It’s exactly how it sounds – your skin tends to be dry in certain areas (usually cheeks) and oily elsewhere (the “T” zone – forehead, nose, chin). It can be challenging and confusing to establish a skin-care routine that addresses both issues. You need hydration, but not too much – you need oil control without stripping. It’s a balancing act, but far from impossible to achieve. We’re sharing a few tips on how to care for combination skin and create a routine that works for you.
1: Cleanse Gently
Morning and evening, cleanse with a gentle cleanser to remove surface debris, excess oils and dead skin cells. (Hint: Try our lotion based Green Tea Cleanser for gentle cleanser that won’t over-dry and is easy on sensitive skin). A double cleanse is beneficial to thoroughly remove makeup and keep pores free from buildup.
2. Apply Toner
After cleansing, using a toner helps restore your skin’s pH level while removing any residual skin debris. Make sure your toner is non-alcohol based and gentle enough to help hydrate dry skin and minimize oil at the same time, like Euro Clinicals Hydrating Marine Toner. Euro Botanicals Aloe Salicylic Toner is a gentle buffered formulation that targets blemish prone skin and refreshes your complexion.
3. Moisturize
Combination skin isn’t an excuse to skip your moisturizer. All skin types need hydration. A lightweight formula like Marine Hydration Crème is a good choice. Layer it over a hydrating serum on the drier areas of your face (like Evening Primrose Oil, or Skin Balance Facial Oil).
4. Protect
SPF is non-negotiable — regardless of your skin typ. A broad-spectrum sunscreen is essential to protect skin from the sun’s harmful UV rays, even on cloudy days. For combination skin, try using our Raw Elements tinted SPF moisturizing SPF for hydration and sun protection.
Other Combo Skin Care Tips
The 4 steps outlined above are the baseline for a daily combination skincare routine. But there’s more. . .
Avoid Harsh Soaps
Soaps that contain ingredients that can strip your skin of moisture trick your skin into thinking it’s dry, which leads to hypersecretion of oil. So, in addition to skin irritation, they exacerbate your skin concerns.
Exfoliate Regularly, but Don’t Overdo
Exfoliation is key to remove dead surface skin cells and help smooth and clarify skin tone and texture. How often you exfoliate depends on your individual skin type and condition. No matter your skin type, you’ll want to avoid over-exfoliating as it can irritate your face. When in doubt, tread lightly and start by trying it once a week and slowly building up to two-to-three times per week, as tolerated. Euro Clinicals Enzyme Peeling Crème is a gentle exfoliator, as is our Pineapple Exfoliating Gel. If your skin is not sensitive, Pumpkin Enzyme Peel is delightful for the season!
Multi Mask
One of the fun aspects of combination skin is being able to multi-mask. Multi-masking uses a targeted approach by allowing you to customize the mask you use on different areas of your face. For instance, it may be best to apply an oil-absorbing clay mask like the Euro Botanicals Herbal Mask to the T-zone and a hydrating face mask, like Moor Multi Fruit Mask, on your cheeks.
Resist the Urge
Would you be surprised how often your hands get up in your face without you even thinking about it? Hands carry germs (and in this pandemic time, there’s even more reason to keep your hands away from your face). Resist the urge to rub your eyes, scratch your face – and most important - don’t pick at any blemishes.