Discover Your Unique Skin Type
Your skin type is determined by several factors, including genetics, age, and environment. your skin type influences things such as water retention, sebum production, sensitivity, and your propensity towards certain skin conditions, such as acne.
The 5 Skin Types: Which One Are You?
Normal Skin
Clear, not sensitive, natural shine, sometimes dewy appearance
Normal skin is essentially well-ballanced skin. Normal skin is not too dry or oily, appears clear, and is able to withstand slightly mor exposure to some environmental elements than other skin types. Many look at normal skin as a prototype, as it is characterized by smaller pores, more even skin tone, a natural smoothness & soft texture. Normal skin has a healthy balance of moisture retention and sebum production. Those with normal skin are less likely to deal with acne, and typically display a clear, radiant, and healthy appearance.
WHAT ARE SOME CHARACTERISTICS OF NORMAL SKIN?
- Smaller, less visible pores
- Even, clear skin tone with smooth texture
- Bright healthy glowing complexion
- When the skin is neither too oily or too dry
- Healthy moisture balance and blood circulation
- Typically blemish-free
- Stands well against various environmental pollutants and elements
CARE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR NORMAL SKIN:
Cleanse your face and body daily with a soap that is not harsh or abrasive. Exfoliate weekly or as needed to help reduce environmental pollutants & dead skin build-up and to maintain skin softness.
DO NOT over-exfoliate your skin - this can increase skin sensitivity and cause irritations. Apply a broad spectrum sunscreen daily or at least when planning prolonged sun exposure. Use a fatty-acid based moisturizing routine, especially during the colder months, to ensure your skin's moisture balance is secure.
HERE ARE A FEW GOODIES WE RECOMMEND FOR THE MAINTENANCE OF NORMAL SKIN TYPES:
Rose Water, OShea MOIL, OShea MoBUTTTA Classic & OShea Sugar Scrub
OILY SKIN
Can appear thicker and shiny, greasy feel, pores of the skin can appear larger, especially on the face.
Oily skin is typically caused by overactive sebaceous glands, producing too much sebum. Sebum is a naturally occurring oil produced by the body as a protective outermost layer of the skin. It helps to give your skin a waterproofing and to prevent dehydration. The technical name for the overproduction of sebum is "seborrhea". Research has linked oily skin to acne flares, irritative breakouts and blemishes. Oily skin can be a genetic inheritance, and/or influenced by natural bodily changes such as pregnancy, hormones, aging, reactions to medications, etc. External factors such as pollen, demographics and environmental pollutants may also contribute to or enhance oily skin appearance. Improper diet, lack of exercise, irregular hygiene and some synthetic skincare products may also contribute to oily skin development.
WHAT ARE SIGNS OF OILY SKIN?
- Pores of the skin appear more pronounced and enlarged
- Skin has a thicker, plumper appearance and displays less wrinkles
- Individuals with oily skin may experience more difficulty with different forms of acne, especially in the t- zone (forehead, nose and chin)
- Higher amonts of dandruff production in the scalp is often seen among individuals with oily skin and scalp
- Skin appears shiny or greasy, has an oily feel at varied times of the day
HOW TO CARE FOR OILY SKIN?
In general, individuals with oily skin types should wash their face twice daily with a gentle cleanser and use non-pore clogging skincare products. Use a gentle astringent-style toner once daily to reduce build-up on the face and scalp. If you do not feel that you are seeing success or want more information it's always a great idea to consult your primary care physician or a dermatologist.
OSHEA PRODUCTS ARE RECOMMENDED FOR THOSE WITH OILY SKIN:
OShea MoBUTTTA Bacuri and Mayme's Rose
DRY SKIN
Appears thinner, flaky, may sometimes feel rough, itchy, matte tone
Dry skin is sometimes caused by disruptions or issues to the skin's natural moisture barrier as well as by external factors like temperature, environmental pollutants, and some of the products we use on our skin. Excessive or abnormally dry skin is referred to as xerosis cutis, and is a much more common complaint to dermatologists than you may think. Chronic dry skin can also be the result of genetics. Those itch dry skin may lack some of the standard factors that aid the body in water retention, and you may also natural produce less less sebum than other skin types. Sebum is a naturally occurring oil produced by the body as a protective outermost layer of the skin. It helps to give your skin a waterproofing and to prevent dehydration and to protect against environmental factors, such as temperature, dirt, and humidity.
In general, women tend to experience dry skin more than men. Also, dry skin is more likely as we get older - this is true of both women and men. Some areas of the body are more prone to dry skin, this would include: the extremities (forearms, arms, thighs and legs) as well as hands and feet.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR WITH DRY SKIN:
- Skin feels thinner, tight, and brittle and has slow-to-no snapback or elasticity
- At certain times of the year the skin feels rougher, especially the colder months
- Blotchy skin tone appearance with a matte appearance and little natural shine
- Depending on the seasons you may see scaling, flaking and/or itchiness
- Skin is prone to redness, irritation and infection
- Pores of the skin are reduced in size and barely visible
- Skin chaps easily under the wind of winter
- Skin wrinkles easily, and shows fine lines
RECOMMENDATIONS TO CARE FOR DRY SKIN:
Individuals with dry skin should first ensure they are getting the proper amount of water in their daily diet. If you are under the care of a physician, consult them for intake recommendations. Try to avoid skincare products with drying agents such as alcohols, and parabens which tend to strip away the natural sebum layer. Try to avoid overly hot showers and excessive UV exposure. Use a humidifier during in dry climates and/or during the colder months to add hydration to the environment.
Ensure you are using a fatty acid based moisturizer IMMEDIATELY after bathing or while the skin is damp to lock in hydration replenish and protect the skin.
OSHEA PRODUCTS ARE RECOMMENDED FOR THOSE WITH DRY SKIN:
OShea MOIL and OShea MoBUTTTA Classic
SENSITIVE SKIN
Tends to feel irritated, itchy, or unbalanced after the use of various products.
Those with dry skin, eczema, alopecia, and other skin/scalp conditions often experience increased skin sensitivity.Typically skin sensitivity is attributed to a disruption of the skin's natural barrier or overactivity of the immune system. Dryness of the skin typically causes itchiness, which is a nervous system response. Scratching your skin to ease itching can lead to disruptions in the skin barrier, which will trigger immune responses which then lead to inflammatory responses by the body, and overall increased skin sensitivity. Sensitivity can also be triggered or worsened by environmental irritants and allergens such as animal dander, pollen and makeup.
Skin can have minor or severe sensitivity, identified by blotchiness, patches of redness, peeling, itching or burning. If you find that skin care products or certain fabrics irritate your skin, or if you develop contact dermatitis easily, you likely have sensitive skin.
RECOMMENDATIONS TO CARE FOR SENSITIVE SKIN:
Use gentle soaps and cleansing agents. Avoid products with alcohols, parabens and synthetic aditives. Be sure to use a fatty acid based moisturizer to help reinforce and supplement the skin's natural barrier and lock in moisture. This will aid in reducing irritations.
HERE ARE A FEW OSHEA PRODUCTS RECOMMENDED FOR THOSE WITH SKIN SENSITIVITIES:
OShea MoBUTTTA Bacuri, Mayme's Roses, OShea MOIL (Unscented), OShea MoBUTTTA Classic
COMBINATION SKIN
The most often seen skin type. With combination skin the skin tends to be a combination of oily in some places and normal in others or oily in some places and dry in others. This is most often seen in the face and the T-Zone is most often the area experiencing the oiliness, this being the forehead, nose and chin. Dry skin usually affects the cheeks, mouth and eyes, due to reduced sebum production in these areas.
WHAT DOES COMBINATION SKIN LOOK LIKE?
oily skin centered around the chin, nose, and forehead especially prone to acne on the chin, nose, and forehead mouth, eyes, and cheeks may have dry or normal skin enlarged pores around chin, nose and forehead
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CARING FOR COMBINATION SKIN:
Wash your face daiy with a gentle soap, as to not irritate one area or the other. When using a sunscreen select kinds which are oil free. Do not feel "weird" for using multiple types of products on your face. You may require different products to care for the oily areas versus the non-oily areas. THIS IS PERFECTLY NORMAL. Do not over-cleanse the skin, or over-exfoliate. These practices can irritate both skin types that you may have.
RECOMMENDED PRODUCTS FOR THOSE WITH COMBINATION SKIN:
OSHEA MOBUTTTA Classic & OSHEA MOBUTTTA Bacuri
