Guide to Caring for Combination Skin

The trick to curating your perfect skincare ritual is to first identify what type of skin you have. Everyone’s skin type is unique and nuanced in its own way, but the most common is combination skin. That being said, combination skin can be difficult to define and care for, which in turn can disrupt your journey to finding your ideal skincare ritual. Luckily, that’s where we come in. Keep reading to learn more about what a combination skin type is and how to care for it.

What is combination skin?

To put it simply, combination skin is exactly what it sounds like. It’s skin that can be a combination of dry, oily, and everything in between depending on the area of the face. As mentioned, this skin type is extremely common but can be difficult to care for. Should you use products to nourish dry skin or ones to help keep excess oil at bay?

Signs of combination skin

If you’re not sure if you have combination skin, a tell-tale sign is an oily T-zone (nose, forehead, and chin), and dry areas around the cheek and mouth. This is the most common example, however, if your face has two or more different textures in different areas, it’s a safe bet to assume you have combination skin.

Skincare routine for combination skin

Once you’ve identified your skin type as combination, it’s time to find the right ritual for you. Combination skin can be a little trickier to care for without exacerbating either the oily part or the dry part, but once you understand the basics, it becomes much easier. The biggest difference from other skin types is to think conservatively and use gentle products that won’t be too harsh on the dry areas of skin.

Morning skincare ritual for combination skin

• Use an oil cleanser: The best cleanser for combination skin is something gentle and natural. We recommend our Purifying Oil Cleanser, which is made with just 11-ingredients. Its gentle yet powerful and potent formula leaves your face clean and hydrated without any oily residue.
• Apply a toner or serum: As your next step, we recommend using something like our Balance Restoring Serum. This toning serum clarifies skin, removes toxins, and minimizes the appearance of pores and dark spots. It’s lightweight and alcohol-free, and packed with gentle yet efficacious ingredients so your combination skin will love it. If you have more sensitive skin and are looking for a plumping and brightening serum, our Firming Vitamin C Treatment is another great option for gentle, immediate results.
• Finish off with a lightweight moisturizer: The best moisturizer for combination skin is something that’s lightweight. Our Softening Hydra-Whip and Moisturizing Hydra-Cream are ultra-hydrating yet light day and night moisturizers. It nourishes your skin and leaves it feeling softened and supple.

We also recommend using a sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher (even in the winter) to protect your skin from damaging UV rays, especially if you’re spending a lot of time outside.

Night skincare ritual for combination skin

While your night skincare ritual will be similar to your morning ritual, it’s a good idea to include an exfoliant and mask a few times a week to finish off your day.

• Use an oil cleanser: Just like your morning routine we recommend the Purifying Oil Cleanser, which can also remove your makeup (if you’re wearing any).
• 2-3 times per week (or as a spot treatment when needed):
• Exfoliate: Next, exfoliate! Our Glow Activating Exfoliator is a dual-purpose exfoliator and clay mask that brightens and evens skin tone.
• Apply a healing mask: If your skin is feeling a little too sensitive for an exfoliating treatment, reach for the Healing Rose Clay Mask. This ultra-soothing mask draws out impurities, restores damaged skin, and improves skin elasticity.
• Apply a toner or serum: Follow up with our Balance Restoring Serum to further clarify and minimize pores.
• Finish off with a lightweight moisturizer: We’ve said it once, we’ll say it again; the best moisturizer for combination skin is something that’s lightweight. Our Softening Hydra-Whip and Moisturizing Hydra-Cream are go-tos for both your morning and night skincare routines.

Tips for combination skincare

When crafting your ideal skincare ritual, there are a few other guidelines to consider, especially if you have combination skin. Ranging from your application technique to personal habits, all the way to the actual products you use, we have five more tips for your consideration.

Gentle, gentle, gentle

Regardless of what skin type you have (dry, oily, or combination), a good rule of thumb is to always treat your skin gently. The skin on your face is delicate, and harsh products can cause irritation. They can also do a number on dry skin, stripping any natural oils it may have, causing skin to feel tight or itchy. Additionally, the wrong products with drying ingredients can actually cause skin to produce excess oil, which typically causes breakouts.

Use a lightweight moisturizer

When in doubt, reach for something lightweight. Heavy or greasy moisturizers can block pores, particularly in areas that are oily. A hydrating moisturizer that’s also lightweight (like a water cream) is your best bet. Ingredients like Tamarind Seeds, Shea Nut, Moringa Leaf, Lychee Fruit, and Rosehip Seed Oil nourish your skin, leaving it feeling softened and supple — everything your combination skin needs.

Don’t touch your face

You’ve heard it a thousand times, but most people don’t even realize how often they touch their face throughout the day. Your hands have bacteria, oils, and dirt on them (even if they look clean) which can clog your pores and lead to breakouts. We know it's hard, but try and make a strong effort to keep your hands off your face — it’ll make a difference.

Use blotting papers

When your T-zone is acting up (or any other part of your face with excess oil), we recommend using blotting papers. This way you’re not touching your face, and you’re absorbing only the extra oil that causes breakouts or buildup.

Ingredients to look for

Next is our favorite tip — look at the ingredients! Which ingredients should you look for when shopping for your combination skin? Hyaluronic Acid, emollients (like Rosehip Seed Oil), antioxidants, Vitamin C, and Niacinamide are some of our favorites. Our Balance Restoring Serum uses Sodium Hyaluronate, which can penetrate the skin even better than regular Hyaluronic Acid, while our Firming Vitamin C Treatment uses naturally-derived Vitamin C from the Amla Fruit to lighten hyperpigmentation and even out your skin tone.

Care for any & all skin types

The one thing all skin types have in common is their need for natural ingredients, hydration, and some TLC. Regardless of if you’re on the oily side, dry side, or somewhere in between, you can never go wrong using gentle products with clean ingredients. If you’re ready to upgrade your skincare ritual, check out our collections — we have something for everyone.