Not Choosing a Cleanser Based on Your Skin Type

“There’s such a wide range of cleansers and formulations in the cleanser category, and as dermatologists, we take the time to learn those so we can make thoughtful recommendations for our patients,” says Dr. Portela. “In the CeraVe survey, 70 percent of people don’t know their own skin type, so they’re not able to choose a cleanser that’s based on that skin type.”

According to the doctors, there are five common skin types: “Normal, which sounds the way it is—balanced, not very oily or acne-prone,” Dr. Henry explains. “Oily skin has more active sebaceous glands; dry skin can have a little bit of scaling and it can get uncomfortable and tight when you’re cleansing. Combination skin is a little bit dry and a little bit oily, and then there’s sensitive skin, and you’ll know if you have sensitive skin: those of us who turn red with everything or you have stinging when you use certain skin-care products. There are also a lot of things that can change your skin type, such as getting older or your environment. I always tell my patients that sometimes we have to adapt a little bit depending on our environment. Like if you work indoors and the air conditioning is leaching your skin, or you move from New York to Houston and the climate is different.”

“Make sure you’re using something compatible for your skin and beneficial for you,” Dr. Henry adds. “Let’s say you have dry skin, you’ll want something that will give you that hydration—a creamy texture would work well. If you have oily skin, you’ll want to use something that will give you a really robust cleansing response to get rid of the oil, dirt and debris—I love a gel cleanser for a deep cleanse for this skin type. If you’re a heavy makeup-wearer, a foam cleanser is a good option, or a double-cleanse with a balm that will help melt away the makeup and then follow that with a traditional cleanser.”