Skin Care For Combination Skin
Dry And Oily Skin A Problem?
Is your skin oily in the T-zone (the forehead, nose and chin) but dry or normal on your cheeks?
If this is true for you, then you have, what is known as, combination skin.
The right skin care for combination skin can be difficult to achieve as you can find yourself treating two completely opposed skin types – dry and oily.
While it is possible to buy combination skin products these may not be as effective as treating the different areas of your facial skin differently.Fortunately there are some natural ingredients that work well for normal, oily and dry skin types and using these can help you to get the balance right.
To begin with let’s look at the definition of combination skin.
Combination skin is usually characterized by the following traits:
- An oily T-zone over the forehead, nose, sides of the nose and chin
- Normal or dry skin on the cheeks
- Flakiness to the sides of the nose
- Spots and pimples in the T-zone area
Combination Skin Care Tips
Although it might be easier to choose combination skin products that can be used all over your face, it is probably better to take account of your skin as it really is. That is two different skin types with different skin care needs.
So if pimples and oiliness are a problem it makes sense to target this problem with products specifically created for oily, spot-prone skin.
If your cheeks feel very tight, dry or flaky then it also makes sense to use a moisturizer that is richer than the one you use for the T-zone.
As you are about to find out, however, aromatherapy oils are perfect for those people who have combination skin.
Several base oils are suitable for all skin types and many essential oils have skin healing properties that can treat any combination of oily, normal and dry skin. This means you can create your own beauty products for combination skin.
You can choose shop bought products for combination skin but it is worth investigating natural, homemade skin care options.
This way you get to know what you’re putting onto your skin and can also overcome the problem of having to spend lots of money. There’s no need to buy two different types of skin care product to treat your one face!
Best Cleanser For Combination Skin
Oil based cleansers work well for normal, oily and dry skin types. Several aromatherapy base oils are suitable for all skin types and can be used as they come, without the need for dilution with another carrier oil.
These include:
- Sweet almond
- Grapeseed
- Hazelnut
- Safflower
- Apricot kernel
Essential oils that work well for combination skin include lavender, palmarosa and geranium. These oils are particularly good for balancing both dry and oily skin conditions. Other oils that work well for combination skin include:
- Chamomile
- Rosewood
- Petitgrain
- Frankincense
- Neroli
- Rose
To make an oil-based cleanser for combination skin all you need to do is add five drops of your chosen essential oil, or five drops of any combination of up to three essential oils, to ten ml of base oil.
Store the cleanser in a dark colored glass bottle and keep in a cool, dry, dark place.
Apply to the skin using cotton wool balls and leave to act for five minutes, finally rinse away with cotton wool balls soaked in warm water and pat your skin dry.
Best Toner For Combination Skin
When it comes to toner and combination skin this is a step you may want to avoid, especially if you have normal to dry skin on your cheeks.
Harsh toners don’t work for most skin types as they can aggravate dry skin and cause oily skin to produce even more oil, encouraging further skin breakouts.
If you really want to use a toner stick to a gentle one, like orange flower water or rose water for your T-zone. Avoid any toner that contains alcohol as this aggravates sensitive skin.
Best Moisturizer For Combination Skin
It’s just as important to moisturize combination skin twice a day as it is for any skin type and this includes moisturizing the oily T-zone.
Try adding one drop of petitgrain oil, two drops of palmarosa or rosewood oil and two drops of lavender oil to ten ml sweet almond oil.
Apply at least 30 minutes before going out in the morning or before you go to bed at night to allow the oil to completely sink into your skin.
Exfoliator For Combination Skin
Combination skin can benefit from exfoliation two-three times per week. They key to successfully exfoliating this skin type is to keep it gentle.
Many shop-bought exfoliators are too harsh and will strip both your dry and oily areas of their natural, healthy oils.
You can make your own exfoliator by combining one teaspoon of oat bran with one teaspoon of honey and then adding one drop of lavender essential oil.
Simply massage the paste into your skin, being careful not to scrub the skin too vigorously, and then rinse away with warm water.
Facemask For Combination Skin
To pamper combination skin you can apply a homemade facemask once a week. All you have to do is make your facemask, apply it to your skin and then lie back and relax for 15 – 30 minutes as the ingredients work their magic.
Try mashing a handful of strawberries or a ripe avocado and apply to your skin. You can add a beaten egg yolk to either of these for an added boost if you like.
Remove the mask after around 30 minutes with cotton wool balls dipped in warm water or with rose water if you prefer.