Knowing the type of skin you have is a crucial part of finding products that will work and give you the results you want. Keep in mind your skin type is different than a skin condition. We will fill you in on what to do with those later. But first, let's follow these steps to find out your skin type.

1. Wash your face and don't apply anything after.

2. After about 2 hours, grab a tissue and head into the bathroom.

3. First, take the tissue and gently blot your forehead.

4. Next, take a look at your skin in a mirror using natural light.

What do you see?

Normal Skin

If you see no visual oiliness on the tissue and no visible dryness when looking in the mirror, then it's safe to say you have a rare case of normal skin. A simple gel based cleanser, toner filled with vitamins, a light moisturizer followed by SPF is a great combination to maintain your complexion.

Common Skin Condition: Fine Lines, wrinkles or sun damage are common skin conditions for this and other skin types. Fine lines and wrinkles are caused by the natural process of aging, however, can be slowed down and the appearance minimized by serums. Sun damage can be treated or lightened but can be challenging depending on how the damage occurred.

Oily Skin

If you see oil on the tissue, enlarged pores and/or any visible breakouts, you probably have oily skin. This type of skin takes a little work to keep under control. A gel based cleanser, toner to balance the PH skin, a light corrective moisturizer and SPF would be a great start.

Common Skin Condition: This type of skin can be prone to skin conditions such as acne, which need to be customized with serums or ingredients to treat or a ingredients that will treat the skin condition.

Dry Skin

If you don't have any oil on this tissue, small pores or see visible dryness or flaking on your skin. You probably have dry skin. A creamy cleanser, soothing toner with vitamins, heavier moisturizer and SPF is a good combination for this skin type.

Common Skin Condition: Dehydration is a common skin condition that often gets associated with or confused with dry skin. You can identify dehydration by visible lines or skin tightness, both that are easily treated.

Combination Skin

If you see oil on the tissue but also areas of dryness or flaking, you probably have the skin type commonly known as combination skin. A gel based cleanser, toner to balance the skin, light moisturizer and SPF is most of the time good for this skin, however sometimes you have to treat areas of this skin differently than the rest. It can be a bit tricky but once you have it down, you should be good to go.

Common Skin Conditions are similar to the above conditions but you can sometimes have sensitized areas because you are trying to how you are using the products. For example, when you are treating your oily skin with a cleanser or toner but your cheeks are dry and are getting red and irritated, that is sensitized skin. Can be easily avoided with a general regime and good combination of serums.

As you can see, it can be easy to confuse skin type with a skin condition. To keep it simple, it's important to understand that if you have a good basic skin care routine that is formulated based on your skin type, that you can often treat a skin condition with effective ingredients and customized serums.

LEONA BAISLEY: Having been a licensed esthetician for over 8 years, Leona has worked for a variety of spas and wax only salons. She is passionate about skin care, waxing and education for both the professional and the client. She has over 4 years of wax training experience for large organizations and is in the beginning stages of creating her own education classes that will help licensed estheticians and cosmetologists grow their businesses and compete with the top professionals in the industry.