You’ve likely asked yourself a lot of times – what type of skin do I have? And why do you have breakouts and other skin challenges whereas others don’t have? This comprehensive guide will answer all that for you.
Your Product and Your Skin
The products you use and your skincare routines depend on knowing the type of your skin. It means you get to buy the right skincare products at the right time, and, also, get the best treatment for your skin.
It also helps you determine the best skin hacks – tips that have immensely helped people with your skin type – to further bring the glow and suppleness out of your skin. But, unfortunately, the process of determining the category your skin falls into is not as easy as you may think.
At the end of this short guide, you’ll be able to understand not only the various skin types we have but also the best ingredients that you need to look for in your skincare products.
What Type of Skin Do I Have – The Baumann Skin Types
The first step to discovering your skin type is to look at the 16 Baumann Skin Types and see where your skin lies. They are
OSPW (Oily, Sensitive, Pigmented, and Wrinkled)
This type of skin always experience acne breakouts, flushing or facial redness, and susceptible to irritation and skin rashes. This type of skin also has a higher chance to wrinkle due to a lifestyle (smoking and accumulated sun exposure).
OSPT (Oily, Sensitive, Pigmented, and Tight)
People with this skin type always experience acne breakouts, a constant irritation and skin rashes, and frequent occurrence of dark patches like freckles and melisma. However, the increased skin pigmentation lowers the tendency of this skin type to wrinkle.
OSNW (Oily, Sensitive, Non-pigmented, and Wrinkled)
Oily, Sensitive, Non-pigmented and wrinkled skins often have constant acne breakouts, flushing and facial redness, irritation, and skin rashes, and also has a high chance to wrinkle due to past or current lifestyle.
OSNT (Oily, Sensitive, Non-pigmented, and Tight)
This skin is known for skin rashes and irritation, flushing and facial redness, and acne breakout. The merits of this skin type are that it will get easier as you get older and it has a lower tendency to wrinkle.
ORPW (Oily, Resistant, Pigmented, and Wrinkled)
This type of skin rarely suffers from skin rashes, facial redness, or acne breakout. But, people with this type of skin usually experience freckles and melisma. And the less protective layer of the skin makes it likely to wrinkle.
ORPT (Oily, Resistant, Pigmented, and Tight)
Skin rarely suffers from skin rashes, facial redness, and acne breakout. But dark patches like freckles and melisma frequently occur. The increased skin pigmentation increases the resistance of the skin to wrinkles – better than any other skin type.
ORNW (Oily, Resistant, Non-pigmented, and Wrinkled)
This skin type suffers from skin rashes, facial redness, and constant acne breakouts. The less protective skin pigment also increases its chance to wrinkle. However, products with a higher concentration of active ingredients can further help you to manage your skin efficiently.
ORNT (Oily, Resistant, Non-pigmented, and Tight)
People with this skin type rarely suffer from facial redness and acne breakouts. It has a lower chance of wrinkling and also gets easier as you get older if you maintain a healthy lifestyle.
DSPW (Dry, Sensitive, Pigmented, and Wrinkled)
People with this type of skin usually experience flushing and facial redness and/or acne breakouts. Skin irritation and darkening often follow the sensitivity. The weak protective barrier of this skin also makes it susceptible to dehydration and skin rashes, hence, you’re likely to have dark spots. Worst still, your skin is likely to wrinkle
DSPT (Dry, Sensitive, Pigmented, and Tight)
People with this type of skin usually experience irritation and skin rashes, and frequent acne breakouts. The weak skin barrier also makes it susceptible to dehydration and skin rashes. Prolonged exposure to the sunlight may develop dark patches. But the good news is that you have a lower tendency to wrinkle because of the increased skin pigmentation.
DSNW (Dry, Sensitive, Non-pigmented, and Wrinkled)
People with this skin type often experience flushing and facial redness, irritation or irritation and frequent skin rashes, and constant acne breakouts. The skin has less protective pigmentation. Hence, it is likely to wrinkle.
DSNT (Dry, Sensitive, Non-pigmented, and Tight)
People with this skin type often experience irritation and frequent skin rashes, or flushing, facial redness, and acne breakouts. The weak protective barrier of the skin makes it susceptible to dehydration and rashes. However, it does have a lower tendency to wrinkle.
DRPW (Dry, Resistant, Pigmented, and Wrinkled)
People with this skin type rarely usually experience facial redness, acne breakout, or skin rashes. However, dark patches like freckles and melisma often occur. But despite the strong protective barrier, this skin type does have a high tendency to wrinkle. So, be careful with prolonged exposure to sunlight and don’t or stop smoking.
DRPT (Dry, Resistant, Pigmented, and Tight)
People with this skin type rarely suffer from skin rashes, facial redness, or acne breakout. However, the firm protective barrier lowers the tendency to wrinkle.
DRNW (Dry, Resistant, Non-pigmented, and Wrinkled)
People with this type of skin rarely suffers from skin rashes, facial redness, or acne breakouts. But it is highly susceptible to wrinkle due to its less protective skin pigmentation.
DRNT (Dry, Resistant, Non-pigmented, and Tight)
People with this skin type rarely suffers from skin rashes, facial redness, or acne breakout. The skin has higher concentrations of active ingredients and a strong protective barrier.
What Type of Skin Do I Have and The Best Ingredient For Me (Still The Baumann Skin Type)
Dry or Oily Skin
The amount of sebum secreted by the skin and the state of the skin’s stratum corneum determine if the skin is dry or oily. Dry skin is usually determined by the tightness, dull color, and rough texture, whereas an oily skin has an increased sebum secretion, resulting in acne.
Sensitive or Resistant
The presence of inflammation is the primary determinant of resistant or sensitive skin. When the stratum corneum is impaired, sensitive skin is the result.
A sensitive skin readily reacts to skincare products with acne, burning, stinging, and redness inflammation. But a resistant skin has its stratum corneum intact, which means it can shield the skin from absorbing irritating ingredients. Hence, a resistant skin shows little or no negative signs to almost all skincare products.
If you have a dry skin, make sure you have skin soothing and moisture-retaining ingredients like green tea, carrier oils (evening primrose, borage seed oil, sunflower seed oil, or cranberry seed oil), butter (shea butter, jojoba butter, or cocoa butter), antioxidants, and humectants (glycerin). Stay clear of essential oils in large quantity and drying ingredients, like alcohol.
For oily skin, try to avoid high comedogenic ingredients like coconut oil, cocoa butter, and use ingredients like shea butter. Because of the high probability of acne breakout, you should have retinol, benzoyl peroxide, and/or salicylic acid in your product formulation.
The 4 Subtypes of a Sensitive Skin
- Allergic – Develops flaking, itching, and redness
- Stinging – Develops burning and stinging of the skin
- Rosacea – Usually experience hot sensation, redness, and flushing
- Acne – Develops flaking of the skin, itching, and redness
You should always conduct a patch test on any skincare products before using them if you have sensitive skin. And use products containing shea butter, honey, oatmeal, and calendula extract.
Pigmented or Non-pigmented
The pigmented and non-pigmented skin attribute is measured by the skin’s ability to form unwanted pigments. This can be caused by injury in the form of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, or caused by the sun (solar lentigines, melisma, and freckles).
Avoiding the sun should be the first remedy to a pigmented skin. And using products formulated with glycolic acid, azelaic acid, retinoids, and alpha arbutin will get rid of a pigmented skin condition.
The good news is that the use of proper skincare ingredients and living a healthy lifestyle can prevent most pigmentation.
Wrinkle-prone or Tight
Lifestyle habits, ethnicity, and age determines if the skin is tight or wrinkle-prone. Sun and smoking are the primary cause of skin aging, damaging the elastin and collagen. However, there is still a genetic component that determines wrinkle-prone or tight skin.
People that are likely to wrinkle should have a potent moisturizer with hyaluronic acid. Vitamin c, retinol, grape seed extract, tea extract, and niacinamide.
I believe you now have your answer to the pressing question – what type of skin do I have. Feel free to drop your comments below if you find this guide helpful. Thanks for reading
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