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Skin type
Combination skin
Combination skin is very common: your forehead, nose and chin (the T-zone) are oilier, while your cheeks are normal or dry. You don't need two complete routines. Choose gentle basics and only add something extra where it's needed.
Sound familiar?
- Your nose, chin and forehead get shiny during the day.
- Your cheeks feel normal or sometimes tight.
- Pores are mostly visible in the T-zone.
- Blackheads appear mainly on your nose and chin.
What causes it?
The T-zone has more oil glands than your cheeks. Genetics, hormones and the seasons decide how big the difference is. In summer combination skin often seems oilier, in winter drier.
A simple routine
Morning
- A gentle gel cleanser or lukewarm water.
- A light, hydrating serum with niacinamide or hyaluronic acid.
- A light cream all over your face, with a little extra on dry cheeks if needed.
- Sunscreen SPF 30 or higher.
Evening
- Cleanse gently; start with a cleansing oil or micellar water if you wore make-up or sunscreen.
- Twice a week, a BHA on the T-zone only.
- A light cream; a richer one on dry cheeks if needed.
Start with the basics and add new products one at a time. Give each product a few weeks before judging whether it works.
Ingredients that suit it
Best avoided
- Treating your whole face as if it were oily.
- Heavy creams on the T-zone.
- Too many new products at once; you won't see what works.
See your GP if…
- Red, flaky patches beside your nose or in your eyebrows that keep coming back.
- Inflamed spots that don't improve.
- Persistent redness on your cheeks and nose.