Skincare tips & advice
The Essential Skin Care Routine for Combination Skin
Combination skin is a type of skin that is dry in some areas and oily in others. In many cases, people with combination skin struggle to balance an oily T-zone (nose, chin and forehead) with dry skin on other areas of the face. To address these opposing forces, it helps to have a skincare routine that cleanses the excess oil without stripping the skin, while also hydrating the areas in need.
What You Need to Know
If you notice two or more different textures on your face, it's a sign of combination skin1. Combination skin can be caused by many different factors, including genetics, the environment, hormones, stress or the wrong skin treatments and products2. No matter what the cause, a daily regimen that incorporates the proper skincare ingredients can help minimize the challenges associated with combination skin.
Signs of combination skin
If you're not sure if you have combination skin, here are some common signs3 to look for:
- Shiny, greasy-to-the-touch skin in and around the nose area
- Enlarged or clogged pores/blackheads around the nose, but not on other areas of the face
- Tight and dry skin around cheeks and/or jawline
Simple Combination Skin Routine
To balance the unique needs of combination skin, it'll require a morning and nighttime skincare routine that's effective at cleansing, hydrating and refreshing, without over-stripping the skin. Here are six steps to incorporate:
Morning Routine
Step 1. Begin with the Right Foaming Face Wash.
Using a foaming gel cleanser in the morning, like our Renewing SA Cleanser, can help care for combination skin by gently exfoliating the skin and removing excess dirt and oil around the T-zone, without disrupting the skin’s natural protective barrier across the face and non-oily areas, like the cheeks and jawline. However, this requires gentle ingredients that maintain the moisture balance and that refresh skin without over-stripping it. That's why our Renewing SA Cleanser is formulated with ceramides to help maintain the skin’s natural barrier, hyaluronic acid to help retain skin’s natural moisture and niacinamide (vitamin B3) to help calm the skin.
Step 2. Take Extra Care Where It's Needed.
The skin around the eyes is delicate, so take care of it by adding an eye repair cream to your combination skin routine. Choose one that's formulated with hyaluronic acid to retain skin’s natural moisture, ceramides to restore the skin's barrier, and calming niacinamide. By doing so, you can smooth and brighten the area and help reduce the appearance of dark circles and puffiness.
Step 3. Use Daily Moisturizer with Sunscreen.
An important part of any skincare routine is sun protection. For combination skin, choose our oil-free, Ultra-Light Facial Moisturizing Lotion. It's formulated with ceramides, hyaluronic acid and niacinamide, and it includes a broad-spectrum SPF 30 sunscreen to help protect from UVA and UVB rays that can lead to sun damage, dry skin, premature signs of aging and skin cancer.
Nighttime Routine
Step 4. Cleanse Again Before Bed.
Using your foaming gel cleanser once again before bedtime helps remove the excess dirt, oil and makeup that may have accumulated throughout the day.
Step 5. Take Care of Your Eyes.
To give the skin around your eyes a little extra care while you sleep, use the same eye repair cream you used during your morning skincare regimen.
Step 6. Apply PM Cream for Nighttime Moisture.
Now that your skin is clean, apply a nighttime moisturizer with three essential ceramides to help restore the skin barrier, hydrating hyaluronic acid and calming niacinamide in an oil-free formula that won't clog your pores. This provides hydration and helps the skin hold on to moisture during sleep.