Getting to Know Your Combination Skin: Best Skin Care & Makeup Products

It’s time to get to know your skin.

Too often, we look at skincare as black and white. Your skin is either oily or dry, sensitive or normal. However, more often than not your skin is a combination of these!

If your skin has both oily areas prone to breakouts and dry patches, you likely have combination skin. Read on to learn more about this skin type and the best products and skincare routine to help you get glowing skin all over.

The Lowdown on Combination Skin

So, what is a combination skin type? It’s essentially as it sounds—when you have both oily and dry areas on your face.

More specifically, the experts at Cosmopolitan explain that this skin type is often characterized by an oily T-zone and dry cheeks. Combination skin is often a result of hormones, or environmental factors (like the seasons) that causes the sebaceous glands on your T-zone to increase oil production. Meanwhile, other areas of your face remain dry.

Essentially, your skin is both oily and dehydrated and it may feel more oily in the summer and dry in the winter. While you try to combat the excessive oil, you could also be making your dry skin worse.

If you think you have combination skin, you’re not alone. An estimated 60% of people have combination skin to some extent.

How to Tell if You Have Combination Skin

There’s an easy way to tell if you have combination skin. Along with looking for these signs, you can also do a quick test with your skin. Simply cleanse your face with a gentle face wash and pat it dry with a clean towel.

Then, wait 20 minutes and see how your skin feels and looks. If your nose, brow, and chin are greasy and the pores are more visible, this is a sign of oily skin. Meanwhile, your cheeks may feel dry or tight. You can even use blotting paper to see where your skin is producing excess oil if you’re not sure.

Skincare Secrets for Combination Skin

We know how challenging it can be trying to find the right products to care for your skin when it’s both oily and dry. That’s why we’ve put together some of the best ingredients, products, and makeup that can help your combination skin.

Looking for more tips to perfect your combination skin? Cosmopolitan does a great deep dive into combination skin with dermatologist Dr. Mary Sommerlad as she discusses the best ingredients and what to look for in skincare products.

Best Ingredients for Combination Skin

The beauty experts at Byrdie explain that treating combination skin is all about removing excess oil without drying out your skin and then giving your face an extra dose of hydration.

You’ll want to avoid any ingredients that can dry out your face, so it’s best to opt for gentle ingredients that can hydrate your skin, such as:

Vitamin C: According to Healthline, Vitamin C is great for all skin types (including sensitive skin) because it provides hydration and can even your skin tone.

Hyaluronic Acid: Promotes healthy, hydrated skin and also reduces the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and redness.

Salicylic Acid: Is a great ingredient for getting rid of pesky pimples quickly. However, it can also dry your skin out so you may want to use it sparingly if you have dry combination skin.

Best Cleanser for Combination Skin

Not all cleansers work best for combination skin. You’ll want to find a gentle face wash that unclogs your pores and removes excess oil while hydrating your skin. For instance, a cleanser with salicylic acid is great for gently exfoliating all over.

Overall, look for a cleanser that removes oil without stripping the skin of its protective barrier, which can cause your skin to be more oily and dry.

Best Moisturizer for Combination Skin

After you cleanse, you should always moisturize your skin. Opt for an oil-free moisturizer that’s water-based instead to deliver intense hydration without leaving your skin feeling greasy.

Best Foundation for Combination Skin

We know that finding the best foundation for combination skin can be a challenge. You don’t want something that will clog your pores but you also want to hydrate your dry skin so it doesn’t appear flakey.

Byrdie recommends finding a lightweight foundation that provides a matte finish. Liquid powder foundations are often the happy medium between a heavy liquid and a dry powder that your skin needs.

Give Your Combo Skin Some TLC

Ready to give your combination skin some extra love and care? Try some of these Patchology products packed with the best ingredients for your skin type:

The Illuminate sheet mask is packed with Vitamin C to help stimulate the production of collagen and get your glow on.

Our Hydrate sheet mask showcases hyaluronic acid to hydrate your skin and improve elasticity.

In as little as five minutes, you can give your combination skin the extra boost of hydration it needs! Explore more of our skincare favorites for all skin types today.