The Importance of Determining Your Skin Type

Why should we determine our skin type? Knowing our skin type allows us to make more conscious choices about the cleanser we use, the cosmetics we apply before and after shaving, our moisturizer, and the products we use for beard care. To have a proper skincare routine, understanding our skin is the first step.

Every man's skin is different and unique. While we don't like to generalize, experts have divided skin types into 4 main groups to make it easier for us to determine: Normal (Compared to whom?!), oily, dry, and combination. Each of these types has its own distinct characteristics. So, while your skin actually has a unique code specific to you based on your genetics and environmental factors, if you exhibit more characteristics of one of these 4 main groups, your skin is considered to be of that type.

This main categorization still holds true, but there's an undeniable truth now: you react to what's missing in your skin. In other words, if you have dry skin, it's saying, "I have enough oil, I won't produce more." If you have oily skin, it's saying, "My oil is insufficient, I must produce more." If it's red, it's saying, "Take care of me, don't bother me, I have some needs." Therefore, for example, if you have oily skin, it's producing these due to a lack of natural oils. To tell it "okay, you don't need to produce anymore," you need to provide it with natural oils using the right product. This happens over time, not overnight. When you choose the right product and treat your skin patiently, you can get results.

Characteristics of Skin Types

Let's start with the type that makes us raise an eyebrow, by definition: Normal skin type! As the most common skin type, it is defined by an even tone, smooth texture, and minimal imperfections. According to experts, normal skin has sufficient oil production to keep the skin hydrated without feeling excessively oily or dry. It is also known to be relatively resistant to environmental stressors such as sun exposure or pollution. If you don't have visible capillaries on the surface, no excessive oiliness or dryness, no rashes or redness, we can say you have a "normal" skin type. In this case, you can opt for natural products designed for normal skin, continuing to maintain the balance between hydration and oil production. You can also add serums and masks to your skincare routine based on your age or skin needs. It can be said that being careful about cleansing and moisturizing is enough.

In dry skin, oil production is less than in other types. They are often associated with larger pores, flakiness, or a feeling of tightness. Because the skin does not produce enough oil, it is described as being more prone to wrinkles and dehydration. Here, it is important to understand why your skin is not producing oil and to balance this production. You might want to check if your skin is exposed to more oil than it needs, and look at the ingredients of the products you use. Products that encourage your skin to produce oil again, rather than oily ingredients, will be beneficial. Here, experts recommend focusing on ingredients that will provide hydration and protective components to maintain resistance against environmental effects. You should apply moisture in the right amount and provide protection with the right products.

Oily skin, we recognize it wherever we see it: with excessive oil production and a shiny, moon-like texture. It produces excessive sebum because the oil it needs is constantly drawn from it; it has dedicated itself to production, as it were! Controlling excess oil and simultaneously giving it what it needs is not easy. For this, the first thing is to stay away from fast-moving consumer goods, in particular. You should acquire quality and concentrated products, because you won't find products that both provide natural oils to the skin and send a "calm down, champ" message on cheap supermarket shelves. It would be smart to get the product/products that will give your skin the natural oils it needs and balance sebum production from specialized brands and use them patiently. You should also choose your facial cleanser carefully; stripping all natural oils from your skin will cause it to produce more oil. For example, in our local producer Raqun soaps, oil is left in during production, it doesn't dry out or tighten your skin during cleansing, focusing on dirt while preserving the natural oil in the skin. Many local producers are doing a great job in this regard now, you can check our grooming category.

Combination skin is characterized as a combination of dry and oily skin. This is not easy to determine, as it requires careful examination of your skin. Generally speaking, combination skin with dry cheeks and an oily T-zone (forehead, nose, and chin) is the most common type. After cleansing your skin, observe the areas where you feel dry and tight, identify the location of enlarged pores, and look for signs of dehydration such as flaking. Combination skin needs balanced treatment. It does not like harsh approaches and extreme cosmetics. Ingredients prepared for combination skin should be carefully examined, and if normal skin products are to be used, it is smart to support the areas of the skin that need it with additional products.

Choosing the Right Product for Your Skin Type

First of all, we advise you to stay away from those skincare brands that, for the price of a toothpaste we can't afford, have marketing phrases like "Special X Oil in its content" printed on them, yet contain only 0.001% of that precious oil. These products, which contain a high percentage of chemicals and whose effects are debatable, fall outside of what we call skincare.

Products manufactured with the approach of "Do you have dry skin? Then buy this, we've loaded it with oil" are also outside of what we are trying to convey. Research producers, choose good products from good brands, benefit from nature, it's good to benefit from nature.

Here are brands whose producers we know, and whose production philosophies and conditions we are familiar with, which you can benefit from. Click here to explore: Grooming Products