“What is your skin type” is the first question that you will be asked by any beauty professional, whether you’re getting your makeup done for an event, shopping for a new cleanser or having a professional skin treatment, yet SO MANY people don’t know the answer. If you’re already nodding your head, believe me you are not alone! Most people that come into Mee & You Beauty lay on my treatment bed or come in for a consultation and then look at me blankly when I ask this question, and why should they know? After all, they’re coming in to see a professional! 

While your skin therapist will ALWAYS be able to help you it’s a good idea to have a basic understanding of your skin and how it functions, especially now that we often self-shop for beauty either online or in various retail environments. 

So, what does Skin Type even mean?  Your skin type very simply is how much sebum (oil) you produce and there are three categories that people will fall into; Oily, Dry or Combination. To determine what category you fit into answer the following 3 questions:

Do you have visible pores? 

a) YES! I feel like they’re everywhere – how can I fix them?

b) Somewhat…mainly on my nose and chin. 

c) Not that I’ve noticed…maybe?

When do you see oil flow? 

a) As soon as I wake up in the morning! I don’t feel “clean” until I wash my face!

b) Maybe around midday on certain parts of my face?

c) Oil flow? What oil flow?

If you’re having a “Bad Skin Day” what are you seeing?

a) Breakouts and congestion!

b) A blemish here or there and then some pesky fine lines in other places!

c) My skin is so tight I feel like it’s about to crack! I also notice some flaky skin and fine lines!

If you answered mostly A’s you would fall into the Oily Skin category, mostly B’s Combination Skin and mostly C’s would mean you have Dry Skin. At this point, I’m sure you’re probably thinking it’s all doom and gloom no matter where you fit, but fear not! You can still have beautifully balanced skin with a healthy diet and lifestyle, as well as some help from a skin professional. 

The other important thing to note is that your skin type is genetically determined and will remain constant for most of your life. This means that unless you are experiencing peak hormonal changes (puberty, pregnancy and menopause – sorry gals it’s the triple whammy for us) you’ll only need to figure this out once. What will change over time is skin concerns - these will vary and are dependent on a number of internal and external factors like diet, stress, pollution, sun exposure, product use, gut health and medications (including the contraceptive pill). 

If you are wanting a more detailed understanding of your skin type and any concerns you may have, we’re here to help! Book in for anyone of our Skin Treatments and receive a complimentary skin analysis and consultation with one of our experienced Skin Therapists.