Normal skin1 is balanced—feeling neither dry nor oily. It is not prone to breakouts, flakiness, feeling slick or tight. Pores are generally small, the skin's texture is smooth, and it is less likely to be prone to sensitivity or blemishes.
Normal skin
The T-zone (forehead, chin and nose) may be a bit oily, but overall sebum and moisture is balanced and the skin is neither too oily nor too dry. A velvety, soft and smooth texture is a sign for a healthy and radiant skin. Normal skin has: fine pores.
Skin texture is the condition of the surface of your skin. Ideally, the skin is smooth, soft, and supple, but it can be uneven or dull due to dry skin, blemishes, loss of collagen from aging, sun damage, or lack of exfoliation.
Unhealthy skin can result from not washing your face daily, not using the right skincare routine or rarely showering or bathing. Any of these poor hygiene habits can cause a build-up of dirt and grime on the skin, which can eventually lead to blemishes, clogged pores, dry skin, shallowness and wrinkles.
Skin plays a significant role in the health of our bodies, but having soft, healthy skin is also important for self-esteem. There are many things that can prevent your skin from feeling soft and smooth, including exposure to the elements, irritants and pollutants, lack of moisture, and poor overall health.
For people with oily skin, breakouts may never stop as they age. But oily skin does have a plus: It wards off wrinkles better than dry skin because the oils keep skin moister and smoother. Using moisturizer is one way to lessen the impact of wrinkles before they appear.
"Your skin type can change over time due to environmental factors, age, hormones and other health-related issues," Michele Green, M.D., a New York City-based board-certified dermatologist, explains. "Yes, your skin can transform from oily to dry, combination, or sensitive, but it doesn't just happen on its own.
Although oily skin can clog pores and lead to increased acne breakouts, oily skin also has many benefits. Oil helps preserve the skin, and people with oily skin tend to have thicker skin and fewer wrinkles. The key is to strike a balance between having too much oil and maintaining your skin's natural moisture.
“Balanced skin is achieved when skin maintains the ideal pH of 5.5,” Dr. Nussbaum says. “At this slightly acidic pH, the skin is optimized to seal in hydration, while protecting us from free radicals, pollution, and environmental irritants.”
Healthy skin is smooth, with no breaks in the surface. It is warm (not hot or red) and neither dry and flaky nor moist and wrinkled. Healthy skin is a mirror of a healthy body.
“It is perfectly healthy and normal for the skin to have some shine — lack of shine or glow can be a sign of poor diet, insufficient sleep, and dehydration,” says Chimento. “However, if your face gets extremely oil or shiny by noon, chances are you have a slight problem with sebum production.”
However if you over-exfoliate you compromise the skins natural barrier function. This leads to an increase in trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) and a tight feeling within the epidermis. The combination of light reflective cells, stretched over a smooth surface, makes the skin appear shinier.
An oily skin type is exactly what it sounds like – excess oil on the face produces a persistently shiny or greasy appearance. If you don't treat your oily skin, pores can become clogged and enlarged, and dead skin cells may accumulate. Blackheads, pimples and other types of acne are also common with this skin type.
"For many years, dermatologists have identified that the skin of acne sufferers appears to age more slowly than in those who have not experienced any acne in their lifetime.
Normal/combination skin is the most common. This skin type will have some oily areas on the T-zone (forehead to the nose), drier cheek area, yet an overall smooth and even texture as well as healthy tone.
Gently pat a blotting paper on the different areas of your face. Hold the sheet up to the light to determine how much oil is visible. If the sheet picked up little to no oil, you most likely have dry skin. If the blotting sheet reveals oil from the forehead and nose areas, your skin is combination.
“Glass skin is when your skin is at its very healthiest,” explains Alicia Yoon, founder of Peach & Lily. “In order for skin to appear poreless, luminous, and translucent, so many things have to happen. You can't just be hydrated and look that way. Your skin really needs to be its healthiest in all aspects.
Glowing skin means different things to people. Many people use the term to refer to skin that looks healthy and “awake” rather than dry, dull, or unevenly textured. For some, healthy skin results in a natural sheen, or “glow.” Healthy skin is something that most people can work towards.
Rough bumpy skin has uneven texture and feels coarse to the touch. Common on the face and body, rough skin can be the result of dryness or a buildup of dead skin cells. A combination of exfoliation and hydration can help improve rough bumpy skin.