Dry, Oily, or Combination Skin: How to Properly Wash Your Face

The way you wash your face could be making your skin worse. Keep reading to find out what kind of skin you have and how to take care of it.

The key to perfecting your skincare routine and having a clear complexion is understanding your skin type.

If you are using harmful products for your specific skin type, there's a chance you are only exacerbating any skin issues you may have.

Your skin is an incredible thing - as the body's largest organ it is just as sensitive as any other vital organ and should be treated with utmost care.

It's also a super smart organ, adjusting its pH levels to suit the external environment and pollutants in the air.

However, your skin does require a little help now and then!

If you're looking to perfect your skincare routine we outline it all in this blog, including how to wash your face for your skin type.

Understanding Your Skin Type

Not all skin types are made equal - by now this may be common knowledge. But it's important to know that each skin types requires its own cleaning and care routine.

Dry Skin

If you have dry skin it may feel ''tight'' after you wash your face, calling out for moisture. You may also experience flaking skin, dry patches which resemble Eczema and itchiness.

Dry skin is most commonly due to genetics, your diet, hormonal fluctuations and environmental pollutants. Although dehydration can play a big role in the dryness of your skin too.

In order to avoid drying your skin out any further, supplement your diet with plenty of water throughout the day, while minimizing your caffeine and alcohol intake. Smoking will also exacerbate dry skin and can also cause acne.

People with dry skin are more prone to the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines, that's why moisturization of your skin and diet are so important.

Oily Skin

If you have oily skin, you will notice that your ''T-zone'' often has a shine to it. This is excess oil which has gathered on your forehead, cheeks, and chin.

Oily skin is also caused by genetics, but hormonal fluctuations and how often you wash your face play a greater role in the amount of oil your skin produces.

Additionally, the types of products used when you wash your face also make a big difference in the oiliness of your skin.

Over-stimulating your skin cells by washing too often or too vigorously and can only cause your skin to produce excess oil.

Oily skin also prone to a condition known as post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH). This means oily skin is likely to leave behind dark spots or scarring after a breakout.

Using a gentle exfoliator with anti-bacterial components is generally the best way to remove dark spots and promote the growth of new skin.

Combination Skin

Those with combination skin are prone to oiliness on the T-zone area, but dryness on the cheeks.

This can be a tricky skin type to manage as you will need to find a moisturizer which soothes dry areas, but does not over-moisturize oilier areas.

Typically, combination skin will not experience breakouts on the cheeks, but are prone to acne in the T-zone area.

Combination skin is also a result of hormonal fluctuations, genetics, and your diet. How you wash your face will also determine the balance of combination skin.

How To Wash Your Face For Your Skin Type

Learning to care for your specific skin type is paramount to keeping it in the best condition possible.

By understanding your skin type you can get a better idea of what type of ingredients affect your skin when you wash your face.

This way you can determine the best products for your skin care regimen.

Combination & Oily Skin

Whether you have combination or oily skin, the skin care routine is relatively similar.

Clean

Make sure you wash your face twice a day - morning and night. If you are washing your face more often than this, there's a chance you are stripping your skin of all its natural oils.

This, in turn, can cause your skin to produce more oil, only making it shinier throughout the day.

When it comes to using the right type of cleanser, make sure to look for active ingredients such as salicylic acid, glycolic acid, or beta-hydroxy acid.

If you have combination skin, make sure to concentrate on cleaning the oilier areas of your skin, over the drier areas i.e. your forehead, cheeks, and chin.

Avoid over-scrubbing your skin, use a gentle, massaging motion.

In order to remove dead skin cells and improve the appearance of dark spots, use an exfoliating face wash only once or twice a week for oily or combination skin.

Tone

Once your skin is clean, make sure to use a toner which will help to remove any excess oil or pollutant build-up.

A toner also helps to minimize pores, which also minimizes your ''shine'' throughout the day. Only use your toner on the oily areas of your face.

Moisturize

Finally, even oily and combination skin needs to be moisturized! But make sure to choose a water-based, oil-free moisturizer which isn't too heavy for your skin.

If you have combination skin and experience dryness on the cheeks, you may have to use a separate moisturizer for this area. Choose one with a gel-like texture with ingredients such as jojoba oil or olive oil.

Dry Skin

The enemy of dry skin is hot water and a change in humidity levels. When it comes time to wash your face, opt for lukewarm water instead.

Clean

The same applies to dry skin, you should be cleaning your face twice a day, no more than this. As dry skin is very sensitive, cleaning more often than this can seriously worsen dry skin symptoms.

As mentioned, use lukewarm, tepid water when washing your face and look for a face wash which is fragrance and alcohol-free.

Some of the best face washes for dry skin will include ingredients such as hyaluronic acid/sodium hyaluronate, glycerin, and marine active algae.

Avoid using vigorous motions when cleaning your face - keep it gentle, especially on dry skin areas which are inflamed or flaky.

Once your skin is clean, make sure to use an irritant-free towel and blot your face dry.

Moisturize

The first thing you must do once your face is clean is moisturize with either an ointment or cream, rather than a lotion. Lotions can further irritate dry skin, while ointments tend to be far more soothing.

When choosing the best type of moisturizer, look for ingredients such as glycerin, marine active algae, olive oil, jojoba oil, shea butter, lanolin, mineral oil and hyaluronic acid.

Make sure to avoid deodorized soaps, creams or lotions on your body if you have dry skin, as these contain harsh chemicals which can only dry your skin out further.

Perfect Your Skin Care With CleaRx

If you suffer from mild to severe acne, CleaRx could be just the solution for you.

CleaRx is the first FDA approved, maximum strength acne regimen available throughout the US, and it can be bought over the counter!

If you're looking to clear up your skin for good, learn more about our incredible range of products at CleaRx.