Combination Skin - Causes - Some Do's and Dont's For Combination Skin Type

The combination skin is a combination of both oily skin and dry skin. It is related with dry and oily patches. A combination skin includes: oiliness in T-zone, dryness on the cheeks and breakouts in oily areas.

A combination skin has medium pores, good circulation and healthy color. There is a greasy center panel consisting of nose, forehead and chin.

Causes of Combination Skin:

The main cause of combination skin is an excessive sebum production from your central part of your face. while the rest of your face (neck and cheeks) is normal or dry. Sebum is usually stimulated by surging hormones.

Caring of Combination Skin:

Caring for combination skin requires balancing the requirements of drier areas like the cheeks with the oiliness in the T-zone. In caring of combination skin, the first step is cleansing. It's best to avoid harsh cleansers that are formulated for oily skin or milky cleansers formulated for dry skin and instead use a moisturizing cleansing bar or facial wash. After cleansing, use a gentle exfoliator. Many women with combination skin find they tend to get spots around their nose as the dry flakes of skin from their cheeks stick to the oily areas and so cause blockages.

• Always apply good moisturizer on the dry areas. They work as either increasing the penetration of water into the skin or by reducing the rate at which water is evaporating from the skin surface.
• Go for products that normalize your skin i.e. alpha hydroxy acids contains products. This acid is derived from fruit, milk and sugarcane. They helps in keeling the dead cells present in the surface of the skin.
• Combination skin can be cared by using oil-absorbing makeup on oily areas.
• Vitamin A derative products, are useful when applied to combination skin.
• Wash your face with a gentle, water-soluble cleanser that does not leave skin feeling tight.
• Avoid bar soaps or bar cleansers of any kind.
• Exfoliate skin by using the beta hydroxy acid (BHA/salicylic acid) product. BHA not only exfoliates the surface of skin it also exfoliates inside the pore to improve its shape and function.

Dos and Don'ts for combination skin:

Do's

• Try to use your moisturizer only where you need it. The thin, delicate skin under your eyes may need an extra moisture boost.
• The cleanser for combination skin, should be gentle on dry spot, tougher on the T-zone. Apply it on your entire face at least twice a day.
• Always go for the oil-free moisturizer.
• Apply acne products only on blemishes.
• Cleanse oil and perspiration from skin as soon as possible after exercise.
• Wash your face at least once a day with a gentle cleanser.
• Use cosmetics that are oil-free, non-comedogenic.
• Use a sunscreen daily to protect your skin from harmful ultraviolet rays.

Don'ts

• Do not scrub your face harshly to cleanse.
• Always try to avoid aggressive products, which tend to produce the opposite effect such as excessive sebum production.
• Don't expose your skin to sun, because sunlight leads to formation in acnes.
• Don't use two kinds of cleansers or moisturizers on different parts of your face.
• Don't forget to wear sunscreen.