Skin Types - Cosmetics Unmasked

During the course of your lifetime you are bound to experience dry skin, greasy skin, if you are lucky, normal skin. Normal or balanced skin is fairly rare, probably reflecting our modern lifestyles of irregular or poor diet, stress, and the tendency to wear skimpier clothing which increases our exposure to the sun.

In balanced skin,the epidermis has a creamy colour, is fairly thick, and feels smooth and velvety to the touch. It has few irregularities, even under a magnifying glass. There is a even distribution of oil and moisture on the skin, which leaves only a trace of dampness but no grease, when the skin is blotted with dry tissue paper. The skin type becomes drier as it becomes older.

Dry skin is by far the most common skin type, and 80 per cent of women will experience dry skin problems at some time in their lives. it is most common in fair skinned people and fairly rare in dark-skinned races. dry skin is characterized by a lack of sebum, the skin's natural oil, affecting the skin on the face and hands, and sometimes on other parts of the body, in several ways.

The epidermis is often thin and transparent in places, allowing blood vessels to show through. It is usually sensitive, may bruise easily, and often appears powdery or scaly. Dry skin is prone to fine lines in the corners of the eyes and mouth, and to premature wrinkles. Evidence of open sores may be seen under a magnifying glass but no trace of oil or moisture appears on the tissue paper, used to blot the skin.

Oily moisturizing creams may improve the feel of dry skin and make it less sensitive to the wind and weather. Since the sun has a tendency to make dry skin even drier, it is recommended that you use a good quality sunscreen with suitable SPF (Sun Protection Factor) for your skin type whenever you expose your skin to the sun. Many face creams these days contain sunscreens. People with dry skin often have dry hair.

Greasy skin is more common in dark-skinned people and often appears thick and coarse, with an uneven texture caused by larger than average pores. The excessive secretions of sebum often gives the skin a shiny appearance and make it prone to pimples, blackheads, and acne. The excess grease also tends to pick up dust and dirt.

When blotted with a dry tissue, obvious grease marks can be seen. Some greasy skin repels makeup, causing it, literally, to slide off. Greasy skin is more tolerant to the effects of the sun and less prone to fine lines and wrinkles, and so looks younger for much longer. It becomes drier with age.

Since the grease can trap dirt and bacteria in the pores, it is important to use a good cleansing agent such as soap and water and, if necessary, to use moisturizing milks rather than greasy moisturizing creams. Some people with greasy skin do not use any moisturizers as nature seems to be providing it for them. People with greasy skin tend to have greasy hair.

People with combination skin have a triangle of greasy skin encompassing their forehead , cheekbones, nose, mouth, and chin, with dry skin on the sides of their face and other parts of the body. Their hair can be dry or greasy.

Dark-skinned races often have greasy skin with a shiny appearance and a smooth or velvet feel, and some individuals are prone to pimples, pustules, or acne. The epidermis is usually thicker than in fair-skinned races and the outer, horny layer sheds more easily.

In fair-skinned races the sebaceous glands are generally smaller and most of them empty into hair follicles, but on dark skin, up to 10 per cent of the sebaceous glands open directly onto the surface of the skin, making their appearance more obvious.

In the absence of strong, tropical sunlight, dark skin tends to stay younger looking for much longer than fair skin. Minor discoloration and skin blemishes are also less obvious on dark skin.

Reference: Cosmetics Unmasked: Dr Stephen & Gina Antczak