depending on the kind of ingredients they are having. On having combination skin it is important to be consistent with your skincare regimen. Your commitment towards the ideal routine will reflect your skin’s nourishment and health.
Summing It All Up For You
Be it sensitive, oily, dry or combination, taking care of your skin can be challenging. Specifically for combination skin it is crucial to build a skincare routine that controls excess sebum of the greasy patches, while keeping the dry patches soft and supple. It is possible to implement these two things separately in your regime, but at the same time you can also opt for two separate regimes to satisfy your immediate skincare needs.
For better clarity, fast and quick results visit your nearest dermatologist.
