Find your skin type in ten questions.
Ten quick questions on shine, tightness and reactions place your skin on three axes: oil, hydration and sensitivity. You get a type, a hydration state, a sensitivity level, three bars and three pointers for what to do next.
Shine, tightness and reactions place your skin on three axes.
Answer for a normal day without powder or blotting, and go with your first instinct. Each question has a short scale, and there are no right answers, only your skin.
Normalskin type
Three pointers for this profile
How it works.
- Answer ten questions about shine, tightness and reactions, one per screen, with a Back button if you change your mind.
- Read your type, the hydration state, the sensitivity level and the three bars, then save or share the result card.
- Follow the three pointers, or send the profile to the Routine Architect to build a routine around it.
What the four types describe
Dry, normal, combination and oily describe one thing: how much sebum your glands release, and where. They say nothing about how healthy or attractive your skin is. Sebum output is highest between roughly 20 and 30 years of age and falls after 50, which is why a type can drift over a decade. The distribution matters as much as the amount: the forehead and nose carry roughly 400 to 900 sebaceous glands per square centimetre, the cheeks closer to 100, so shine often starts in the T-zone while the sides stay matte. The finder scores four oil questions from 0 to 12 points and reads an answer of "T-zone only" as combination whenever the total reaches 4, because a shiny nose on matte cheeks is a distribution, not a volume.
Hydration and sensitivity are states, not types
Dehydration is a water state. It appears with every type, including oily skin, and it can change within about 14 days once the barrier is supported with humectants and lipids. Tightness after cleansing, flaking and fine lines that show when you pinch the cheek are its three most reliable signs, so the finder scores exactly those, from 0 to 9. Sensitivity is a reaction pattern: stinging with new products, flushing from heat, wind or spicy food, and reactions to fragrance. Around 50 percent of adults report sensitive skin in surveys, so a moderate score is common rather than alarming. The ten questions follow the logic of the Baumann-style questionnaires used in dermatology, which type skin along oil, hydration and sensitivity axes, but a self-check made in 3 minutes is a starting point, not a diagnosis.
What this tool is not
It does not examine your skin, does not measure sebum or water loss with instruments, and cannot tell acne from rosacea or eczema. Redness that lasts longer than 4 weeks, oozing or crusting, painful nodular acne and eczema patches belong with a dermatologist. Use the result to set a routine instead: the layering order tells you what goes on when, the exfoliation guide sets the frequency for your type, the barrier guide explains the repair plan if you scored dehydrated, and the adult acne guide covers breakouts that persist after 25. Repeat the check every 3 to 6 months, or after a season change, and expect the hydration and sensitivity results to move before the type does.
Frequently asked.
Can oily skin be dehydrated at the same time?
Yes. Oil is a lipid state and hydration is a water state, so a face can shine by midday and still feel tight after cleansing. The finder scores the two separately, which is why an oily type can come with a dehydrated state.
Does my skin type change with age or the seasons?
The oil axis drifts slowly: sebum output peaks between about 20 and 30 years and falls after 50, so many oily types become combination or normal. Hydration and sensitivity move faster, often within one winter, so repeat the check every 3 to 6 months.
Is sensitive skin a skin type of its own?
No. Sensitivity is a reaction pattern that can sit on top of any type, from dry to oily. Around 50 percent of adults report it in surveys, and the level often falls once fragrance and over-exfoliation are removed from the routine.
How reliable is a ten-question self-check?
It follows the same logic as the questionnaires dermatologists use for skin typing, but it relies on your observation rather than on measurements of sebum or water loss. Treat the result as a working hypothesis for 4 weeks and adjust if your skin disagrees.
What does the tool store or send?
Nothing leaves your browser. The last result summary, three words, is kept in your browser's local storage so the page can show it next time; clearing site data removes it.
When should I see a dermatologist rather than adjust my routine?
Redness that persists for more than 4 weeks, oozing or crusting patches, painful nodular acne and eczema need a diagnosis, not a new moisturiser. The finder cannot tell these conditions apart, so book an appointment if any of them applies.
Guides behind this tool
Skincare
In what order to apply skincare: the layering rules
Skincare
A damaged skin barrier: signs, causes and repair
Skincare
How often to exfoliate: by skin type and acid
Skincare
Adult acne after 25: why it happens and what worksMore tools
The Skin Type Finder is a self-check based on ten questions about how your skin behaves. It does not examine your skin, does not measure sebum or water loss, and cannot diagnose acne, rosacea, eczema or any other condition. This page is for general information and does not replace advice from a dermatologist, physician or qualified practitioner.