A Guide To The Best Skincare For Combination Skin

WHAT IS THE BEST SKINCARE FOR COMBINATION SKIN?

Combination is a unique skin type that requires personalized care to best support it in remaining healthy-looking and supple. To best understand the products that are right for combination skin, you first need to understand what exactly combination skin is.

WHAT IS COMBINATION SKIN?

Combination skin is that which is a little oily, a little dry and a little normal – all at the same time. Many people who report having combination skin will explain that different areas of their face experience different conditions, thus requiring them to choose products carefully tailored to their specific needs.

Most people who identify themselves as having combination skin will report that they have oily skin in areas like the forehead, nose and chin (often referred to as ‘the T zone’) and the skin on the cheeks and under eye area tends to be dry or normal. It’s also possible for the condition of the skin to fluctuate between seasons, increasing the need for different skin products to treat different areas of the face.

HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOU HAVE COMBINATION SKIN?

Some of the tell-tale signs of combination skin are skin that feels oily in the T zone but dry or normal otherwise, you may see different textures on the skin, and you may experience the appearance of dryness or flakiness on the cheeks but excess oil in other certain areas. It may surprise you to know that combination skin is perfectly normal and actually the most common skin type!

While it may feel overwhelming to think about managing multiple conditions on the skin at once, there are products that have been specially formulated to support combination skin types, ensuring that all the skin’s concerns are being addressed at once. In this article, we’re going to introduce you to our new Glow On skincare line, created specifically for normal/combination skin types.

BEST SKINCARE FOR COMBINATION SKIN: CLEANSING

The first and arguably most important step in any skincare routine is cleansing. Cleansing is so important because you’re looking to remove anything from the skin that can cause clogged pores and negatively affect your skin’s moisture barrier like SPF, makeup and environmental pollutants.

In the Glow On skincare line, we created our first ever oil cleanser for those looking to defend the skin from environmental effects like pollution, who want to remove impurities, wash away SPF and makeup and still feel like their skin is balanced and healthy looking.

We’ve blended this formula to be used as either the first step in a double cleanse routine or as a primary cleanser for normal/combination skin types. Here are some of the key ingredients in the formula to help you achieve your skincare goals:

Parsley seed oil: this oil is rich in vitamin C, a vitamin that healthy-looking skin loves! Parsley seed is brightening, toning, clarifying and nourishing, known to be high in antioxidants and vitamin K, helping to hydrate and support the skin in strengthening its elasticity and creating visible rejuvenation.

Plant-derived squalane: produced from fermented cane sugar, this ingredient helps to provide deep hydration while reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Non-comedogenic and supportive in balancing oil production, squalane provides moisture and helps soften skin’s texture.

Jojoba oil: light, moisturizing and very similar to skin’s natural sebum, jojoba helps to regulate oil production, is high in antioxidants, rinses cleanly from the skin without leaving residue or buildup and helps to nourish and protect.

BEST SKINCARE FOR COMBINATION SKIN: MOISTURIZING

Next, you’ll want to ensure you’re providing the right type of hydration to the skin, no matter what skin type you identify as having. It’s a myth that oily skin doesn’t need to be moisturized, so it’s particularly important to ensure you’re providing the skin with water-based hydration each day if you have both oily and dry patches on the face.

The Glow On product line includes a moisturizer designed to protect against environmental stressors that can cause dryness and that deeply nourishes, protects and supports healthy-looking skin. We recommend moisturizer as part of your morning and nighttime skincare routines for healthy-looking, soft and touchable skin; here are some of the key ingredients that help support proper hydration:

Shea butter: acting as an emollient which works to soften and hydrate the skin, shea butter contains different types of fatty acids that help protect the skin’s moisture barrier and prevent inflammation like dryness and redness.

Oat kernel extract: oats help to protect and replenish the skin’s barrier with rich, restoring and nourishing omega 5 & 6 fatty acids. Oat extract is a non-gluten, non-soy form of ceramides that calm, comfort and reinforce the skin, for skin that is soothed, comforted and deeply hydrated.

Elderberry extract: both the berries and the flowers of this plant are full of antioxidants and vitamins that help to keep the skin calmed and soothed, work to prevent over oil production, reduce clogged pores and provide powerful protection against free radicals and other environmental stressors.

BEST SKINCARE FOR COMBINATION SKIN: FACE OIL

Lastly, as part of a foundational routine for combination skin, we recommend the use of a face oil. Face oil is an important part of a skincare routine as it acts to lock moisture deep in the layers of the skin, supporting soft, supple and hydrated skin from the inside out. Over time, the consistent use of face oil can help even the skin tone, regulate your natural sebum production and provide the radiant glow of happy skin.

The face oil in the Glow On product line is a brightening, fresh, dewy blend of hydrating and protective ingredients designed as the final step in your skincare routine to promote balanced, comforted and supported skin. Some of the key ingredients that make this face oil a staple include:

Raspberry seed oil: a high antioxidant booster that helps fight free radicals, this fruit seed derived carrier oil helps boost collagen and elastin for the appearance of firmer skin and helps to combat sun damage and photoaging effects like fine lines and wrinkles.

Camelina seed oil: a good hydrator for the skin, camelina also provides a gentle texture and a mild effect on the skin, making it suitable for those with a combination skin type. A rich source of vitamin E and omega oils make this a great choice for an anti-aging and pore-decongesting routine.

Argan oil: rich in omega fatty acids, linoleic acids and vitamin E, this skincare superfood will soften dry patches, protect against environmental damage and help smooth the look of fine lines and wrinkles.

BEST SKINCARE FOR COMBINATION SKIN: CLAY FACE MASK

An excellent complementary product to a skincare routine for normal or combination skin is a purifying, detoxifying clay face mask. Known to help clear, brighten, soothe and deeply cleanse the skin, a clay face mask is a simple way to absorb excess oil, unclog pores, clean and refine the skin and regulate sebum production.

Detox Mode is perfect for anytime your skin needs a reset. Smooth on a thin layer to clean, dry skin, leave for 10-15 minutes and rinse with warm water, using 1-2 times per week or as needed.

Bamboo charcoal is lightly exfoliating to dry skin, helping to remove dead skin cells and cleanse impurities and pollution deep in the pores. Kaolin clay helps to absorb excess oil or sebum on the skin while cleansing dirt, oil and grime from the skin’s surface. Essential oils of frankincense and benzoin are included in the formula to calm the complexion and for the natural astringency that can reduce the appearance of pores and fine lines.

TIPS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE BEST SKINCARE FOR COMBINATION SKIN

Because combination skin has a complex makeup and needs to be carefully managed so as to remain healthy-looking and supple, here are a few tips and tricks for your skincare routine:

1. Wash with warm to cool water. Because hot water can both trigger oil production and leave skin feeling tight and parched, it’s important to use cooler water temperatures each time you wash the skin, including when you’re in the shower.
2. Regularly assess your skin and adjust your routine accordingly. You may need to swap your products periodically, especially as you see your skin change seasonally. Ensuring the skin is thoroughly (but gently) cleansed and hydrated according to its changing needs can help it stay balanced.
3. Avoid products with excessive fragrance or other irritants like alcohol. When your skin is irritated, you’ll often see dryness will get drier and oiliness will become oilier. When striving for harmony in the skin, choose ingredients that are as neutral and beneficial as possible while still aiming to tackle your skincare concerns.

— Andre Gide