How to Identify Your Skin Type at Home (No Dermatologist Needed)

🧼 Step 1: Start With a Fresh, Clean Face

First thing's first: Wash your face.

Use a gentle cleanser — nothing too fancy, just something that won’t mess with your skin barrier. A fragrance-free, creamy cleanser is perfect. (You can grab a popular one here if you don’t already have one.)

After cleansing, pat your face dry and… wait. Yep. No toner. No moisturizer. No serum. Just chill for about an hour.

Why? Because you want to see how your skin behaves naturally without any product interference.

📄 Step 2: Do the Tissue Test (aka Blotting Paper Hack)

After about an hour, take a piece of tissue paper or blotting sheet (if you have some lying around). Gently press it onto these areas:

• Forehead

• Nose

• Cheeks

• Chin

Hold it up to the light and look for oil spots.

Here's what it probably means:

Tissue Result Your Skin Type

No oil at all Dry

Oil only on nose/forehead Combination

Oil everywhere Oily

Minimal oil, feels soft Normal

Redness or irritation Sensitive

🔎 Step 3: Match Your Skin Type With These Signs

Let’s break down the signs even further. You might laugh because honestly, we’ve all been there.

💧 DRY SKIN

Your face feels like it’s wearing a tight sweater. It’s flaky, itchy, and you feel like you could dip your cheeks in lotion.

Other signs:

• Dull or rough texture

• Makeup looks patchy

• Loves thick moisturizers (finally, something!)

What helps: Look for rich moisturizers, hydrating serums, and gentle cleansers that don’t strip. Products with hyaluronic acid and ceramides are your BFFs.

Check out this dry skin must-have here.

✨ OILY SKIN

You know you’ve got oily skin if your forehead is so shiny it could double as a mirror by noon. 😅

Other signs:

• Enlarged pores

• Acne-prone

• You go through blotting sheets like tissues

What helps: Use oil-free gel moisturizers, foaming cleansers, and clay masks. Ingredients like niacinamide and salicylic acid are gold for you.

You’ll love this oil-control moisturizer — see it here.

🌗 COMBINATION SKIN

This is like having two roommates who can’t agree on anything. One part of your face is oily, the other is dry or normal.

Other signs:

• Shiny T-zone (forehead, nose, chin)

• Dry cheeks or jawline

• Breakouts and dry patches? Both? Yep.

What helps: A lightweight moisturizer that hydrates without feeling greasy, and possibly even using different products for different areas. (Yes, multi-masking is a thing!)

This balancing toner is worth trying if you’re combo-skinned — grab it here.

😌 NORMAL SKIN

Your skin’s just chillin’. You don’t get too oily, you’re not flaking, and you rarely break out unless something wild is going on.

Other signs:

• Balanced moisture levels

• Small pores

• Barely any reaction to products

What helps: Keep it simple. A gentle cleanser, basic moisturizer, and SPF are all you really need. Don’t mess with it too much!

Try this everyday moisturizer — it’s a solid pick for normal skin.

🔥 SENSITIVE SKIN

If your skin throws a tantrum every time you try something new, it’s probably sensitive. You might get red, itchy, or feel burning — even if the product “works for everyone else.”

Other signs:

• Redness

• Dry patches

• Stings when applying products

What helps: Stick to fragrance-free, alcohol-free, and hypoallergenic products. Think oatmeal, aloe, and ceramides. No drama, just comfort.

This calming cleanser is loved by sensitive-skinned users — view it here.

🧴 Bonus: U.S. Climate Can Mess With Your Skin Type (Here’s How)

In the U.S., weather can mess with your skin more than you think:

• Humid states (like Florida or Louisiana): Even dry skin might feel oily.

• Cold, dry states (like Minnesota or Colorado): Oily skin can feel tight.

• Desert zones (hi, Arizona): Hydration is key, no matter your type.

• City pollution (NYC, LA): Double cleanse, baby.

So don’t be surprised if your skin shifts seasonally. It’s normal. Retake the test every few months!

💡 Final Thoughts: Now You Know What Your Skin Wants

Congrats — you’ve officially graduated from the Skincare Guessing Game. 🎓

Knowing your skin type helps you:

• Stop wasting money on the wrong products

• Build a routine that actually works

• Get better results in less time

  we’ve linked a few top-rated options for each skin type above. These are super easy to order online and they ship fast. Your glowing skin is just a few steps away.