Normal skin: Normal skin feels even and balanced. It's neither too dry nor too oily or sensitive. Oily skin: Oily skin will feel greasy and shiny all over. If you feel like you are constantly reaching for the oil blotting sheets, this means you probably have oily skin.
Healthy skin looks and feels smooth. If you look at healthy skin up close, the surface appears to be regularly irregular. This means that the skin is not completely smooth like glass, but has tiny peaks around hair follicles and pores, and tiny valleys in between the peaks.
Skin Sensations
Your skin will let you know when it is becoming unhealthy and you might start feeling itchiness, pulling of the skin or stinging. You could even feel a burning sensation. These are sure signs that the skin needs your attention.
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.
There are four basic types of healthy skin: normal, dry, oily and combination skin. Skin type is determined by genetics. The condition of our skin can, however, vary greatly according to the various internal and external factors it is subjected to.
"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.
“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.
“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.”
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.
"Ideally the skin is smooth, supple, and uniform in color," Waldorf said. If your skin feels less bumpy, the size of your pores has been reduced, and you're noticing less marks, acne, and discoloration, your products are likely working.
Sallow skin refers to skin that has lost its natural complexion. When this happens, your skin may appear yellow or brown in tone, especially on your face. As your skin ages, it's natural to notice increasing dryness, wrinkling, and thinness.
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.
"If you see any visible dirt or soiling of the skin, if the skin looks or feels greasy, or if you have makeup on, it is important to wash your face," he says. Jeannel Astarita, an esthetician in New York City, elaborates that the skin should feel smooth and free of residue—not squeaky clean.
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.
To get a dewy look, use a humectant, such as glycerin or hyaluronic acid. “These usually come in serum form, but they could also appear in products that seek to fill in a hybrid slot between a serum and a moisturizer,” Gonzalez says. Try a budget-friendly option, like The INKEY List Hyaluronic Acid.
When your skin produces excess sebum (or oil), your forehead and other parts of your face can appear shiny or oily. While this may happen for a variety of reasons, stress, fluctuating hormones, genetics, and humidity are common factors.
If your skin is dehydrated, you may notice itchiness, dullness, under-eye circles, sunken eyes, and/or more noticeable fine lines. Severely dehydrated skin symptoms may include dizziness, dry mouth, lightheadedness and/or weakness.
"Dolphin skin" is a term coined by celebrity makeup artist Mary Phillips. It refers to dewy, glassy-looking skin. The look can be achieved by incorporating hydrating products into your skin-care routine and/or wearing dewy makeup.
“Moisturising creams are a must for Korean celebrities, and you'll generally find them favouring hydrating formulas from Chanel, Hera Skincare and Lagom,” she shares.
Asians tend to have more sebaceous glands, which are responsible for sebum (oil) production. With more glands, your skin is naturally inclined to accumulate extra buildup and have a shinier complexion. Therefore, you may need to take a few additional steps to clear your pores and control shine.
“The term 'skin purging' refers to a reaction to an active ingredient that is increasing skin cell turnover rate,” Dr. Deanne Mraz Robinson, a board-certified dermatologist, tells Healthline. As skin cell turnover speeds up, the skin starts shedding dead skin cells faster than normal.
Itchy skin can be one of the first signs of dehydrated skin. When the moisture is sucked from your outer layer of skin, it can result in tightness and itchiness. So if you're in a particularly dry room or environment, itchy skin will probably be pretty common. Make sure you have moisturizer with you!