Skin Conditions or Skin Type?

Many first time Everly Grace Beauty clients ask about their skin type in an initial assessment or they'll tell us what kind of skin they think they have and what's required for that skin type.  For example, a client recently explained "I have always had oily skin, so I don't think I need a moisturizer, my skin is oily enough" or another client said "The dry climate here in Utah makes my skin really dry, so I must have dry skin."

The skin product manufactures don't help this either - you'll see labels that read "for normal skin" or "for combination skin" or "best solution for very dry skin".  Ever since we walked down the grocery or department store aisle to buy our first acne products as a teenager (think Clearasil, Noxema, Clean and Clear), the industry has taught us to associate a skin type with a skin care product.  Even some brands claim to be best for certain skin types. 

So.. what's a skin type after all?

(from heyday.com) Your “skin type” is the genetic structure of your skin as determined by your pore size and unique pattern of oil production. There are five types: Normal, Oily, Dry, Combination, and Sensitive. It is genetic and does not technically change. It can, but that’s why we encourage you not to hang on skin type as the only thing when thinking about what your skin needs.

And how is skin type different from skin condition?

(from heyday.com) Your “skin condition” is what your skin looks/feels like in the present moment considering factors such as weather, lifestyle, travel, diet, stress, pollution, and response to skincare products. This is mainly how we determine the overall health/progress of your skin, by recording how your skin condition progresses and changes from one facial to the next.

Still confused? We're here to help.

To simplify things a bit further, your skin type is usually the same, but your skin condition is ever changing based on a variety of factors. At EG Beauty, it's our job to make sure your skin type and skin condition are in perfect harmony after a facial and every day in your home care routine. We want you to have the tools to create balance on your own. 

Here are some common skin conditions we see at Everly Grace:

Dehydration: This is the most common skin condition we see, especially living in such a dry climate. When skin is dry it lacks the healthy glow and sometimes will overproduce oil to compensate. It's different than dryness in that skin has trouble retaining water.  To help prevent dehydration, we recommend drinking at least 64 ounces of water per day, even more when you exercise, especially in hot weather conditions.

Congestion: We all know this one!  This is when pores are dark and filled, they can usually be seen in the mirror and will appear bumpy. Most skin we see has some sort of congestion - it's really just build up of things that get into our pores from what we do in our daily lives - oil, pollution, makeup etc. We don't recommend a lot of extractions (popping pimples) at home as it usually leads to infections, though that big pimple can be hard to resist.  Ask for help in your next facial on how to add extractions to your home care routine.

Breakouts and Whiteheads: Breakouts can be from anything as small as a clogged pore only seen close up in a mirror or a big whitehead that you're worried everyone is noticing in conversation. Breakouts can be caused by dead skin cells, stress, diet, hormonal cycles, and bacteria. You can help prevent breakouts by washing your face at night and in the morning, using a moisturizer regularly.

Fine Lines: These are the really thin lines that show up in near the eyes and lips.  Usually happens with age.  As you age, your skin loses elasticity and muscle tone.   To prevent this, we recommend products in this category on EG Beauty.

Flaking / Dead Skin Buildup: When you have this skin condition, you'll know it - flakiness and dry patches. This is very comparable to the skin peeling after sunburn or windburn maybe from spending time on the slopes. Your skin is rough to to the touch and maybe even flakes fall off when you touch it. Our skin is designed to rebuild itself as dead skin cells are replaced with new ones - this process slows as we age.  The only way to prevent a serious case of this condition is to stay up on your skin care routine and keep your skin moisturized.

Dark Areas: Have freckles or sun spots?  You're going to be susceptible to this type of condition. Hyperpigmentation is the darkened pigmented areas, such as large dark spots or condensed areas of freckles.  This is caused by extra melanin in the skin, sun damage, hormonal changes and breakouts.  As you age, areas with hyperpigmentation will get darker.  To prevent this condition: wear sunscreen or cover your skin when you go outside. For tips on sunscreen, check out our blog on Sunscreen Myths.

Irritation: It's very likely we've all had irritation at some point. This is when the skin is red in color and sometimes warm to the touch. This can happen from using a product that doesn't agree with our skin type, too much scrubbing, an allergy, changes in the weather, allergies or more.  A lot of irriations are hard to pin-point what caused them. Don't rush to book an EG Facial, as severely irritated skin is very difficult to work with in this state and sometimes needs time to breathe before treatment can begin. If this happens, you can contact us anytime for advice on when to come in for a facial.

Wrinkles: Oh those dreaded wrinkles!  They happen to all of us - usually in the places where we make the same motion again and again - forehead, eyes, lips are common areas wrinkles are found.  Wrinkles are caused by decreasing levels of collagen and elastin, the skin loses the ability to "bounce back" after movement. These are very hard to prevent, as they're sometimes just "part of getting old", but you can follow a regular skin care routine and keep your skin moisturized. You might also find these products will help.