Sometimes, getting two for one can be a bit of a headache. A complexion that is both oily and dry can be confusing to treat, especially on those days when your combination skin is either excessively oily, excessively dry, or –more likely– both.
Fear not! This article will answer all your questions about what combination skin is, what causes it, what ingredients combination skin should and shouldn’t use, and how to build the ideal skincare routine for combination skin.
IN A NUTSHELL
Main Takeaways: Having combination skin means that you need a unique routine that addresses your dry areas and your oily areas without making the other worse. It’s best to focus on hydrating ingredients that will also help to balance your natural oils, such as squalane and hyaluronic acid.
Good to Know: It’s okay to use skincare products on only certain parts of your face. For example– if your t-zone is super oily, you can apply a detox mask on that part of your complexion and use a face oil to treat your dry areas.
Recommended Products: So Clean! Facial Cleanser, Rose and Shine Rose Water Toner, Just Dew It Hydrating Serum, Eyes Eyes Baby Anti-Aging Eye Cream, H2 Oh Yeah Hydrating Moisturizer, and Prince Charcoal Detox Mask.
What Is Combination Skin?
Combination skin means that the skin on your face is both oily and dry. Typically, those with combination skin have an oily T-Zone (meaning the forehead, nose, and chin), while the rest of their face is dry.
What Causes Combination Skin?
The cause of combination skin is a result of sebum production in your skin. Environmental factors, such as humidity and heat, can cause sebum (oil) in your skin to overproduce in certain areas. There are a myriad of other factors, including stress, hormones, pregnancy, medications, birth control, sun, or simply your DNA.
While pinpointing the source can be difficult, treating it is not. When you treat the right part of your skin the right way, you can have well-balanced, healthy skin.
Best Ingredients for Combination Skin
Aloe vera – Aside from its soothing properties, aloe vera is great for hydrating both oily and dry skin.
Glycolic acid – This superstar ingredient is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) that will gently exfoliate your skin and boost collagen production, leading to smoother, more radiant skin.
Jojoba oil – Full of antioxidants, jojoba oil will both balance oils in your skin and hydrate it.
Squalane – Squalane balances the oils in your skin while making it soft and smooth.
Clary sage – Another botanical ingredient that purifies and balances the skin’s oils.
What’s a Good Combination Skin Routine?
One of the keys to a good skin care routine for combination skin is finding balance. Those with combination skin need to balance both an over- and underproduction of sebum in their skin. Thankfully, there are some great skincare ingredients that will do just that, as discussed above.
Here is how to incorporate them into your skincare routine:
1. Clean your skin. Our So Clean! Facial Cleanser is full of botanically-sourced antioxidants, has an aloe vera base, and is made for all skin types. It will help purify your skin without drying it out. If you find that your T-zone is especially oily, spend a little more time cleansing that area and be sure to rinse your skin thoroughly.
2. Exfoliate. Exfoliating regularly serves both your excessively oily skin and the dry, flaky areas. Using a gentle exfoliant 2-3 times a week helps unclog pores while removing build up of dead skin cells. Glycolic acid is a great AHA to incorporate into your skincare routine, as it is gentle on the skin. Exfoliating prepares your skin for any other products you apply, such as serums and moisturizers, allowing them to absorb properly.
3. Use a toner. A toner like our Rose and Shine Rose Water Toner is perfect for combination skin, because it will help balance the oily parts of your skin while hydrating the dry parts.
4. Use a hydrating serum. Just Dew It Hydrating Serum treats both dry and dehydrated skin. Dry skin lacks oil, while dehydrated skin lacks water. This serum contains a healthy dose of aloe vera, jojoba oil and squalane. It also includes hyaluronic acid, a super-hydrating ingredient that will help balance your skin.
5. Use eye cream. Even if you have wildly oily skin on your T-Zone, your eye area always needs a little extra hydration, which is why you should always use an eye cream. Eyes Eyes Baby Eye Cream will work to diminish the appearance of fine lines and puffiness, powered by squalane, caffeine and hyaluronic acid.
6. Hydrate your skin. As we mentioned earlier, focus on hydrating ingredients that will help balance your natural oils, like squalane and hyaluronic acid. Our H2 Oh Yeah Hydrating Moisturizer contains both ingredients, working to add much needed hydration while keeping your skin nourished.
7. Draw out impurities with a mask. We formulated our Prince Charcoal Detox Mask with glycolic acid to help draw out impurities and detoxify, as well add nourishment to your skin, leaving it feeling silky smooth. Treat your skin 1-3 times a week with a detox mask to help balance any excess oils in your skin. You can also personalize your treatment by focusing on the oily areas with a detox mask and applying a facial oil to the dry areas.
8. End with sunscreen. Sunscreen should always be the last step of your skincare routine during the day, even in winter. This is especially important if you’ve exfoliated, as it can make your skin photosensitive.
And remember—combination skin is all about balance, so trust your gut when it comes to taking care of your skin. Your skin can change from day to day, season to season, so you may need to treat each area of your skin differently depending on your environment. Combination skin tends to be drier in colder months and dry environments, and more oily in warm months and humid environments.
Ingredients Combination Skin Should Avoid
As important as it is to know what ingredients to look for in skin care, it’s just as important to know what ingredients to avoid. Here is a short list of ingredients you should completely avoid when deciding what skin care to use:
Parabens – Studies have shown that parabens (chemicals used to prolong shelf life) can disrupt hormones and cause skin irritation, amongst other not-so-great side effects. While preservatives are necessary to keep your skincare products from spoiling, parabens are completely unnecessary and should be avoided no matter what your skin type.
Fragrances – Synthetic fragrances also do not do your body good and could potentially cause poor reactions in your skin. Stick with natural, botanically-derived scents, rather than chemical-based synthetic fragrances.
Mineral Oil – Known to easily clog your pores, mineral oil is a definite no-go for anyone with combination skin.
How Do I Know if I Have Combination Skin?
People with combination skin generally experience both issues—shiny, oily skin on the T-Zone, and dry, flaky skin that tends to appear on the cheeks, the jawline, and near the eyes. If this sounds like you, you have combination skin.
What’s the Difference Between Dry Skin, Oily Skin, and Combination Skin?
Dry skin generally produces much less sebum, which is why it often looks flaky and dull. People with dry skin can often experience discomfort, almost like wearing a glove that’s too tight. That said, dry skin can often be caused by environmental factors like not drinking enough water or being in cold weather.
Oily skin generally produces excess sebum. Sebum moisturizes your skin naturally, but producing too much of it often causes breakouts, clogged pores, and a bit-too-shiny complexion.
Combination skin is skin that is both dry and oily. Generally, the oily skin is found on the T-Zone, while the dry skin is everywhere else.
Frequently Asked Questions About Combination Skin
When to moisturize combination skin?
Moisturizing for combination skin can be tricky, as you need to be sure to moisturize the dry areas without adding excess oil to the oily areas– and yes, even oily skin needs moisturizer! The best solution is a moisturizer that includes hyaluronic acid and squalane to balance the skin, such as H2 Oh Yeah Hydrating Moisturizer. It is best to moisturize both morning and evening.
Can combination skin use face oil?
Yes, combo skin can use face oil, but should be careful about what kind you use. Jojoba oil and grapeseed oil won’t add excess sebum to the oily parts of your skin and will moisturize the dry areas of your skin. Avoid anything with mineral oil, as it will clog your pores.
Can I use a detox mask on combination skin?
Absolutely! The trick, again, is finding one that works with all skin types, so it isn’t harsh for the dry areas of your face. Not to toot our own horn, but our Prince Charcoal mask is ideal for all skin types, as it both detoxifies and nourishes the skin.
Do combination skins need eye cream?
Absolutely! Quite honestly, anyone over the age of 20 needs eye cream to help minimize fine lines and wrinkles; that’s why we formulated Eyes Eyes Baby for all skin types!
Again, the key to caring for combination skin is to focus on using products that will balance your skin; pay attention to how your skin may be behaving day-to-day and treat it accordingly.
