Thought you’ve mastered cleaning your face? Well, there’s more to washing your face than just soap and water.

Before determining the best way to wash your face, it’s crucial to figure out your skin type. If you have normal skin (which is what all of us wish we had), you don’t have to worry about having a complicated skincare routine. Just stay away from cleansers with sulfate and alcohol and wear SPF every day, and you’re good to go.

But if your skin type is concerned about oiliness, dryness, aging, and sensitivity, then you need to rethink your routine and the products you use. The cleansers, moisturizers, as well as the other products you use vary based on which works best for your skin. However, there are general guidelines that’ll help you determine.

Here, we'll share how you should clean and moisturize your face effectively based on your skin type.

1. Oily Skin

Folks with oily skin have larger oil glands and an increased sebum production. If your skin type is oily, your goal is to minimize the oil activity and neutralize the shine while keeping your skin lightly hydrated.

• Cleansing: Oil breeds bacteria, and bacteria results to breakouts. That said, you need to wash your face more often. Wash it three times a day, if possible. Make sure to wash before and after doing vigorous activities, like outdoor sports or working out.

Pick a gel or foam cleanser that’s sulfate-free. Compared to dry and sensitive skin types, you have the advantage of experimenting with tools and gentle exfoliants, like sonic face brushes which gently removes. dead skin from the pores.

Using an alcohol-free toner also helps take out the excess oil, especially from your T-zone.

• Moisturizing: Let’s debunk the myth once and for all: You shouldn’t skip moisturizer just because you have oily skin. Instead, opt for a light, oil-free moisturizer, like hydration gels, to help your skin retain moisture.

2. Dry Skin

Dry skin has a damaged moisture barrier, which means it allows moisture to escape, cause roughness and flakiness, and allow irritants to get in more easily.

The best skincare routine for dry skin? Anything that keeps the skin hydrated.

• Cleansing: Pick a no-foam, no-lather, and mild cleansing lotion to prevent your delicate skin from further drying out. Scan the ingredients. Go for cleansers with ceramides, glycerin and/or hyaluronic acid, which all help hydrate the skin.

• Moisturizing: It’s a no-brainer that moisturizing is a must. You need to moisturize twice a day. For daytime wear, pick a hydrating moisturizer with SPF. Opt for creamier formulas rather than gel ones.

For evening wear, look for moisturizers with oil, including jojoba oil, sweet almond oil, and evening primrose oil which mimic the natural lipids in your skin and helps repair your skin’s moisture barrier.

3. Combination Skin

Combination skin is quite tricky to cleanse. If you have combo skin, it means you have some patches of oily skin and some patches of dry skin, which must be treated carefully.

You don’t have to use different routines when you’re dealing with an oily T-zone and dry cheeks. You just have to find one in the middle of the road. The trick is to focus on oily spots when washing and pay extra attention to dry spots when moisturizing.

• Cleansing: It’s suggested to use a mild cleansing gel to wash your face, plus an alcohol-free toner to take out the excess oil. Concentrate on your T-zone and temples, which are the oiliest part of your face.

• Moisturizing: Follow your cleansing routine with a lightweight, non-comedogenic moisturizer, focusing on the drier areas, such as the cheeks.

4. Sensitive Skin

People with sensitive skin should be extra careful about picking cleansing products and regimes.

When your skin is as delicate as a baby’s skin, your go-to products should be mild without any harmful chemicals and added fragrance. You should also skin routines that involve abrasive products like scrubs and harsh exfoliants.

• Cleansing: Lightly wash your face with lukewarm (not hot) water for no more than 3 minutes. Use a gentle, sulfate-free cleansing lotion. One of the most trusted brands worldwide is Cetaphil’s gentle skin cleanser. This gets rid of your makeup and other impurities without disrupting the skin’s natural barrier.

• Moisturizing: Immediately follow up with a scent-free, oil-free, and non-comedogenic moisturizer designed for sensitive skin. A rule of thumb is to look for a product with fewer than 10 ingredients.

5. Aging Skin

Skin naturally thins as you age, making it dry and prone to lines and wrinkles. If you have a mature skin, your main goal is to keep your face looking healthy and radiant by plumping wrinkles, getting rid of dark spots, and lifting sagging.

But before you dab anti-aging serums, make sure to provide a clean canvas by washing your face effectively.

• Cleansing: Cleansing products for aging skin types are pretty much the same with dry skin types. Go for a mild hydrating cleanser with glycerin, hyaluronic acid, and ceramides. Wash your face with gentle, circular motions using your fingers to get rid of dead skin and debris.

Pay attention to your neck, which is a secret spot that often displays the first sign of aging.

• Moisturizing: Moisturize right after washing, with a hydrating moisturizer with hyaluronic acid.

Author Bio: Mina Natividad is a resident writer for Géniale Skin Cancer Clinic, a Medical Aesthetic and Skin Cancer Centre providing top of the line services from industry-leading skin cancer treatments to innovative medical aesthetic procedures. She writes articles focusing on skin care, cosmetic, medical, and surgical care, and wellness.