Skin Type Guide
Knowing your skin type can be extremely helpful in finding a skincare that works for you! It's important to note that skin types can vary throughout life for many reasons; weather/climate, stress, age, hormones, or even diet. If you're having some trouble identifying your skin type, I've brought together to general recommendations to help you identify your skin type and product recommendations to suit the needs of this skin type!
Please keep in mind that this is a guide only, and if you're having any unusual discomfort or irregularities, you should consult your doctor.
Dry skin:
Typically, dry skin is characterised by irritation or itchiness, dullness, red patches, and visible lines. It is common for this to occur in a colder, or hot and dry climate.
Recommended routine: make sure your routine is regular and ensure your products do not contain alcohols or petroleum by-products.
- Cleanse once daily; opt for a cream or oil-based cleanser that will gently remove dirt and impurities without stripping the skin. I recommend our Green Tea & Wild Peach cleanser for dry skin.
- Tone immediately after cleansing; opt for an alcohol free toner, and hydrating nourishing ingredients such as glycerine to help lock moisture into the skin. I recommend our Pristine & Purify tonic. Press in with warm hands to enhance active ingredients and encourage deep absorption.
- Moisturise twice daily; you may opt for sunscreen through the day - natural sunscreens are great for this and are often formulated with green tea and rosehip oil for an extra hit of moisture. At night, consider a thicker recovery cream such as our Recover & Protect, enriched with natural emollients like cocoa butter, shea butter, and olive oil.
- Exfoliant no more than 3 times per week; avoid chemical peels as these are very drying! Instead opt for a cream based exfoliant with jojoba beads or finely ground nut shells to remove dead skin cells. Products with fermented papaya may also be suitable as it acts as a natural (chemical) exfoliant. Depending on your preference, Rosehip & Patchouli facial exfoliant, or the Mud Cleanser would be recommended.
- Masks are a great way to increase moisture too! You might opt for a homemade yoghurt, oatmeal, and honey mask, or, you could go for a clay-based mask like our Charcoal & Pink Clay Mud Mask which is great for replenishing the skin as well as drawing out impurities.
- What else? You might also consider including serums or facial oils to your routine depending on how dry your skin gets. Facial oils such as Goodness Me! are a great way to increase moisture and give you a gorgeous glow under makeup! Serums can be awesome to increase moisture in areas that dry out faster like under the eyes. I recommend our Rose & Kakadu Plum eye serum to tackle that!
Ingredients to look for: Glycerine, natural butters including shea, cocoa, & mango butters, coconut oil, olive oil, borage oil, avocado oil, rosehip oil, and aloe vera.
Ingredients to AVOID: isopropyl alcohol, synthetic fragrances, sulfates and retinoids.
Oily Skin:
Normally, oily skin is characterise by an oily 'look' to your skin, enlarged pores, breakouts, black and white heads.
Recommended routine: given that oily skin is a result of skin over producing sebum, your routine should be working to restore balance. Don't be scared into avoiding ALL oils, as some can be beneficial to restoring the balance you're looking for! Also be careful to not over-dry the skin as this can throw the balance out further and elevate the condition.
- Cleanse twice daily; avoid using straight soap or foam cleansers. Oil based is great at gently removing dirt, impurities and excess oil. Our Mud Cleanser has been especially formulated with oils to cleanse the skin without disrupting balance. You may also use the Mud Cleanser to double cleanse if desired!
- Tone after cleansing; avoid alcohol based toners, instead use something that will purify the pores and instil balance. Lavender, lemon myrtle, aloe vera, lemon, and wild peach are all great for this! Our Pristine Purify tonic is contains lavender and lemon myrtle to help purify and restore balance. Witch Hazel can also be recommended here, particularly during a breakout, it is a natural astringent and will help calm the skin.
- Moisturising can be tricky, your skin will still need some moisture but emollients can be uncomfortable. You might like to use a floral water or face spray here instead; rosewater is particularly beneficial for this. Rosewater is a by-product of essential oil production, so it has the benefits and nourishment of essential oils without needing to be diluted into oil! Make sure you still wear sunscreen as necessary!
- Exfoliate 2 - 3 times per week; be selective with chemical exfoliants, sometimes these can over-dry and cause imbalance. Products that include fermented papaya can be beneficial. Alternatively, you could use a physical exfoliant like our Lime & Walnut facial exfoliant. Lime is extremely beneficial in restoring balance!
- Masks can also be helpful to reduce the size of pores and extract excess oils. Clay works very well for this (bentonite, kaolin, green, and pink clays particularly). Our Charcoal & Pink Clay Mud Mask contains bentonite, kaolin, and pink clays as well as charcoal to help draw out excess oil, increase blood flow, and restore balance with the help of aloe vera and lemon essential oil.
- What else? If you're needing a spot treatment, tea tree essential oil is great for this! Just dip a cotton bud into the oil and apply to the spot. Note* This is only appropriate as a spot treatment and is not suitable for application over your whole face.
Ingredients to look for: Vitamins B & C, bentonite clay, kaolin clay, glycerine, tea tree essential oil, rose geranium essential oil, lemon essential oil, coconut oil, and aloe vera.
Ingredients to AVOID: isopropyl alcohol, synthetic fragrances, sulfates, retinoids, and mineral oils.
Combination Skin:
Combination skin is usually characterised by an oily or 'shiny' t-zone (forehead, nose & chin), areas of normal or dry skin, and areas of enlarged pores.
Recommended routine: when caring for combination skin, you will find that you need to find the right balance of products between those used for dry skin and those used for oily skin. Sometimes it is necessary to use separate products in the t-zone.
- Cleanse twice daily; avoid harsh soaps or foaming cleansing. Oil or cream based are good options. I recommend our Mud Cleanser, double cleansing can also be helpful!
- Tone following cleansing; avoid alcohol based, products containing lemon myrtle can ben very effective at purifying and balancing the skin without stripping it. Glycerine will also help lock in moisture without introducing extra oil. Pristine Purify tonic is perfect for combination skin!
- Moisturise as necessary; use your moisturiser sparingly over your t-zone. It might be beneficial to alternate between a moisturiser and a floral water. Sustainable Skin Hydrator is great for combination skin! Juniperberry and Lavender essential oils help to balance the skin, it also contains intense nourishment with olive oils and Davidson and Kakadu Plum and extracts!
- Exolfiant 2-3 times per week; be selective with chemical based exfoliants. Fermented papaya is great for this, you can use the Mud Cleanser and allow to to sit for a few minutes (let the fermented papaya work some magic) and then follow with another round of standard cleansing (like double cleansing). Otherwise you can opt for a physical, cream based exfoliant. Rosehip & Patchouli, and Lime & Walnut both offer great benefits for combination skin. Rosehip & patchouli will nourish and calm, lime can restore balance quite effectively.
- Masks can be great! You could mask your t-zone up to twice per week, can just do a full-face mask once per week. Using our Charcoal & Pink Clay Mud Mask is a great option, allow it to set (approx. 10 - 15 mins) in your t-zone to maximise drawing out excess oil and impurities.
- What else? Serums under the eyes and isolated areas of dryness may be beneficial. Our Green Tea & Cucumber eye serum is a great option for this! Extra antioxidants can be beneficial for outside of your t-zone too. Try our Antioxidant oil for this!
Ingredients to look for: coconut oil, aloe vera, glycerine, rose geranium essential oil, lemon essential oil, vitamin E, and cucumber extract.
Ingredients to AVOID: isopropyl alcohol, synthetic fragrances, sulfates, retinoids, mineral oils, and high soap content.
Sensitive Skin:
Sensitive skin can appear in various ways; redness, itching, burning, or dryness. If these occur following the use of any product, remove it immediately! Follow with something you know agrees with your skin to soothe it. However, it is important to consider that normally, sensitivities are enhanced when skin is dry, or the sensitivity may be an allergic reaction, make sure you check labels when you have known allergies to nuts, or any essential oils.
Recommended routine: when caring for sensitive skin, it is important to maintain a routine with products that are appropriate for your skin. It's always a good idea to patch test if you're not sure whether you want to commit to a product. Click here to find out more about patch testing.
- Cleanse once daily; opt for oil, cream, or milk based cleansers. I highly recommend our Goat's Milk & Honey cleanser. It is super gentle and super effective!
- Tone following cleansing; always avoid alcohol based. Pristine & Purify tonic will naturally purify the pores and instil balance. Lavender can be particularly soothing this product too!
- Moisturise as necessary; facial oils or emulsified moisturisers are both appropriate options. Look for something with rosehip oil, avocado oil and glycerine! Our Comfort & Protect moisturiser is a great option; containing avocado oil and glycerine, as well as cucumber and comfrey which can help soothe, cool, and heal! This can be used as a day or night cream. Make sure you always wear sunscreen too!
- Exfoliant no more than twice per week; avoid chemical peels unless done professionally (after a consult) if you choose to do this, they can sometimes require recovery time. Otherwise, try a cream based physical exfoliant (with finely ground nut shells or jojoba beads). Vanilla & Sandalwood or Rosehip & Patchouli facial exfoliants are both appropriate options.
- Masks can still be helpful, but no more than once per week. Opt for a gentle clay-based mask. Kaolin and Australian pink clay are two of the mildest clays around and can be great for soothing irritated skin. If you're new to masks, a great place to start is by mixing kaolin clay with some just boiled water and applying to your face but only leave it for 5(ish) minutes. If you choose a pre-mixed formula like our Charcoal & Pink Clay Mud Mask, keep in mind that you don't have to let it set hard (to cracking) to reap the benefits. Leave it for 5-7 minutes to replenish and nourish the skin, then remove before it sets.
- What else? It might be best to avoid spot treatments, although tea tree essential oil could be useful if you really want to opt for one. Also avoid astringents such as Witch Hazel. Ensure that your skin is sufficiently hydrated always, to decrease sensitivity. Lastly, always patch test, and remove a product immediately if any irritation occurs, even if it is recommended for sensitive skin!
Ingredients to look for: Coconut oil avocado oil, cocoa butter, shea butter, aloe vera, glycerine, and green tea extract.
Ingredients to AVOID: isopropyl alcohol, synthetic fragrances, sulfates, retinoids, harsh cleansers, high concentrations of essential oils, high concentrations of soap, anything that contains ingredients of a known allergy (nut oils, essential oils etc.).
Normal Skin:
Normal skin is usually considered 'the goal', characterised by few or no imperfections, no severe sensitivity, pores barely visible, predominantly radiant complexion.
Recommended Routine: routines for normal skin can depend on other factors like occupation or time availability.
- Cleanse 1-2 times daily; oil based, milk, or cream cleanser is suitable. I would consider myself to have normal skin and I switch between our Mud Cleanser and our Green Tea & Wild Peach cleansers.
- Always tone following cleansing; always avoid alcohol based toners. Nourish with natural oils and extracts. I use Pristine & Purify tonic most of the time, sometimes I use rosewater as a tonic.
- Moisturise as necessary and always use sunscreen! I normally use Balancing Recovery at night, and sometimes add Goodness Me! (through the Winter), and use a light BB-style cream through the day. Sustainable Skin Hydrator is also a great option for day cream!
- Exfoliate 2-3 times per week to maintain and encourage cell production. I switch between using Lime & Walnut facial exfoliant, and letting my Mud Cleanser sit for a few minutes to let the fermented papaya do its magic!
- A mask can be helpful to extract excess oils and impurities, or to replenish the skin and maintain a glowy, radiant appearance. I use the our Charcoal & Pink Clay Mud Mask for a shorter period of time seeing as I'm usually aiming for replenishment rather than extraction. I apply it to freshly cleansed, still damp skin and leave it for 5-7 minutes and then rinse.
- What else? Sometimes you may still need to implement the use of products from dry, oily, or sensitive skin types to maintain your normalcy. You'll know if you need to change up what you're using by excessive or unexplained breakouts, any dryness or irritation, or a tight feeling over your face.
Ingredients to look for: natural oils and butters appropriate for cleansing or moisturising, vitamin C, antioxidants preferably in the form of natural extracts.
Ingredients to AVOID: isopropyl alcohol, synthetic fragrances, sulfates, and mineral oils.
DISCLAIMER: this is a guide only and intended to assist working out your skin type for everyday routines and convenience when shopping for skincare. This will not be useful if you have been diagnosed with any specific skin condition. In this instance, Pureheaven advises you to seek out appropriate medical assistance.