Skin Care for Combination Skin Type

A combination skin type is the most difficult to care for because it requires a balancing act to keep the dry skin properly moisturized and the oily skin moisturized using a different method.
If you have a combination skin type, you likely have oily skin in the “T” zone on your face. The “T” zone is the nose, chin and forehead and it is likely you have dry skin outside of that zone.

You may also develop fine lines and wrinkles, while at the same time experience clogged pores. An uneven skin tone or brown spots may be visible and the pores on your nose may appear larger.

With this dichotomy of issues going on, it’s sometimes difficult to address with a single line of skin care products. Your nose, forehead and chin may have overactive oil glands which make the pores clog easily. However, the cheeks and other areas of your face may appear dry and flaky and require special attention.

You should attempt to take care of your skin according to ‘skin type’. With combination skin you should stay away from harsh toners and exfoliating your skin too frequently. This procedure can damage the protective layers of the skin.

Combination Skin Care Regime

A typical skin care routine for combination skin types might look like the following:

• Use a gentle cleanser – Once a day is usually sufficient unless your skin is particularly oily in some areas. Stay away from medicated cleansers that might be too harsh for the drier areas.
• Target breakout areas – Treat breakout areas only with salicylic acid every other day. Don’t treat the whole face.
• Moisturizing procedure – Spot treat the oily sections of your face with an oil-free, SPF 30 product and use a richer moisturizer on the dry areas of your face.
• Exfoliating – All skin types should exfoliate – including combination types. It will open the pores in both the oily and dry areas and help the moisturizer to penetrate the skin. Just be a little bit gentle around your cheek areas when exfoliating.
• Applying a mask – You may like to use a nourishing mask such as a purifying mud mask. This mask will help absorb excess oils and help keep your skin hydrated where it needs it too.
• AHA products – You can treat your combination skin type with a gentle alpha-hydroxy acid product. AHA is added to many skin care products as it is being seen as an anti-aging ‘must-have’. It’s similar to an exfoliant, in that it helps remove dead skin cells and is promoted as being able to rejuvenate the skin to a more youthful-looking complexion.

Some alpha-hydroxy products use natural ingredients such as milk, sugar cane and malic, so look for these products. You can treat your skin as needed – usually once to three times per week is recommended.

You’ll want to rejuvenate your skin and keep it from becoming damaged by stress caused by environmental factors. Choose a product that contains nourishing, natural and anti-aging ingredients – and you may want to use an eye cream to reduce the fine lines and to repair the delicate skin around the eyes.

Lifestyle issues also have a great deal to do with keeping combination skin types under control. For example, exercise regularly and adhere to a good diet filled with essential fatty acids that will help moisturize your body and skin from the inside out.