Dry skin

Dry Skin

Dry skin can be caused by using a skin cleanser that is harsh, or by a moisturizer that isn't rich enough for your dry skin. Even the driest of dry skin can be made shining and soft with the right gentle routine.

1. First cleansing. Dry skin has to have a gentle cleanser. Try a milky liquid cleanser, a tissue-off cleansing cream, or a so-called beauty bar of superfatted soap.

2. How about moisturizing? The drier your skin is, the more hydrating ingredients you need to have in your moisturizer. Get a moisturizer with hyaluronic acid, glycerin, or dimethicone.

3. And then there are the cosmetics. Get oil-based foundations, powders and blushes. Look for words like "nourishing", "moisturizing" or "hydrating" in the names of these products.

4. Don't forget sun protection. Dry skin is more likely to get inflamed, because it produces less oil than other skin types. Use a sunscreen year around.

Oily Skin

Be happy if you have oily skin. And the oils will help you as you age.

1. First, cleansing. Don't use alcohol astringents or harsh soaps to try to dry up the oil. These products will damage your skin, and can even cause your oil glands to increase production! Use oil-binding gel or liquid cleansers made for oily skin.

2. Then, moisturizing. With oily skin, you might not need a moisturizer at all, though you might think so if you have stripped the oil from your skin by using harsh cleansers.

If you do need one, however, use one that contains "humectants". These are ingredients which both attract and hold water. For example, sodium pyrrolidonecarboxylic acid (PCA) or glycerin -- which is easier to pronounce :).

3. And...cosmetics. Use oil-free foundations which are water-based, so you don't add extra oil to your skin. Also, you can use foundations and powders which are oil-blotting.

4. As far as sun protection: You can now get oil-free sunscreens. Use them.

Combination Skin

Have you ever walked on a narrow board, trying to keep your balance? That's what you need to do with combination skin -- balance. By moisturizing the drier areas (maybe the cheeks), while you treat the oily areas (maybe the forehead and nose).

1. O.K., cleansing. The simple key here is the label. Look for something like "normal/combination skin". Don't use too much astringent on the oily areas (only once a day, if at all), or you may end up with flaky dry skin.

2. Then the moisturizing. You sure don't want to make the oily areas even more oily. So apply moisturizer just where you need it, often just the cheeks. The area under your eyes is very delicate, so if that area is dry, use a product specifically for that area.

3. On to cosmetics. Try a foundation which is water-based first. But if your forehead and nose, for example, are very oily, you may need an oil-free foundation. Apply it after using a moisturizer in your dry areas.

4. Finally, sun protection. Use an oil-free sunscreen, or an oil-free moisturizer with sunscreen added.