Skincare Routine by Skin Type: A Simple Guide

How do you find your skin type?

Wash your face with a gentle cleanser, pat it dry and apply nothing for about an hour. Then look at your skin:

• Oily: visible shine across the face, large pores and a tendency to blackheads and spots.
• Dry: a tight feeling, sometimes with light flaking or roughness.
• Combination: shine on the forehead, nose and chin, with dry or normal cheeks.
• Normal: no bothersome shine and no obvious tightness.
• Sensitive: redness, stinging or itching with many products; this can go with any of the types above.

What is a simple morning and evening routine?

Morning: a gentle cleanser, or just lukewarm water if your skin is dry, then moisturiser, then broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher. Evening: cleanse to remove sunscreen and grime, apply your active if you use one, then moisturise.

Pick textures to suit your skin: a gel or light non-comedogenic lotion for oily skin, and a richer cream for dry skin. With combination skin, use a light moisturiser all over and add an extra layer on dry areas. Sensitive skin does best with short-ingredient, fragrance-free products.

Products do not need to be expensive; what matters is that they suit your skin and that you use them consistently. If you wear make-up, remove it properly every evening, and never sleep with sunscreen or make-up still on.

How do you add active ingredients safely?

Actives such as retinoids, exfoliating acids, niacinamide and vitamin C are useful, but introducing them too fast is the most common cause of irritation. Follow these steps:

• Start with one active only, chosen for your goal: spots, pigmentation or signs of ageing.
• Patch-test it first on a small area, such as the side of the neck, for a few days.
• Use it two or three times a week at first, then increase gradually as your skin tolerates it.
• Wait at least 4 to 6 weeks before adding another active or judging the result.
• Use sunscreen every day alongside any active, as many of them make the skin more sensitive to the sun.
• Retinoids and some other actives are not suitable in pregnancy or breastfeeding, so check with your doctor first.

Which common mistakes harm the skin?

Even the best products will not deliver if they come with the wrong habits, and these habits can make spots or sensitivity worse. The most common are:

• Over-washing or using a harsh cleanser, which dries the skin and can trigger more oil.
• Mixing several strong actives at the same time.
• Skipping sunscreen on cloudy days or in the car.
• Daily scrubbing with coarse grains.
• Switching products every week before giving them enough time.
• Copying a viral social media routine that does not suit your skin type.

How should you adjust your routine to the weather?

In offices and homes that are air-conditioned all day, the air is dry and skin loses water faster, even if it is oily. A moisturiser with water-attracting ingredients such as glycerin or hyaluronic acid helps, along with reapplying when needed and not sitting right in front of the AC vent.

In hot, humid coastal weather, as in Dammam and Khobar, oil and sweat increase. Choose a light moisturiser and a gel or fluid sunscreen, reapply sunscreen every two hours when you are in the sun or after heavy sweating, and wash your face after exercise.