Despite all of the viral serums and must-have cleansers, beauty is entirely personal. Your favourite beauty blogger might swear by a deep, active cleanser that frees her complexion of blocked pores and congestion. However, your sensitive skin may prefer a gentle formula that calms and soothes. We all have different skin concerns and types- an oily skincare routine will require entirely different steps to one for dry skin, and a skincare routine for combination skin differs again. So, when it comes to perfecting your regime, assess your skin and take note of what will suit it before jumping on the latest bandwagon. Today, we're going to focus on one specific skin type and how to build an everyday routine around it.
Keep reading for Ameliorate's guide to a skincare routine for combination skin.
What is combination skin?
To begin, what exactly is combination skin? Combination skin means that you don't necessarily fit into either the 'dry' or 'oily' skin types. Instead, you tend to be both. For example, you might have an oily T-zone (the centre of the face, covering the forehead, nose and chin). Meanwhile, your cheeks and jawline might experience some dryness.
Do I have combination skin?
Although we may now know what combination skin is, it can be difficult to differentiate whether that is, in fact, your skin type. This is because combination skin can vary in its appearance and can be heavily affected by external factors throughout the year. For example, take note of whether your skin's dryness/oiliness fluctuates around your menstrual cycle, changes in seasons (such as cold air and air conditioning), stress, and lifestyle. These are all factors that can affect your skin.
What does combination skin look like?
With some observation, it will soon become clear whether or not you have combination skin. Look out for the following signs of oiliness such as:
- Shininess (in particular around the t-zone)
- Pores that appear open and large
- Persistent blemishes
Signs of dryness to watch out for include:
- Flakes
- Rough/uneven texture
- Redness
- Tightness or irritation
How to build a skincare routine for combination skin?
How to build a skincare routine for combination skin can seem a little complicated at first - do you build it around the dryness or the oiliness? Should you prioritise moisturiser or an intense cleanse?
You may find that the oilier parts of your face (such as the t-zone) tend to be more tolerant to stronger ingredients. These areas can handle those high-strength actives that work to resurface and polish the complexion. However, those drier areas might become irritated and aggravated. To keep your complexion calm, nourished, and radiant-looking, initiate your skincare with your sensitive areas in mind. Build your routine with products that are kind to those areas at the base, soothing any redness and irritation and maintaining and supporting a healthy skin barrier. Once you have the primary steps sorted, you can move on to the products that target specific skin concerns that are associated with excess oiliness, such as spots or blackheads.
What is the best skincare routine for combination skin?
With all of the basics out of the way, let's take a look at the best skincare routine for combination skin.
Skincare routine for combination skin: step 1
To start, we have the cleanser. As mentioned, for everyday use on combination skin, the best formula is one that is specifically designed for dry skin types. Ameliorate's Resurfacing Facial Cleanser melts onto the skin and gently resurfaces to provide a smoother, softer texture that’s plumped with moisture.
Skincare routine for combination skin: step 2
Following the daily cleanse, use a facial toner to sweep away dry, dull and dead skin cells and promote a more even, light-reflective complexion. Ameliorate's Resurfacing Toner is clinically proven to reduce and refine the appearance of pores whilst also being clinically proven to significantly increase moisture levels in the skin for up to 12 hours. Therefore it's thorough enough to tackle those oily areas, yet hydrating enough to soothe the more sensitive ones.
Skincare routine for combination skin: step 3
After cleansing and toning, apply a lightweight, refreshing moisturiser. Ameliorate's Balancing Facial Moisturiser is supercharged with a combination of oil-absorbing and balancing ingredients to help reduce redness and support a clearer complexion for blemish-prone skin. This product is not just providing hydration, but is clinically proven to reduce an oily complexion so skin appears mattifed- perfect for those combination skin types.
To make things a little easier, we've combined these three morning steps into our Combination Skin Morning Routine, with all the formulas and products you will need to soothe dryness and sweep away excess oil. At night, you can add other products where you see fit. If your skin is producing more oil than usual and you're experiencing a blemish or two, try adding in the Blemish Overnight Clearing Therapy around the trouble areas.
The best skincare routine for combination skin is unique due to the fact that it needs to tackle the excess oil whilst being mindful of those other drier areas. If you've been feeling overwhelmed with different formulas and products, go back to basics and remember, not all that is trending is gold. Just because an ingredient has gone viral, does not mean it deserves a place in your personal skincare!
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