How to test your skin type at home
You can do a physical test to check your skin type. A home test measures sebum production. Sebum is a waxy, oily liquid that comes from your pores. The amount of sebum your skin produces can determine if your skin is:
- dry
- oily
- normal
- combination
Testing sebum production on a clean face is the most accurate way to determine what kind of skin you have. Follow these steps:
- Wash your face and pat it dry. Wait 30 minutes.
- Gently press oil blotting paper or tissue on your face. Press the paper on different areas of your skin, such as your forehead and nose, cheeks, and chin.
- Hold the sheet to the light to see how transparent the paper is.
| Test results | Skin type |
|---|---|
| No transparency, but with flakes or tight skin | dry |
| Soaked through | oily |
| Different levels of absorption on different areas of the face | combination |
| Not too oily and no flaky skin | normal |
Along with the above skin types, you can also have sensitive skin, which doesn’t follow the sebum criteria. Sensitive skin depends on:
- how fast your skin reacts to product application
- how well your skin protects itself
- how easily your skin turns red
- likelihood of skin allergy