Combination Skin Care

Combination skin care is a separate category of skincare

Combination skin is neither 100% dry or 100% normal or 100% oily. Instead it's a combination that's characterized as normal and oily skin, or skin that's oily and dry. In other words, like the song, combination skin is 'a little bit of this, and a little bit of that'.

The common eleminate in each type of combination skin is the presence of oily areas, so care must be taken not to aggravate these areas further.

Usually, it's the areas with the highest concentration of oil-producing glands – the face, chest, shoulders and the back, that are oily. Other parts of your body have fewer oil glands which is why they're either normal or have dry skin characteristics.

What causes combination skin ...

The cause of combination skin are the oil-producing glands that produce more oil than normal, making it different from dry skin, wher the primariy cause is the environment, age and the breakdown of the intracellular matrix.

Most people know whether they have combination skin just by looking at it. The areas that appear shiny likely will have some amount of pimples and/or blackheads.

Makeup and other cosmetics usually won't last through an entire day without re-application.

Dry areas flake and appear dull and may feel irritated.

Combination Skin care needs thought ...

Proper combination skin care is best described as a delicate balancing act.

You don't want to over-moisturize the oily areas, which mainly include the 'T-zone' or you risk waking up with an explosion of blemishes dotting your face.

And likewise, you don't want to apply products formulated for oily skin to the areas that aren't oily or you risk waking up with skin that feels taut and scaly, especially around the eyes and mouth.

So what's a proper combination skin care routine?

• Cleansing twice daily with warm water and a gentle gel cleanser is most important. This helps to remove dead skin cells, dirt and excess oil so they don't block pore openings.
• Follow your cleansing with a toner that's either water-based or glycerin-based to help remove the remaining residues.

Good combination skin care means periodic exfoliating is recommended to remove any remaining dead cells so new skin can take its place. It helps keep skin looking fresh and radiant.

Be sure to look for combination skin care products that aim to balance the different skin types.

• For oily-normal skin, you should keep skin hydrated, but dry in the areas prone to excessive oil. Choose moisturizers that are water-based rather than oil-based, making sure to apply sparingly to oil-prone areas.
  Spot-treat blemishes as necessary. Benzoyl peroxide products are very effective.
  Apply cosmetics designed to absorb oils, like powders or dab with oil-absorbing tissues as necessary.
• For oily-dry skin, moisturizing dry areas with emollient-based products is important to keep your skin feeling fresh.
  Your eyes may need an even heavier moisturizer and if so, be sure to keep it away from the T-zone.

And never forget the importance of applying sunscreen. Fortunately, many foundations and powders now do double-duty as both make-up and sunscreen.