How to Check Your Face Skin Type in 4 Simple Steps
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Last updated on January 11th, 2025 at 03:22 pm
Determining your face skin type is more complex than it might initially seem. Traditionally, skin types were categorized into dry, oily, combination, or sensitive. However, as dermatological science has advanced, experts have recognized that skin is dynamic and can’t be boxed into a single category all the time. For instance, you might find that your skin behaves differently depending on various factors like weather, hormones, or even stress.
Dr. Leslie Baumann, a renowned dermatologist, developed the Baumann Skin Type Indicator, which identifies up to 16 different skin types. While this might sound overwhelming, you will learn how to check your face skin type in 4 simple steps
There are different categories of face skin types; Dry or Oily, Sensitive or Resistant, Pigmented or Non-Pigmented, and Wrinkle or Tight. So if you are good at maths and you permutate all these together, you will arrive at 16 different face skin types.
Step 1: Determine If Your Skin Is Dry or Oily
The first step in identifying your skin type is to assess whether your skin is dry, oily, or somewhere in between.
- Dry Skin: If your skin feels tight, looks ashy or dull, and doesn’t reflect light well after washing and leaving it for a few hours, you likely have dry skin. Dry skin often appears rough or scaly, and may develop fine lines or wrinkles earlier due to a lack of elasticity. It can also be prone to irritation and may feel uncomfortable without regular moisturizing.
- Oily Skin: If your face looks shiny, especially in the T-zone (forehead, nose, and chin), even after washing, you likely have oily skin. Oily skin tends to have larger pores and is more prone to acne due to excess sebum production. Makeup might slide off easily, and finding the right sunscreen can be a challenge.
- Combination Skin: If you notice oiliness in the T-zone but dryness on your cheeks and jawline, you probably have combination skin. This type of skin can be tricky to manage, as different areas require different treatments.
Step 2: Identify If Your Skin Is Sensitive or Resistant
Next, consider whether your skin is sensitive or resistant.
- Sensitive Skin: If your skin reacts to many products, becoming red, itchy, or inflamed, it’s likely sensitive. This type of skin is often more prone to conditions like rosacea, acne, or dermatitis. Sensitive skin requires gentle, soothing products that don’t trigger irritation.
- Resistant Skin: On the other hand, resistant skin can tolerate a wide range of products without much reaction. However, this type of skin can sometimes be difficult to treat because it doesn’t respond as quickly to skincare treatments, particularly those targeting issues like acne or hyperpigmentation.
There are different kinds of sensitive skins:
Sensitive skin with acne
This skin type manifests as open or closed comedones, you may notice pimples on the affected area. This type is very reactive to skincare products. Even coconut oil may cause an acne breakout.
Sensitive skin with rosacea
This skin type is associated with redness and flushing. Not everyone with redness has rosacea but it is a future indicator of something likely to happen. If you have this skin type, you might want to go for skincare products that have anti-inflammatory properties to help reduce inflammation.
Sensitive skin with a burning sensation
This skin type causes stinging upon product application. Even the environment such as cold or heat may likely cause stinging. This skin type may also develop rosacea.
Sensitive skin with Irritation
People with this skin type may react to ingredients that are not supposed to irritate the skin. This is because the skin barrier is damaged resulting in easy penetration of skincare products. You may notice itching, redness, or scaling.
Normal skin type
If you have a normal skin type and you are reading this, then I applaud your curiosity. Please accept my congratulatory note because you have won the genetic lottery. You probably do not have any skin issues whether you are diligent in your skincare routine or not.
Step 3: Assess Your Skin’s Pigmentation Level
This step involves determining whether your skin is more prone to pigmentation or remains non-pigmented under sun exposure.
- Pigmented Skin: If your skin easily develops dark spots, freckles, or tans quickly, it’s likely pigmented. The Fitzpatrick scale, which dermatologists use to classify skin types based on their response to UV light, can be a helpful tool here.
- Non-Pigmented Skin: If your skin rarely tans and is more prone to burning, it’s likely non-pigmented. Understanding where you fall on the Fitzpatrick scale can help you choose the right sun protection and treatments for pigmentation issues.
The Fitzpatrick Scale
You must have heard of the Fitzpatrick skin type level which most dermatologists use. The Fitzpatrick scale divides different skin tones into various degrees of its ability to respond to UV light. The Fitzpatrick scale (I to VI) focuses on the skin’s ability to tan easily or minimally and burn minimally or never. Although this method to measure the skin type has been criticized, it is still a good measure to know how different skin tone reacts to UV light.
TYPE I: This type is extremely sensitive and always burns. The skin tone is usually very fair with red or blond hair and they never tan. Eye colour is light and freckles are common
TYPE II: People with type II have a very low ability to tan; The skin tone is fair with light eyes and light hair. They also burn easily
TYPE III: This skin type is very common. They may tan but gradually with a mild sunburn. But the eye colour varies
TYPE IV: People with type IV have mostly brown skin with brown eyes and dark hair. They minimally get a sunburn.
TYPE V: It is very rare for someone with this skin type to burn but they tan easily. Skin colour is usually dark brown skin with dark hair and dark eyes
TYPE VI: This skin type never burns, never tans and skin tone is dark with dark hair and dark eyes.
Step 4: Evaluate If Your Skin Is Wrinkled or Tight
The final step is to determine whether your skin is prone to wrinkles or remains tight and firm.
- Wrinkled Skin: Wrinkled skin may be a result of aging, environmental factors like sun exposure, or lifestyle choices such as smoking and poor diet. If your skin shows early signs of wrinkles, it may be due to decreased elasticity and collagen production.
- Tight Skin: If your skin remains firm and tight, with few wrinkles, you likely have a more youthful skin type. However, even tight skin can eventually show signs of aging depending on various factors like genetics and skincare habits.
Factors That Affect Various Skin Type
Hormones
Hormonal fluctuations, especially during the menstrual cycle, can significantly impact your skin type. For instance, you might experience breakouts or increased oiliness during certain times of the month.
Stress
Stress has been shown to increase fatty acids leading to increased sebum production consequently leading to acne. Try to step away from what is stressing you or talk to a friend. You may also practice Yoga, meditate, exercise, dance, and do all sorts that help you reduce your stress level.
Genetics
Your genetic factor also mediates your skin type. If both or one of your parents has dry or acne-prone skin, you could also develop the skin type. Even though genetics may predispose one to a specific skin type, environmental factors also play a role to modify it. Studies from the Journal of American Dermatology showed that identical twins showed different severity of acne indicating that the environment has a role in acne development.
Climate change
Have you noticed that your skin type changes according to different seasons from dry to oily to combination skin type? This happens temporarily because the skin is dynamic, it’s an organ so everything from climate, to the environment, could potentially cause your skin type to change. During the summer or with high humidity, you may notice your skin is oilier or shinier. However, this is not the case for the winter season as the skin usually appears drier.
Gender
Women are more likely to develop sensitive skin than men. This is because women use more skincare products and are more predisposed to varieties of hair care, and personal care products than men. Even hormonal changes cause a woman to have more sensitive skin than men. A study from photo-dermatology showed that men have thicker epidermal layers than women making it harder for allergens or irritants to penetrate the skin layer.
Conclusion
The skin is a dynamic organ, and it’s unlikely that you’ll fit neatly into just one skin type category all the time. By understanding your skin type—whether it’s dry, oily, sensitive, resistant, pigmented, or non-pigmented—you can better tailor your skincare routine to meet your skin’s unique needs.
I hope this guide has made it easier for you to identify your face skin type. Let me know your results in the comments below! For reference, my skin type is dry, sensitive, and prone to irritation with a Fitzpatrick scale of VI.
Thank you for reading, and I look forward to hearing about your skin type!
Photo by Anna Shvets from Pexels
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Interesting post! I’ve struggled with acne since a teenager, and I’ve noticed right now my skin is super oily! I will try washing my skin less now I’ve read this post! I think stress and not eating healthily are definitely contributing factors too. Great read 😊
Thank you so much for reading 💜, I’m glad it was helpful
This is so my kind of blog. I loved reading it. Very informative article 👍❤️.
https://prettysam1.blogspot.com
Awwww… thank you so much, that means a lot💜
This is so comprehensive, thank you! I think my skin is combination – oily T zone but quite dry in the creases of my face and around the sides. I also get a lot of flushing, which isn’t great! Have always found it so hard to find products that work for me so tend to just avoid them if I’m honest (especially cleanser, which always seems to make my skin so much worse).
Thank you so much for reading, it could also mean that your skin type is resistant If it is hard to find products that work for you.
I’m a Fitzpatrick I. This reminds me to order more sunscreen! (thank goodness for amazon) Fun post.
http://www.susanberkkoch.com/blog
That’s awesome 😎… yes to sunscreens 💜
This explains how my skin has evolved nicely. Before I had children my skin was oily but acne free and since my children and a change of environment, I think I have a combination skin now.
Oh that’s awesome, the skin is really dynamic and we can’t just be one skin type. So glad to know that you went from oily to combination skin. Thank you for reading 💜
Thanks for sharing this, I never pay attention to skin types. All I know is that I am acne prone
Super interesting…if only this were common language, wouldn’t products be easier! Lol! Thanks so much!
Yes, it would be a whole lot easier if they didn’t make it seem so complicated. Thank you for reading 💜
Absolutely loved this, especially since it was easy to read through and not at all like the complicated pieces I have come across on health sides. This is also a wonderful way to self-diagnosis what kind of skin you have and move forward from there. 🙂
I’m so glad you found it easy to understand 💜. That’s the aim, you could easily self diagnose and choose products specific to your skin type. Thank you so much for reading
I think I have dry skin, but it may be sensitive too as I do get some pimples here and there and also have those hard to remove white head things I forget the name of. I’ve got Type III for sure when it comes to tanning and burning. Thanks for sharing this knowledge!
Wow this is so informative and helpful! I so agree there isn’t just a standard “dry” or “oily” skin type- so many other factors have to be taken into account! xo J
http://www.dolledupbyj.com
It’s always misleading when cosmetic industry says for “dry skin” without taking into account whether the ingredients irritates the skin or not. Dry skin can also be sensitive. Thank you so much for reading 💜
Love this post! So comprehensive! I have the worst skin right now and this post reminded me to do my skin regimen again.
I’d never heard of the Fitzpatrick scale before reading this post but I’m so glad I know now about it! Thanks for sharing – I’m off to do some research about what products I should be using after reading this x
This is really useful, I always learn so much when I read your posts – thanks for sharing!
Awwww…. I’m so happy to know this. Thank you so much ☺️💜
Wow, I didn’t realise there were so many different skin types. I have learnt so much from you post, so thanks for sharing a really informative post! I think I either have combination or oily skin type. I’ve found that cleansing with oil based really helps!
Thanks again for sharing!
Aimsy xoxo
Aimsy’s Antics
Thank you for this incredibly informative post! I’ve only just recently begun really researching my skin type & trying to find the most effective skincare for the skin issues I’m experiencing. And, I had no idea there were so many categories for skin types. I’ve made some notes from your post & am going to use them to upgrade my skincare routine & hopefully get my skin to where I would like it! Fingers crossed!!
I’m so glad this is so super helpful to you and I hope it’s a step to upgrade your skincare routine. Thank you so much for reading and taking notes 💜
I’ve gotta pin this for later because it’s pretty useful I have no idea how to deal with skin type when choosing foundation. My skin burns easily but I have dark hair so I’ll have to look in more detail when I next look at this stuff. I find the best products for me are usually BB cream or moisturisers because my skins fairly clear because I rarely wear make up but it’s good to have some coverage sometimes especially if it has some sun protection (which some of them do).
Awwww thank you so much, so glad this post is really helpful 💕
I always wondered what my skin type was, and now I know it is combination. Very informative post,es always 💜💜💜💜
Thank you for sharing this! It is so informative and helpful!
This is filled with great information. I would definitely put myself in sensitive with acne Type III. I know hormones, stress, and constantly changing climates plays it role – the side effects of constant travel 🙂
Thank you, I’m glad the post was helpful 💜
Any recommendations for like the opposite of combination skin (super dry t zone)
Oh that’s first, I’ve actually not heard super dry T-zone. I would suggest you apply a moisturizer that contains ceramide, glycerin, lactic acid. That should help
Oh I’ll look for something with those….any products you know of
There is Cosrx ceramide moisturizer, I have a blog post on dry skin where I suggest some products. I will like that you take a look at it
https://thealcyone.com/dry-skin-causes-and-how-to-get-rid-of-dry-skin/
Omg I’ve never heard of cleansing milk! Buying some now 😁
Thank you so much 💕💕
This was so helpful, thank you! I’ve concluded that I have Type II oily, resistant skin.
Great post! Very informative and greatly organized. I enjoyed reading about the different skin types. I’ve always had dry skin that gets irritated easily. At least now I know what that means. Thanks for sharing! 😊
Wow! What an amazing post – I thought I was pretty clued up on my skincare (I became obsessed before my wedding!) – but you taught me so much, thanks 🙂
Toni x
I’m so glad the post was helpful and congratulations on your wedding 🥰.
This is such an interesting post! I have never really know what my skin type is so this is super helpful!
Awww, thank you so much. I’m glad the post was helpful
My skin is oily, sensitive with acne, and tight with a Fitzpatrick scale of III. What products would you recommend for my skin?
I’ve not heard of a Fitzpatrick level before so thank you for this info — really useful! I’m going to have to figure my scale out!