Knowing your skin type can help you choose products that fit the way your skin naturally behaves.
For this page, skin type refers to how much oil your skin usually produces and where that oil appears. Acne does not determine your skin type. You can experience breakouts whether your skin is oily, dry, combination, or normal.
Weather, hormonal changes, and the products you use can temporarily change how your skin looks and feels. Instead of deciding based on one unusually oily or dry day, notice what your skin does consistently.
How to Observe Your Skin
Use your usual skincare routine and avoid introducing anything new while you are observing your skin.
For about a week, notice:
• How your skin feels after cleansing
• How quickly shine begins to appear
• Whether oil develops across your entire face or only in certain areas
• Whether your cheeks feel different from your forehead, nose, and chin
• Whether tightness, roughness, or flaking happens regularly
• Whether sensitivity is common for you or began after a recent product change
You do not need to leave your skin bare or skip moisturizer to figure this out. Pay attention to how your skin behaves during an ordinary day.
Oily Skin
Oily skin produces noticeable oil across most of the face.
Your skin may begin looking shiny or feeling greasy within a few hours of cleansing. The shine is usually not limited to your nose. It may also appear across your forehead, cheeks, and chin.
You may notice:
• Oil returning quickly after cleansing
• Shine across several areas of your face
• Makeup shifting or wearing away during the day
• Pores that appear more noticeable
• Frequent clogged pores
Oily skin should not normally feel tight after cleansing. If it does, your cleanser or another product may be removing too much from the surface.
Dry Skin
Dry skin naturally produces less oil.
Your face may develop very little shine throughout the day. It may regularly feel tight, rough, or uncomfortable, especially after cleansing or during colder weather.
You may notice:
• Little oil across most of your face
• Tightness that happens regularly
• Rough or flaky areas
• Makeup clinging to dry areas
• A need for richer product textures to remain comfortable
Dry skin is different from skin that becomes temporarily dry after using a strong cleanser, treatment, or exfoliant.
Combination Skin
Combination skin produces more oil in some areas than others.
The forehead, nose, and chin may become shiny while the cheeks remain normal or dry. You may also notice clogged pores in the oilier areas without having the same problem across your entire face.
You may notice:
• An oily forehead, nose, or chin
• Cheeks that remain normal or feel dry
• More visible shine in the center of your face
• Different product needs across certain areas
Combination skin does not mean you need an entirely separate routine for each part of your face. It simply means your oil production is not the same everywhere.
Normal Skin
Normal skin produces enough oil to remain comfortable without becoming consistently greasy.
Your skin may develop a small amount of shine later in the day, but it is not excessive. It does not regularly feel tight, rough, or oily across most of the face.
You may notice:
• Skin that feels comfortable after cleansing
• A small amount of shine as the day continues
• Few consistently dry or greasy areas
Normal skin can still develop blemishes, clogged pores, dryness, or irritation from time to time. Those concerns do not automatically change your natural skin type.
Sensitive Skin Can Occur With Any Skin Type
Sensitive skin describes how easily your skin reacts rather than how much oil it produces.
Your skin may be oily and sensitive, dry and sensitive, combination and sensitive, or normal and sensitive.
You may frequently experience:
• Stinging or burning when applying products
• Itching
• Redness
• Irritation after trying something new
• Difficulty tolerating certain ingredients or stronger treatments
One reaction does not necessarily mean your skin is naturally sensitive. If products you previously used without a problem suddenly begin to sting, the change may be connected to irritation rather than your usual skin type.
Dehydrated Skin Is Not a Skin Type
Dehydrated skin lacks water. It can affect oily, dry, combination, or normal skin.
This is why your face can look shiny while still feeling tight or uncomfortable. Oil production and water levels are not the same.
Dehydration may temporarily change the way your skin feels, but it does not replace your natural skin type. You may have oily skin that is dehydrated or dry skin that has also become dehydrated.
For a more detailed explanation of the signs and what may be causing them, read What Is Dehydrated Skin?
More Than One Description May Fit
Your main skin type and the current condition of your skin are not always the same thing.
You may have:
• Oily skin that is dehydrated
• Dry skin that is sensitive
• Combination skin that becomes more reactive during winter
• Normal skin that is temporarily irritated by a product
Start by identifying where oil develops and how much your skin usually produces. Then notice whether sensitivity, dehydration, or a recent change is also affecting what you see.
You do not need to force your skin into one label that explains everything. Once you understand how your skin usually behaves, it becomes easier to choose a basic routine that makes sense for you.