What type of leather do you have? How to recognize it, and what to do for each type

Before buying any skincare product, the most important thing is to know your skin type. Without this basic knowledge, you risk choosing unsuitable products or building skincare routines that don’t meet your skin’s needs. You ask us this often, and the skin type classifications found online don’t help: there are so many, often confusing, sometimes contradictory. Here we explain how to recognize your skin type, the characteristics of the six skin types, and how to choose the right routine.

How to tell what skin type you have

There are two simple methods you can do at home.

The cleansing test

Wash your face with a gentle cleanser and don’t apply anything afterward. Wait an hour. Then observe your skin and how it feels.

• If it feels rough, tight, or you notice flaking, it is probably dry skin
• If you feel itching, burning, or discomfort, it could be sensitive skin
• If it feels neither dry nor oily, it is normal skin
• If you notice shine only on the T-zone (forehead, nose, chin) but the cheeks stay normal or dry, it is combination skin
• If your entire face feels oily, it is oily skin
• If it feels dehydrated on the surface but you notice blemishes or under-the-skin breakouts, it could be asphyxiated skin

The daytime test

Observe your skin during a typical day, without makeup if possible. By midday, what does it look like? Where does it shine? Where does it feel tight? Where do blemishes appear? These daily signs are just as useful as the cleansing test.

Not sure?

Take our skin type test If after these tests you still have doubts, we created our Skincare Builder. It’s a free quiz, validated by Dr. Maria Pia Priore, that helps you identify your skin type and suggests a personalized routine. Take the free quiz →

The 6 skin types and their characteristics

• Normal skin: the rarest skin type. It is neither too dry nor too oily. The skin looks smooth, even, with barely visible pores and good natural hydration. It has no particular seasonal needs or product reactivity. The goal is to maintain this balance with hydration and antioxidant protection.
• Dry skin: looks dull, lackluster, rough to the touch, and tends to flake. Pores are barely visible. It can feel tight and itchy, especially after cleansing. It produces less sebum than necessary and the skin barrier tends to be less compact. Be careful not to confuse it with dehydrated skin, which is a temporary condition linked to a lack of water and can affect any skin type. Recommended actives: Hyaluronic Acid, Ceramides, Panthenol.
• Oily skin: thick, shiny skin with enlarged, visible pores, especially in the T-zone. Characterized by excessive sebum production that can lead to comedones, blackheads, and pimples. The main causes are genetic and hormonal factors. A common mistake is trying to remove all sebum with harsh cleansers: the skin responds by producing even more. The goal is to regulate, not eliminate it. Recommended actives: Salicylic Acid, Niacinamide.
• Combination skin: the most common type. The T-zone tends to be oilier, with more visible pores and possible blemishes, while the cheeks can be normal or dry. The sebaceous glands are more concentrated in the T-zone and produce excess sebum. The challenge is that it seems to need opposite treatments in different areas of the face. The key is balance: sebum control where needed, hydration where the skin asks for it.
• Asphyxiated skin: the hardest to recognize. It looks dull and dehydrated on the surface, but has under-the-skin blemishes: small breakouts, blackheads, microcysts. A sebum that is denser than normal mixes with shed dead skin cells and blocks pores from within, preventing normal skin breathing. The result is skin that looks dry but also has characteristics of blemish-prone skin. If you treat it only as dry, you weigh it down. If you treat it only as blemish-prone, you dry it out. Recommended actives: Salicylic Acid, Niacinamide, lightweight hydrating ingredients.
• Sensitive skin: more than a skin type, it is a condition of hyperreactivity, and it can overlap with any other type. It appears thin, with redness, itching, burning, or tightness, especially in response to certain products, temperature changes, wind, or UV rays. The cause is a compromised skin barrier that makes the skin more vulnerable to stimuli. Products should be introduced gradually, one at a time. Recommended actives: Ceramides, Hyaluronic Acid, Panthenol, Allantoin, Madecassoside.

Products and routines for every skin type

Now that you know your skin type, the next step is building the right routine. We created specific routines for each type, with products designed to work in synergy.

• Skincare Oily and blemish-prone skin: regulate sebum, reduce the appearance of enlarged pores, prevent blemishes without drying out. Discover the routine and products →
• Skincare Dry skin: intense hydration, support for the barrier function, rich and comfortable textures. Discover the routine and products →
• Skincare Combination skin: balance between cleansing and hydration, with lightweight textures. Discover the routine and products →
• Skincare Asphyxiated skin: gentle exfoliation, sebum control, and light hydration to help prevent pore congestion. Discover the routine and products →
• Skincare Sensitive skin: soothing, protective, barrier-supporting actives, with formulas designed not to irritate. Discover the routine and products →
• Skincare Normal skin: maintaining balance with hydration, antioxidants, and sun protection. Discover the routine and products →

Don’t know where to start? Take our Skincare Builder. In just a few questions, we help you understand your skin type and suggest the most suitable routine.

Dr. Maria Pia Priore's advice

Skin type is not fixed for life. It can change with age, with the seasons, with hormonal changes, with lifestyle. Skin that was oily at twenty can become combination at thirty-five, or normal skin can become more sensitive after a period of stress. That’s why I recommend periodically reassessing your skin and, if necessary, updating your routine. It’s not about changing everything. It’s about listening to what your skin is telling you and responding the right way. If you don’t know where to start, our Skincare Builder is designed exactly for that.

Dr. Maria Pia Priore, pharmacist, cosmetologist and founder of Skin First®

Maria Pia Priore

Founder di SKIN FIRST®, farmacista e cosmetologa

In conclusion

Understanding your skin type is not a detail. It is the starting point for choosing the right products, avoiding unnecessary ones, and building a routine that works for you. Take the test, observe your skin, and if you have doubts our quiz is always there.