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Combination Skincare Products
Combination skin? Use these products for the win!
Combination skin can be complicated, but your skincare routine doesn’t have to be! Sometimes oily, sometimes dry, sometimes both – it can be hard for your products to keep up. Plus, skin is a living, breathing organ: hence, the condition of our skin is rarely static. It changes and fluctuates according to our age, stress levels, environmental factors, diet and so on. That’s why it’s so important for your skin (and bank account) to use skincare that is versatile and hits all the right spots, no matter how your skin is feeling on any given day.
But before we delve into what is the best skincare routine for combination skin, we need to ask ourselves the all-important questions: what is combination skin, and do I actually have it?
Ingredients to try (and which ones to avoid)
When it comes to ingredients that are holy grail and those that must be avoided for combination skin, there are no hard and fast rules. What may not work for most can still be great for some. However, there are some loose guidelines. Generally, occlusive ingredients don’t suit an oily T-zone or other oily parts of combination skin. This group includes silicones or heavy oils like marula. That said, they can be great for a dry U-zone if you’ve got the patience to apply your skincare in sections. On the flip side, you don’t want to dry your skin out heavily by using high pH-cleansers, strong acid exfoliants too frequently, or too many active ingredients: not only can this compromise your skin barrier, but it can also lead to your sebum glands working overtime to correct your dehydration (thereby making your skin oilier). A balanced routine applied consistently is generally the best route:
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01.
AHAs and BHAs (glycolic acid, lactic acid, mandelic acid, salicylic acid, betaine salicylate, willow bark extract etc).
Best for: Comination skin prone to acne. Just be careful not to overuse this ingredient, as it could dry your skin out!
Suggested products: SVR Laboratories' Micro Peel as a good all-rounder or By Wishtrend's Mandelic Acid 5% Skin Prep Water for sensitive skin. -
02.
Niacinamide (i.e. Vitamin B3)
Best for: Combination skin prone on the oily side prone to blackheads and large pores.
Suggested products: SVR's Vitamin B3 Ampoule for combination skin that's dehydrated, SVR's Mat+Pores for a very oily T-zone with blackheads, and Mary & May's Niacinamide & Chaenomeles Sinensis Serum for sensitive combination skin. -
03.
Skin Barrier Fortification
Best for: Oily, dehydrated and sensitive skin. A weak skin barrier can actually worsen sebum production. If your skin is feeling oily but still dehydrated, your skin may be compensating for its inability to retain moisture by overproducing sebum. Hence, addressing your skin barrier can actually help rebalance your skin.
Suggested products: SVR's Barrier Cream and SKIN&LAB's Barrierderm Milky Serum. -
04.
Portulaca Olaracea
Best for: Naturally rich in vitamin A, this super-herb is great for redness-prone and sensitive combination skin. Bonus - studies also suggest it helps improve elasticity on loose skin.
Suggested products: Acwell's Real Aqua Balancing Cream for sensitive combination skin and Acwell's No. 2 Refreshing Fluid for combination skin on the oily side. -
05.
Bakuchiol and vitamin A (i.e. retinol)
Best for: Oil control and large pores. Bakuchiol is far gentler than retinol, so having a blend of the two can make all the difference for combination skin.
Suggested products: By Wishtrend's Vitamin A-Mazing Bakuchiol Night Cream for those that want to start with an ace moisturizer, and T'IAM's Vita A Bakuchiol Youth Serum if you'd prefer an ampoule. -
06.
Hyaluronic Acid
Best for: Dehydrated combination skin. Hyaluronic acid will give your skin the hydration it needs, without any greasiness or pore-clogging. Just make sure you apply it on damp skin!
Suggested products: ISNTREE's Hyaluronic Acid Toner Plus, By Wishtrend's Hydra Enriched Ampoule and the Hada Labo Gokujyun Hyaluronic Acid Lotion (Light). -
07.
Peptides
Best for: Mature combination skin, as well as acne-prone combination skin. Peptides not only stimulate collagen production, but they do a good job of promoting hydration - thereby curbing excessive sebum production.
Suggested products: Mary & May's 6 Peptide Complex Serum, SVR Laboratories' BIOTIC Peptide Smoothing Gel and Neogen's Surmedic Azulene Soothing Peptide Ampoule. -
08.
Ginseng
Best for: Combination skin prone to redness or eczema. Ginseng root is well known for its anti-inflammatory benefits, and there is some evidence to suggest it can be beneficial in balancing sebum levels.
Suggested products: Beauty of Joseon's Ginseng Essence Water and I'm From's Ginseng Mask. -
09.
Green Tea
Best for: Sensitive combination skin that's oily at the same time it's dehydrated. Did you know a study found that skincare with a minimum 3% concentration of green tea reduced sebum production byb up to 70%? It is also soothing and anti-inflammatory at the same time!
Suggested products: ISNTREE's Green Tea Fresh Serum, and Heimish's Matcha Biome Oil-Free Calming Gel Moisturizer. -
10.
Houttuynia Cordata
Best for: Gentle sebum control and acne-treatment without drying out your skin.
Suggested products: SKIN&LAB's Tricicabarrier Soothing Toner which contains a 90% concentration of Houttuynia Cordata, Cica and Tea-Tree, or Mary & May's Houttuynia Cordata & Tea Tree Serum.
