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Dry or oily? That is the question! Many women don't realize how important that question is until their makeup is either running down their face or causing severe breakouts. Genetics plays a role in how much oil your skin produces. So does how much stress you are under and your diet. Oil amounts often dictate which skincare products are best to use for your skin. When in doubt, perform a simple test to determine if your skin is oily or dry and in need of some TLC.
1.
Wash your face with your usual facial cleanser. Give your face a lukewarm water rinse after washing and pat your skin dry with a towel. Pat -- don't rub! The skin of your face is tender.
2.
Press a piece of rice paper against one of your cheeks, leaving it there for about 10 seconds before removing it. Did any facial oils transfer to the rice paper? If so, your skin is probably oily. If not, you may have dry skin.
3.
Perform another test before settling on a skin type. Press a second piece of rice paper against your forehead and another onto the bridge of your nose. Hold for 10 seconds, and then remove. Is there any oil on the rice paper?
4.
Review the results of your simple skin type test to determine if you have an oily or dry complexion. No oil from your cheeks, forehead or nose on the rice paper means that you have normal skin. If the rice paper contains oil after pressing it against the cheeks, forehead and nose -- you guessed it! You have oily skin.
5.
Examine your skin. Is it often red or dull in appearance? No oil on the rice paper may also mean that you have dry skin. Unlike normal skin, dry skin is often itchy and does not tolerate extreme temperature changes or severe weather.
There is also a third consideration when it comes to skin types -- combination skin. The forehead and nose are your T-zone. An oily T-zone combined with dry cheeks means that you have combination skin -- oily and dry!
Don't perform the test if there is makeup on your face or if you just finished a workout. Start with fresh, morning skin.
