When was the last time you properly assessed your skin to identify your skin type?

If you haven’t done this in the past year or so, it’s now time to do exactly that. Many people make the mistake of assuming that their skin type never changes but, in reality, it does. Generally, this naturally happens every seven to nine years but, in some cases, it can change much more frequently. Everything from hormonal fluctuations to environmental changes to illnesses can have an impact on your skin type, which is why this needs to be regularly reassessed. After all, as you probably know, using skincare products that aren’t suitable for your skin type can be disastrous for your complexion!

Ready to get started? Read on as Vivo Per Lei talks you through identifying your skin type. We’ll then help you to learn more about the skin type you have, along with how to take care of it in the best way possible.

Identifying Your Skin Type

There are a number of different ‘tests’ that you can carry out to determine your skin type. However, here’s one of the simplest methods:

Begin by cleansing your skin. Ideally, you want to be using a mild and gentle cleanser, such as the Vivo Per Lei Hyaluronic Acid Daily Facial Wash. This formula is super hydrating and safe for all skin types.

Once you’re done cleansing, gently pat your skin dry with a clean and soft towel. Then, leave your skin bare for about 30 minutes. We know, we know – we always talk about the importance of never leaving your skin bare after cleansing. However, this is the one time when you’ll need to make an exception. You need your skin to be completely bare in order to properly assess it.

Once 30 minutes have passed, it’s time to observe your skin. Take a close look in the mirror and lightly feel your face with clean fingers. How it looks and feels at this stage will enable you to pinpoint your skin type.

If your skin feels tight or dry, or it looks flaky, then this means that you have dry skin. On the other hand, if your skin looks shiny and feels greasy, then this points to an oily skin type. If different areas of your face are exhibiting signs of both oiliness and dryness, then this would give you combination skin. Meanwhile, if your skin feels irritated and looks red or inflamed, you have sensitive skin. What about if you haven’t noticed any of these issues? Then you’re one of the lucky few with a normal skin type!

Caring for Dry Skin

If your skin type is dry, then this means that it isn’t producing enough sebum. Under-active sebaceous glands can occur for a number of reasons but, either way, this will leave your skin looking dull, rough, and uneven.

One of the main roles played by sebum is to keep the skin barrier feeling strong and supple. As a result, your skincare routine needs to contain products that will help to compensate for this lack of sebum by fortifying the feel of your skin barrier. 

Moisturizers are particularly effective at doing so, with the Vivo Per Lei Marine Ultimate All Skin Cream being a savior for dry skin types. This moisturizer contains shea butter, which is brimming with the fatty acids that your skin is missing out on from its lack of sebum. It’s combined with a number of hydrating humectants, including sodium hyaluronate, betaine, and squalane. Lactic acid is in this mix too, which will help to polish away the look of dry and rough patches. 

For maximum benefits, make sure that your skin remains consistently moisturized, even if this means reapplying your moisturizer a few times a day.

Of course, since you’re already dealing with a compromised skin barrier, it’s also important to treat your skin gently in order to avoid damaging that barrier even more. Use lukewarm, not hot, water when showering, stay away from harsh and abrasive skincare products, and consider investing in a humidifier.

Caring for Oily Skin

Unlike dry skin, which doesn’t produce enough sebum, oily skin produces too much. Not only does this leave the skin looking and feeling greasy and slick, but it also greatly increases the chances of developing clogged pores and acne breakouts. All of that sebum has to go somewhere and, unless you’re extremely diligent about cleansing twice a day, some of it will end up blocking your pores.

So, if your skin type is oily, it’s time to up your cleansing game. Foaming cleansers tend to be the best choice for oily skin. They’re extremely effective at removing excess oil from the skin’s surface, thanks to the generous lather that they form.

If you have oily skin, the Vivo Per Lei Collagen Foaming Cleanser would be a great buy. It’s infused with collagen and vitamins to ensure skin that feels soft and smooth, along with deeply cleansed.

In addition to keeping your skin clean, it’s also important to hydrate your skin. Even though your skin type is oily, it can still be dehydrated. After all, oil is very different from water. However, if your skin starts to feel thirsty at any point, it will ramp up sebum production, leaving it even oilier.

To hydrate your skin without weighing it down, look for products formulated with humectants, such as the Vivo Per Lei Aloe Soothing Facial Serum. With aloe vera leaf extract, sodium hyaluronate, common purslane extract, and silk amino acids, this silky serum will quickly have your skin glowing with moisture rather than oil.

Caring for Combination Skin

Many would say that combination skin is the most difficult skin type to deal with, and it’s easy to see why this would be the case. With some areas of the face being oily and others dry, finding products that can safely be used on both, while being beneficial to boot, can be a challenge.

That’s where the Marine Aqua Facial Cream can save the day. Designed to hydrate and moisturize all skin types, this product boasts a blend of sodium hyaluronate, sodium polyglutamate, and seaweed extract. It will keep your skin looking plump and soft without leaving your pores feeling clogged.

If you decide to go with another face cream, make sure that it doesn’t contain any comedogenic ingredients. These are ingredients that are known for clogging the pores. They’ll hasten breakouts on the oily parts of your face. A quick online search will tell you how comedogenic specific ingredients are.

Another way to deal with combination skin is to treat each area of your face individually. One good way to do this is by multi-masking. This involves applying different face masks to different parts of your face. For example, you could start by applying the Vivo Per Lei Magnetic Deep Hydration Mask to the dry areas of your face. With marula oil, hemp seed oil, and sunflower seed oil, this mask is ideal for skin that’s rough and flaky. Once this is done, reach for our Activated Charcoal Facial Mask and smooth it onto the oily parts of your face. The activated charcoal in this mask will help to detoxify and mattify the look of your skin.

Caring for Sensitive Skin

Just like dry skin, sensitive skin is caused by a damaged skin barrier. However, in this case, the damage tends to be more severe. As a result, irritants easily penetrate the skin. This causes the skin to react, usually in the form of inflammation and redness. However, those with a sensitive skin type may also experience itching, stinging, and other uncomfortable symptoms.

To keep your skin feeling calm, it’s important to avoid irritants as much as possible. These will vary by individual, so try to figure out what yours are. Whether it may be certain ingredients in skincare products, particular laundry detergents, exposure to heat, or various plants, identifying what causes your skin to react will then make it much easier to prevent those reactions.

At the same time, it can also be helpful to seek out skincare products that can heal and strengthen the feel of your skin barrier. It will take time to do this but, in the long run, it will leave your skin feeling much less sensitive.

To get started, look for products containing ingredients such as amino acids, antioxidant-rich plant extracts, and hydrating compounds. The 24K Gold Caviar Serum from Vivo Per Lei fits the bill perfectly. It has a short ingredient list, meaning less chance of your skin reacting to any of the ingredients, yet it packs a punch when it comes to softening, hydrating, and illuminating the complexion.

Caring for Normal Skin

Last but not least, we have the easiest skin type to care for; normal skin. With your skin being pretty much in balance, your main goal should be to build a skincare routine that helps you maintain this.

By all means, keep things simple. Since you don’t have any major skin concerns to deal with, you don’t need to worry too much about honing in on specific types of ingredients or products.

Instead, all you really need is a cleanser, a moisturizer, and some SPF. If you want to give your skin a little extra, look for a serum that provides hydration and antioxidants. The more hydrated your skin is, the fuller and plumper it will look. Meanwhile, antioxidants will help to keep your skin feeling protected from environmental damage.

The Vivo Per Lei Radiance Gold Facial Serum would be a fantastic addition to your skincare routine. This serum is all about giving the skin a radiant glow. Sodium hyaluronate, beta-glucan, and polyglutamic acid are powerful humectants that provide moisture, while the various plant extracts in this blend are brimming with antioxidants and other phytochemicals. 

Summary

If you want your skin to look and feel its very best, understanding your skin type is so important. Once you’ve figured it out, make sure that you continuously reassess your skin to see if your skin type has changed. If it has, then this will mean making a few adjustments to your skincare routine to cater to your skin’s evolving needs. Fortunately, with the Vivo Per Lei products featured above, it’s easy to do just that!

Click here to browse more bestselling skincare products from Vivo Per Lei.