Find out yours - and how to make the most of it
1. RADIANT
Smooth to the touch, with even colour, fine pores and few lines.
What to do? Just keep doing whatever it is you're doing. And try not to be too smug.
2. OILY
Oil protects skin, maintains hydration and slows ageing. But too much oil can results in breakouts.
What to do? Minimise your exposure to things that increase oiliness, such as heat and harsh cleaners. Use non-detergent cleansers and a light gel or lotion to moisturise. Exfoliate and apply a clay mask weekly.
3. DRY
Dull, thick, rough, cracked, flaky, itchy and dehydrated.
What to do? Cleanse with a soap-free, fragrance-free, pH-balanced cleanser such as Cetaphil Skin Cleanser, $8.95.
Moisturise well at night and in the morning. And sorry, but you should say goodbye to hot showers - lukewarm ones are kinder to your skin.
4. OVER- REACTIVE
The two main types of over-reactive skin: allergic and sensitive.
What to do? Follow the tips for dry skin (above); and, in addition, monitor the ingredients in all the skin products you use. Patch test all products before buying or using, and restore your skin's protective surface barrier by applying rich emollient moisturisers.
5. PUFFY
Puffy skin contains too much fluid, making it swollen, bumpy, stiff or sensitive to pressure.
What to do? Use light, gentle cleansers and moisturisers. Talk to your GP to find out possible causes and treatments for your puffiness. Massage, lymphatic drainage or dry skin brushing might help clear the retention.
6. RUDDY
Reddish with dilated capillaries, particularly on the cheeks, nose, chin and around the mouth.
What to do? Avoid external heat sources like steaming, sunbaking, heating and hot air-conditioning as much as possible. Use a light, hypoallergenic cleanser and moisturiser. It might be worth checking with your GP that there are no underlying causes.
7. PIGMENTED
A tendency to create spots or patches of extra pigment, normally caused by sun damage or hormones.
What to do? Use SPF30+ sunblock. Every day.
8. CREPE PAPERY
Baggy, dull, lined, thin and almost transparent.
What to do? Moisturising twice a day is key. Choose an emollient-rich product and exfoliate once a week to buff off dead skin cells, which can exacerbate the effect.
9. PHOTO-AGED
Thick, inflexible and deeply wrinkled.
What to do? Ask a dermatologist to examine your skin under UVB light to show up sun damage. Exfoliate with a gentle product to stimulate cell production. Be super vigilant about regular skin cancer checks.
10. MATURE
Dry, dull, porous, thick, pigmented and wrinkled.
What to do? Most mature skin thrives on rich moisturisers. Try a retinoid (vitamin A) treatment, which is the best anti-ageing option.
