# Products for different skin types
Not all skin is the same. **Using the wrong products can make your skin worse — more oily, dry, or irritated.** You need to use the right stuff for **your** skin type.
Here’s how to figure out what you need.
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### **1. How to Identify Your Skin Type**
Wash your face with a gentle cleanser and don’t apply any products. Then, wait 30-60 minutes and check your skin:
**Oily Skin** – looks shiny, greasy, and prone to acne.\
**Dry Skin** – feels tight, rough, or flaky.\
**Combination Skin** – oily in the **T-zone** (forehead, nose, chin), dry on the cheeks.\
**Normal Skin** – balanced, not too oily or dry.\
**Sensitive Skin** – easily irritated, red, or reacts to new products.\
**Acne Skin** – a skin condition that occurs when your hair follicles become plugged with oil and dead skin cells.
***
### **2. Best Products for Your Skin Type**
#### **Oily Skin:**
✔ **Cleanser:** Oil-free, gel-based, or foaming cleanser with **salicylic acid**.\
✔ **Exfoliant:** BHA (salicylic acid) **2-3x per week** to unclog pores.\
✔ **Moisturizer:** Lightweight, oil-free, or gel-based.\
✔ **Sunscreen:** Matte or oil-free SPF.
❌ **Avoid:** Heavy creams, alcohol-based products, thick oils.
***
#### **Dry Skin:**
✔ **Cleanser:** Cream-based, hydrating cleanser with **ceramides**.\
✔ **Exfoliant:** AHA (glycolic acid) **2x per week** to remove dead skin.\
✔ **Moisturizer:** Rich, hydrating creams with **hyaluronic acid or shea butter**.\
✔ **Sunscreen:** Moisturizing SPF with added hydration.
❌ **Avoid:** Foaming cleansers, alcohol-based toners, too much exfoliation.
***
#### **Combination Skin:**
✔ **Cleanser:** Gentle, pH-balanced gel or foam cleanser.\
✔ **Exfoliant:** BHA + AHA mix **2-3x per week**.\
✔ **Moisturizer:** Lightweight for oily areas, hydrating for dry spots.\
✔ **Sunscreen:** Non-greasy SPF.
❌ **Avoid:** Using the same product all over if different areas need different care.
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#### **Normal Skin:**
✔ **Cleanser:** Gentle, non-stripping cleanser.\
✔ **Exfoliant:** AHA or BHA **1-2x per week**.\
✔ **Moisturizer:** Lightweight but hydrating.\
✔ **Sunscreen:** Broad-spectrum SPF.
❌ **Avoid:** Over-exfoliating, using harsh acne products when unnecessary.
***
#### **Sensitive Skin:**
✔ **Cleanser:** Fragrance-free, hypoallergenic, soothing cleanser.\
✔ **Exfoliant:** **Skip physical scrubs.** Use a mild **PHA exfoliant** 1x per week.\
✔ **Moisturizer:** Simple, fragrance-free, calming ingredients like **aloe or oat extract**.\
✔ **Sunscreen:** Mineral sunscreen (zinc oxide, titanium dioxide).
❌ **Avoid:** Alcohol, fragrance, essential oils, harsh acids.
***
#### **Acne-Prone Skin:**
✔ **Cleanser:** Oil-free, gel-based cleanser with **salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide**.\
✔ **Exfoliant:** BHA (salicylic acid) **2-3x per week** to unclog pores.\
✔ **Moisturizer:** Lightweight, non-comedogenic, with **niacinamide** to reduce redness.\
✔ **Treatment:** Spot treatment with **benzoyl peroxide** (kills bacteria) or **retinol** (prevents clogged pores).\
✔ **Sunscreen:** Oil-free SPF to prevent acne scars from darkening.
❌ **Avoid:** Heavy creams, coconut oil, over-exfoliating, touching your face.
If acne breakouts are severe, **see a dermatologist** — you may need prescription treatments.
We will talk about acne control tactics in the next lesson already.
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