Struggling with combination skin? Find a combination skin care routine to balance dry and oily areas. Get expert tips, product picks, and DIY solutions for harmonious skin. Your ideal routine might be here.
Combination skin manages to be both dry and oily at the same time. Not exactly the dermatological jackpot (we see you, normal skin types), but with the right skin care routine, your dry and oily patches of skin can live in harmony.
No doubt this skin type can be tricky but here’s how to level up your skin care routine for combination skin.
Combination skin 101
What is it?Combination skin is askin typewhere you have regions of both dry andoily skin. This happens because some parts of your face producetoo much sebumand other areas don’t produce enough.
What are the signs?If you have combination skin, you’ll have:
What causes it?Genetics are mainly to blame, but your environment (i.e., dry winter and hot summer) and hormonal changes can also affect your skin.
The best skin care routine for combination skin
Managing combination skin requires a daily skin care regimen designed to create more balanced skin, saysDr. Jen Haley, board certified dermatologist and host of the Radiance Revealed Podcast.
You might also need to switch up your skin care depending on the season.
“Combination skin is often oilier in the summer and drier in the winter, while in the fall and spring people with combination skin have an oily T-zone and dry cheeks,” addsDr. Jeannette Graf, a board certified dermatologist and assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine.
Reminder: Always do apatch testbefore you try out any new product!
Your morning routine
Cleanse.“In the morning, it’s important to use acleanserfirst thing to remove any buildup that may have happened overnight,” says Haley.
Tone.“You can then use atonerto remove the oil your cleanser may have missed,” adds Haley. This is optional depending on your skin’s needs and includes gentle leave-on exfoliators. Just always opt for an alcohol-free toner and avoid using it on dry areas.
Moisturize.“The next step is important, and this may be where you make the biggest change to your routine: when youmoisturize, on the dry areas of your skin, choose acreamy moisturizer, and for theoily sectionsuse a more lightweight water-based formula,” Haley adds.
Sunscreen.Allderms will agree, wearSPF 30or higher every 👏 single 👏 day 👏.
Your nighttime routine
Cleanse.“In the evening it can help to opt for a gel or foamingcleanserwhich is designed to remove excess oil that can build up throughout the day,” saysDr. Marisa Garshick, a dermatologist with MDCS Dermatology in New York. “However, it should still be formulated with hydrating ingredients to help nourish the skin.”
Exfoliate.Considerexfoliatingwith achemical exfoliatorabout once a week to help remove dead skin cells and clear out congested skin.
3.Treat.You can use variousserumsand treatments for your unique skin needs. But, Garshick generally recommends aretinoidto help regulate skin cell turnover and prevent pores from becoming clogged.Serumswith hyaluronic acid can also help your skin retain moisture without making things greasy.
- Moisturize.You can take the same lightweight and creamy moisturizer approach to handle your dry and oily spots. “A richernight creamcan be used on dry areas of the skin overnight,” adds Garshick.
What if I have acne?
“Exfoliate regularly, use a gentle toner, and always wear sunscreen at least SPF 30,” advises dermatologistDr. Elizabeth Mullansof Uptown Dermatology in Houston.
Salicylic acid is a beta-hydroxy acid (BHA) that can help oil production and unclog pores to keep the breakouts at bay. Look for it in topical spot treatments, serums, and gels to target oily spots.
Best skin care ingredients for combination skin
When choosing skin care for your a.m. and p.m. routines, look for these ingredients to help your oilyanddry skin:
You’ll want to avoid oil-based moisturizers that can aggravate oily skin and toners containing alcohol that dry you out.
Best products for combination skin
Not sure what products to add to your combination skin care routine? These picks are derm-approved and medically vetted by our experts.
Reminder, always do apatch testbefore you try out any new product!
Pricing guide
Best overall products for combination skin
La Roche-Posay Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel
This oil-free cleanser suds up to help gently remove oil and grime, without stripping your skin’s moisture.
The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5
If dry patches are bumming you out, this serum formulated with hyaluronic acid offers additional hydration for thirsty skin. The water-based formula is also lightweight and fragrance-free so it shouldn’t make your oily patches worse.
Sunday Riley Good Genes All-In-One Lactic Acid Treatment
This serum is oily and dry skin approved to get that exfoliated glow. Thanks to lactic acid, it can also help treat dark spots and uneven skin tone
Clinique Moisture Surge 100H Auto-Replenishing Hydrator
Just a little bit of this moisturizer goes a long way. Hyaluronic acid helps offer lightweight moisture to hydrate dry skin without weighing you down. And vitamin C helps even skin tone.
It’s also oil-, fragrance-, and paraben-free!
Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40
This SPF offers protection from the sun’s harmful rays without the strong sunscreen scent. The formula also feels weightless on skin and looks invisible. Bonus: It’s oil-free and is reef-friendly!
Best drugstore products for combination skin
CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser
This gentle cleanser contains salicylic acid to help clear your pores and retain your skin’s natural barrier so it doesn’t irritate your dry skin. It’s also noncomedogenic and fragrance-free.
Neutrogena Skin Perfecting Exfoliant
One of Graf’s picks, key ingredients like glycolic acid, mandelic acid, and gluconolactone help smooth the skin and even out tone and texture.
Neutrogena Hydro Boost Gel-Cream Extra-Dry
This lightweight face moisturizer is formulated with combination skin fave hyaluronic acid. The water-based gel is light enough foracne-prone skinand ingredients such as glycerin and dimethicone help moisturize the driest skin. Make sure to get the extra-dry version, which is fragrance-free.
Natural skin care products for combination skin
Herbivore Natural Jasmine Green Tea Balancing Toner
This toner is plant-based, organic, and cruelty-free. Ingredients like jasmine water offer refreshing spa feels; green tea and white willow bark target oil and breakouts; andaloe veraand witch hazel help soothe skin.
Mad Hippie Vitamin C Serum
This serum combines vitamin C, vitamin E, and ferulic acid for antioxidant power that won’t make you irritated or oily. Hyaluronic acid provides additional moisture andchamomile extractto help soothe skin.
It’s also vegan and cruelty-free!
Tatcha The Water Cream Moisturizer
This water-based cream includes botanicals for a hydrating glow without the grease. The brand claims Japanese wild rose can help tighten pores and improve texture and Japanese Leopard Lily can help skin turnover and control oil production. Tatcha’s blend ofgreen tea,algae, andricemay also help fine lines.
Korean skin care products for combination skin
Ohlolly Korean Skincare Kit for Combination Skin Types
If you want to dive straight into K-beauty skin care (and can shell out some major cash), this skin care kit includes nine products picked just for combination skin. Here’s what’s included:
Innisfree Balancing Cream with Green Tea
This lightweight gel-cream moisturizes skin with 16 hydrating amino acids, with added antioxidant extracts from green tea. It’s hydrating enough to help dry patches, but shouldn’t clog pores.
DIY skin care for combination skin
If you’re looking for more treatment options on a budget, you can mix up your own face masks for a self-care sesh. Again, just make sure you do a patch test, and Graf recommends applying aface maskmade from all-natural ingredients.
Try these DIY treatments for some combo skin care self-care.
Green herb andyogurtface mask:
For an egg white face mask:
Avoid these combination skin care mistakes
Mullans points out these common pitfalls when treating combination skin:
People with combination skin types have both dry and oily areas of skin. Caring for combination skin often requires using different products on the dry and oily parts of your face. Sticking to ingredients that are hydrating but won’t make your face greasy can help you maintain a balance.
If you want to keep things simple in your skin care routine, go for a gentle cleanser, serums with hyaluronic acid, a moisturizer, and SPF. And don’t forget to exfoliate once a week.
