10 Simple Ways to Protect Combination Skin

People with combination skin have a unique skin tone which requires a custom regime that will enhance the skin’s health and glow. You may feel it is difficult to figure out, but the truth is, it is quite easy to get a glowing and healthy skin for people with combination skin, if certain easy steps are followed diligently!

What Is Combination Skin?

Combination skin is a mix of two types of skin on your face – dry and oily. If you have an oily T-zone – the zone entailing your forehead, nose and chin – but dry, flaky skin on the rest of your face (especially around the eye), then you probably have a combination skin. You may also have an uneven tone, with larger pores on the nose.

What Causes Combination Skin?

Like most of our physical characteristics, skin tone, too, is dependent on heredity. It is all about the probability of your dominant and recessive genes. The T-zone would have over-active oil glands, making it more vulnerable to the pores clogging, while the cheeks would have lesser-active oil glands, making it dry. Hormones, too, are responsible.

In some cases, not following the required skincare routine for combination skin can promote the oil glands in the nose, chin and forehead, and inhibit the oil glands in the cheeks. That is why it gets necessary to follow a well-carved and documented skin care regimen for combination skin.

Problems That Arise With Combination Skin Type

One of the associated problems that arise with this type of skin is that it is difficult to look for products that actually suit your skin. Skin care products for combination skin should be such that it does not dry out the cheeks, or over-moisturize the T-zone area. Sounds tricky? We're here to help.

Common problems with this type of skin are – excessively oily and shiny T-zone, clogged pores and/or large pores on the nose, forehead and chin, extremely dry and flaky cheeks, and area surrounding the eyes and lips, and breakouts.

Also Read : Clogged Pores - Causes, Tips and Natural Remedies

While combination skin care products may be less available, it is not that impossible a task to look after it. A few lifestyles and skin care choices, and your skin will glow with a healthy shine.

Lifestyle Factors Which Can Protect Combination Skin

Before we start looking for products and remedies for our problems, it's always important to look inside and make sure we're doing to the best to nourish our body and skin from within. Lifestyle plays a big role in what shows up on the outside of the skin. Here are some of the things you should be doing.

1. Exercise Regularly

Exercise is crucial to a healthy living, in general. Regularly sweating it out helps to keep the hormones in balance. Sweating also means flushing out impurities from inside the body, and unclogging the pores on your skin. Since, combination skin type prone to clogged pores, this is a good way of dealing with it.

2. Drink Plenty Of Water

It goes without saying, you must also take the adequate amount of water that actually helps the flushing out of the impurities from the body, and keeps your body hydrated. Without proper hydration, the skin will wear itself out.

3. Use Natural Product

Store-bought products often have chemicals ingredients that may do more harm to your skin than good, eventually. Some of them promise and may even look like they're giving you quicker results, but the healthiest and best skin care routine for combination skin is actually all about going natural. It enhances the health of your skin, and with time, gives off better results than the chemical-based products, without the side-effects.

4. Manage Stress

Excessive stress is extremely disruptive for your skin and health. It causes an imbalance in the hormones, impacting the dryness and the oiliness of the skin. It either stimulates the oil glands excessively or inhibits their function, furthering the problems associated with combination skin. Completely doing away with stress may be impossible. Try managing it with exercise, with meditation and by keeping your lifestyle balanced.

Also Read : How to Reduce Stress - Simple Ways to Overcome Stress in Life

Skin Care Routine For Combination Skin

Once you've taken care of your skin's nourishment from the inside, which is a vital part to the best skin care routine for combination skin, let's go through some of the easy steps to take care of it from the outside.

1. Use Natural Cleansers

As everyone is realizing sooner or later, chemical-based cleaners may help to unclog pores, but they also damage the skin in other ways. Alcohol-based cleansers may dry out your cheeks and area around the eyes excessively. Ones with fragrance are to be avoided, as they may react differently with a different part of your skin. The safest option as a part of skin care routine for sensitive combination skin is to go for a cleanser that is natural. To make a natural cleaner at home

1. Add in 3 tablespoon honey
2. ½ a cup of vegetable glycerin
3. 2 tablespoon of liquid castile soap
4. Mix well, and massage it on your face for about 30-60 seconds
5. Wash it off with water

Do make sure you clean your face twice a day – in the morning, and at night. Do not go to bed with your make-up on, as it is extremely damaging for your skin, and may lead to reactions, or breakouts.

2. Avoid These Irritating Toners

Skin care regimen for combination skin should include toners, but try to avoid the ones with alcohol, witch-hazel, menthol, fragrances or citric oils. These will cause irritations to the skin. Instead go for toners that are water-based, anti-inflammatory and have anti-oxidants. Some toners to consider are the ones with a base of beta hydroxy acid (BHA) like salicylic acid, or alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) like glycolic acid.

3. Moisturize Before Going To Bed

Before going to bed, use a light moisturizer that specifies itself as part of skin care products for combination skin. It should be able to moisturize your dry skin areas and control the oil in your T-zone. Usually, a gel-based or gel-cream based moisturizer is recommended.

1. For a homemade moisturizer
2. Mix in 1 tablespoon green tea water
3. 1 teaspoon glycerin and 1 tablespoon Vitamin E oil
4. After washing your face, apply a thin layer of this on your skin and leave it on.

It is also advised to moisturize your skin from inside, consuming food rich in healthy fatty acids like almonds, walnuts, etc.

4. Exfoliate Regularly

Exfoliation is vital in order to follow the best skin care routine for combination skin. It unclogs the pores and removes black-heads, whiteheads and dead skin cells. The open pores help the skin to absorb the nutrients of the moisturizers and face masks. Washing it off with cold water helps to seal the pores. However, you must be very gentle with this regime. Excessive scrubbing on the dry skin can wear it off, while scrubbing for a longer time in the T-zone area may over-stimulate the oil glands. It is always safer and much better to use home remedies.

Steps To Follow

1. Mix in 2 tablespoons brown sugar
2. 1 tablespoon finely ground coffee
3. 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 1 teaspoon honey
4. Use this mixture to scrub your skin for about a minute, before washing it off with water.

Skincare Routine For Sensitive Combination Skin

1. Combine 1 cup brown sugar
2. 1 cup oatmeal and ½ a cup honey
3. Use this to scrub for 30-60 seconds, before washing it off.

5. Use Face Mask

Face masks are an important part of the routine. Wearing a face mask twice a week helps to remove impurities off the face, add in healthy nutrients to the skin, and adds a glow to it. It keeps the oil secretion in balance, throughout your face. Combination skin care products like the store-bought face masks work well, but you never know for sure what ingredients go into making them. If you have sensitive skin, it is an added disadvantage. However, you can easily make a mask at home by following below steps.

1. 1 banana and ½ a papaya
2. 2 carrots and 1 cup of honey
3. Blend it into a fine paste
4. Wear it as a mask for 20 minutes and wash it off.

Alternatively,

1. Mix in 1 tablespoon yogurt and 1 teaspoon lemon juice
2. 1-2 drops of lemon essential oil
3. Apply this on the face and neck
4. Let it sit for 10 minutes, before washing it off.

Also Read : Master the Skill of Using Face Masks for a Radiant Skin

6. Protect Skin From Too Much Sun Exposure

Protect your skin from the damaging UV rays of the Sun daily, irrespective of the season. Go for a sunscreen which is light and has an SPF of 30 or more. This helps to prevent wrinkles, fine lines, premature aging of the skin, sunspot and discolouration. If you have a sensitive skin, look for ingredients like titanium dioxide or zinc oxide in your sunscreen. Additionally, dry wearing hats, and scarves during summers when there is extreme heat.

These are a few guidelines for the skin care regimen for a combination skin. Before using a new product or a home remedy, always try it on a small patch of skin to check for irritation or allergy, before using it on your face and neck or a wider area. Be regular with your regime, nourish your skin from both within and outside, and remain blessed with its health and beauty!

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