What type of skin do I have? The 60-second bare-face test
If you'd rather work it out yourself than take the quiz, there's one method dermatologists rely on. It works because it removes every variable except your own skin: no product, no makeup, no recent washing.
- Wash your face with a gentle, non-foaming cleanser and pat dry.
- Apply nothing at all — no moisturiser, no serum, no SPF.
- Wait 2–4 hours and don't touch your face.
- Look in a mirror in natural light and note how your skin feels and looks.
Then match what you see:
- Tight, rough or flaky → dry skin
- Shiny across forehead, nose and cheeks → oily skin
- Shiny on the T-zone only, normal or tight cheeks → combination skin
- Comfortable, no shine, no tightness → normal skin
- Stinging, redness or itching → sensitive skin (which can sit on top of any of the above)
The blotting-sheet version: press a blotting sheet on your forehead, nose, cheeks and chin separately. Hold each up to the light. Oil on every sheet means oily; oil only from the T-zone sheets means combination; almost no oil anywhere means dry or normal.
Do I have oily or dry skin? The most common mix-up
This is the question people get wrong most often, and it matters because the two need opposite routines. The catch is that oily skin can feel tight, and dry skin can look shiny — so how your skin feels is not a reliable guide on its own.
| Sign | Oily skin | Dry skin |
|---|---|---|
| Pores | Visible, especially on the nose | Small, hard to see |
| By midday | Noticeable shine | Dull, maybe flaking |
| Makeup | Slides off or separates | Clings to dry patches |
| Breakouts | Frequent, with blackheads | Rare |
| After cleansing | Comfortable, oil returns in hours | Tight straight away |
If you ticked boxes in both columns, you most likely have combination skin — or dehydrated oily skin, which is oily skin that is short of water rather than oil. That one looks shiny but feels tight, and it's treated with humectants like hyaluronic acid — a lightweight gel moisturizer rather than a richer cream.
What type of face wash should I use for my skin type?
Cleanser is the step people most often get wrong, and it's the one that can actively make your skin type worse. A face wash that strips oily skin triggers more oil; one that's too rich for dry skin leaves a film.
- Oily skin — a gel or foaming cleanser, ideally with salicylic acid or niacinamide. Twice daily. If your face feels squeaky afterwards, it's too strong.
- Dry skin — a cream, milk or oil cleanser with no sulfates, followed by a richer moisturizer (moisturiser). Once at night is often enough; rinse with water in the morning.
- Combination skin — a gentle gel cleanser everywhere, and don't over-treat the cheeks just because the T-zone is oily.
- Normal skin — almost anything gentle and non-foaming works. Don't overthink it.
- Sensitive skin — fragrance-free, minimal ingredients, lukewarm water. Avoid physical scrubs entirely and protect your skin barrier.
The 5 skin types, explained
Your skin type describes how your skin behaves by default — specifically how much oil (sebum) it produces and how reactive it is. Knowing your type is the foundation of an effective routine: it determines which cleanser won't strip you, which moisturiser won't leave you greasy, and which actives your skin can tolerate. The most reliable way to identify your type is to watch how your skin feels a few hours after cleansing, before you apply anything.
Normal skin
Balanced skin that's neither noticeably oily nor dry. Pores are small to medium, breakouts are infrequent, and the skin tolerates most products well. Normal skin still needs sun protection and hydration to stay that way.
Tells: comfortable after cleansing, even tone, rarely reactive, low maintenance.
Dry skin
Skin that produces less oil than it needs, so it can feel tight, rough, or flaky — especially after cleansing or in cold weather. Dry skin benefits from gentle, non-stripping cleansers and richer moisturisers, and pairs well with hyaluronic acid to hold water in. Note that dry (a type) is different from dehydrated (a temporary lack of water that any type can have).
Tells: tight or flaky after washing, small pores, dullness, sensitivity to harsh actives.
Oily skin
Skin that overproduces sebum, looking shiny across the face — particularly the forehead, nose, and chin. Pores are often visible and breakouts more common. Oily skin does best with lightweight, non-comedogenic products and ingredients like niacinamide that help regulate oil. It still needs moisturiser — skipping it can make oiliness worse.
Tells: shiny by midday, enlarged pores, frequent breakouts, makeup slides off.
Combination skin
The most common type — an oily T-zone (forehead, nose, chin) with normal-to-dry cheeks. The challenge is treating two areas with different needs, which often means lighter products on the T-zone and richer ones on the cheeks. Getting your routine order right matters most for this type.
Tells: shiny T-zone but dry or normal cheeks, mixed pore sizes, breakouts mostly on the nose and forehead.
Sensitive skin
Skin that reacts easily — with redness, stinging, burning, or itching — to products, weather, or friction. Sensitivity can overlay any of the other four types. The priority is protecting and repairing the skin barrier, using fragrance-free formulas, and introducing actives slowly. Learning to read ingredient labels is especially valuable here.
Tells: frequent redness or stinging, reacts to new products, flares in heat/cold, easily irritated.