Shopping for skincare products can be a minefield, mainly because there’s so much choice out there! It’s all too easy to fall for the wrong products, whether it’s because of the hype surrounding them, their intriguing packaging, or simply because your best friend has been using them and has been seeing great results.

However, in order for your skincare to work to its full potential, it needs to be suited to your skin type. Each skin type has its own set of needs, and your skincare routine needs to be tailored to this.

How do you go about doing this? Read on as Lavelier talks you through how to pick the perfect products for your skin type.

Make Sure That You Know Your Current Skin Type

When was the last time that you assessed your skin to determine your skin type?

If you haven’t done this for a while, it’s time to do so. Many people don’t realize that their skin type changes, meaning that your current skin type may be different from what it was last year. Everything from aging to environmental conditions can alter your skin type, making it important to regularly examine your skin to make sure that your knowledge of its needs is on track.

Fortunately, identifying your skin type is usually a very simple process. Each one has very distinct characteristics: 

• Dry skin – doesn’t produce enough sebum, leaving the skin looking dry and often flaky. Dry skin commonly feels tight and uncomfortable, and fine lines and wrinkles look more noticeable.
• Oily skin – produces more sebum than needed, leaving the skin looking shiny and feeling greasy. Pores are usually quite large and noticeable, and this skin type is also more prone to acne breakouts.
• Combination skin – features dry skin on some parts of the face and oily skin on others. It’s usually the cheeks that are dry and the T-zone that’s oily but this can vary depending on the individual.
• Sensitive skin – easily reactive to irritants. Be it harsh skincare products, fragrances, or anything else, this skin type is prone to redness and inflammation.
• Normal skin – the rarest skin type. Sebum production is balanced, with the skin looking smooth, soft, and matte.

The best time to assess your skin type is after you have cleansed your skin. Use a gentle cleanser to do so, such as the Lavelier Biology Mousse Cleanser, which can be used on all skin types. Then, leave your skin bare for 30 minutes or so. After this, closely examine your skin in the mirror to see which of the above categories it falls into.

Look For Ingredients That Cater to Your Skin Type’s Requirements

The best way to determine whether or not a product will work well for your skin type is by taking a look at its ingredient list. Each skin type will have its own set of requirements. Picking ingredients that cater to those needs is what will bring you the best results:

Dry Skin

When dealing with dry skin, the last thing that you want your skincare to do is make your skin even drier. So, start by making sure that you don’t have any sebum-stripping products in your current skincare routine. Ingredients like sulfates and denatured alcohol should be avoided at all costs.

Instead, you want to be filling your skincare routine with products that replenish and moisturize your complexion. Ingredients like shea butter, vitamin E, and plant oils are great for this. They’ll help to mimic the role of the sebum that your skin is lacking. This will immediately leaving your skin feeling softer and smoother. You’ll find all three ingredients in the Lavelier Marine Deep Moisturizer. This cream also contains coral seaweed and aloe vera to hydrate the skin, plus vitamin A to reduce the look of roughness and dullness.

Oily Skin

There are a few things to pay attention to when looking at skincare ingredients for use on oily skin. Firstly, make sure that none of the ingredients in the products that you use are going to make your skin oilier. Certain ingredients are known for their pore-clogging tendencies. They’ll increase sebum production even further while triggering acne breakouts. The best way to assess how comedogenic (meaning pore-clogging) an ingredient is is to look up its comedogenic rating. Over time, you’ll soon learn which ingredients to stay away from.

At the same time, you should also be prioritizing products that hydrate the skin. Oily skin is often caused by dehydration, making it vital to keep your skin’s moisture levels topped up. Some of the ingredients that do this well without clogging pores include sodium hyaluronate, glycerin, and seaweed extract, all of which you’ll find in the Lavelier HydroTherm Completion Creme. It’s a great way to hydrate and moisturize oily skin while giving it a smooth and matte finish. 

Combination Skin

Dealing with combination skin can be tricky. One option would be to invest in two sets of skincare products. You’ll need one that can be used on your dry areas and another that can be used on the oily parts of your face. However, not only can this get expensive, but it will also double how long your skincare routine will take. 

Alternatively, look for ingredients that can safely be used on both dry and oily skin. There are plenty out there, from plant extracts to peptides. The Lavelier Nano Gold Serum, for example, would be a fantastic choice for combination skin. It’s filled with ingredients that deeply hydrate the skin, leaving it feeling touchably soft but not greasy. It also works to brighten the complexion and diminish the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. 

Sensitive Skin

If your skin type is sensitive, then this means that you have to be very careful about the ingredients that you use. It won’t take much for your skin to react in a negative way, so avoid products that contain common irritants. Fragrances are a big one, which may also be listed on an ingredient list under ‘parfum’. 

In addition to avoiding fragrances, it would also be beneficial to seek out products that can help your skin barrier feel stronger and more resilient. This will help to prevent the appearance of future sensitivities. Peptides do this well, as do sodium hyaluronate and certain plant extracts, such as those found in the Lavelier HydroTherm Sauna Serum. Not only will this silky, fragrance-free serum soothe and hydrate your complexion, but it will also ensure that your skin barrier feels fully supported.

Normal Skin

If your skin type is normal, then this means that your skin is already in very good condition. On the one hand, this is great – you’ll be able to experiment with so many different products! At the same time, using a product that’s designed for overly dry or oily skin could end up interfering with your skin’s perfect natural balance. This could potentially leave you with a more problematic skin type.

The solution is to look for neutral ingredients that hydrate and moisturize the skin without going overboard in any way. Take the Lavelier Moisture Allure Cream as an example. It provides lightweight hydration without drowning the skin in heavy plant oils. It also provides a boost of vitamins and antioxidants, all of which will help to keep your skin cells feeling healthy.

Don’t Forget to Also Consider the Visible Skin Concerns You’re Dealing With

Of course, not only should the skincare products you use be tailored to your skin type, but they should also be capable of targeting the visible skin concerns that you’re currently dealing with. 

Say, for example, your complexion has been rough and dull lately. Sure, this could be down to having dry skin, but it could also be due to the fact that aging is causing dead skin cells to build up even faster on your skin. The solution would be to look for an exfoliator that will not only help to brighten your complexion but, as always, is suitable for your skin type. With the Oceana Refining Coral Peel from Lavelier, this is easy. It works well on all skin types, combining mechanical and chemical exfoliation in a cutting-edge formula!

Another example would be the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. This is something that occurs in every skin type. However, the way in which each skin type is able to deal with this is different. Plant oils are great for providing the antioxidants needed to counter the appearance of facial creases, yet many plant oils can be too heavy for oily skin. That’s why our Seagrass BioPlumping Wrinkle Treatment is favored by those with dry and sensitive skin. Meanwhile, our Marine Instant Wrinkle Corrector is a much lighter formula that works wonderfully on oilier skin types.

Always Perform a Patch Test Before Using a New Product

Following all of the above advice will go a long way in helping you pick the perfect products for your skin type. However, everyone’s skin is different. This means that your skin could still potentially react to a product that, on paper, seems ideal. 

This is why a patch test is so important. It will allow you to test out your skin’s reaction to a product before applying it all over your face. 

Ideally, a patch test should be done before you use any new skincare product. Take a small amount of the product and apply it as directed to a small patch of skin on your inner arm. Then, wait for 24 hours, or 48 if you have sensitive skin, to see if your skin reacts in any way. If it doesn’t, repeat the test on a small patch of your face.

If your skin happens to react to a product, try to figure out why. Working out which ingredients are causing your reaction will help guide you the next time you’re shopping for new skincare products.

Summary

There’s so much to consider when trying to match skincare products to your skin type. Not only do you need to know which ingredients to keep an eye out for but you also need to understand which ingredients to avoid. Getting familiar with all of these ingredients may take some time to start with but, after a while, it will soon become second nature and you’ll be able to shop for new skincare products with ease!

Click here to browse more bestselling skincare products from Lavelier.