DETERMINE YOUR SKIN TYPE AND CARE FOR IT PROPERLY: IT'S THAT EASY

• 01 What different skin types are there?
• 02 Skin type test: determine your skin type in a few minutes
• 03 What is the best way to care for my skin type?
• 04 Skin care for combination skin
• 05 Skin care for dry skin
• 06 Skin care for oily and blemished skin
• 07 Skin care for sensitive and delicate skin
• 08 Skin care for young skin
• 09 Skin care for mature skin
• 10 Conclusion: why it is so important to know your skin type

WHAT DIFFERENT SKIN TYPES ARE THERE?

No matter whether it's dry, oily, youthful, or somewhat more mature, there's the optimal skincare products for your skin's individual needs. This provides your skin with the highly effective ingredients it needs every day. But for that, you first need to find out what skin type you are. These are the skin types:

• Combination skin
• Dry skin
• Oily skin
• Sensitive skin
• Blemished skin

SKIN TYPE TEST

You want to know what skin type you are? Then take the Biotherm Skin Type Test now to determine your skin type:

1. You come home after a long day - how does your skin look?

A: It is shiny, with large pores in the T-zone (forehead, nose, chin) and rather dry in the cheek area
B: It is dry and slightly flaky all over the face
C: It has large pores and your whole face is shiny
D: It is red and irritated
E: It shines and impurities are visible

2. How does your skin feel in general?

A: It feels more or less soft, but rough in some places
B: It feels quite rough
C: It feels soft and smooth
D: It is sensitive, it tingles or burns
E: It is soft but a little uneven

3. How does your skin feel right after cleansing?

A: It feels slightly tight in the cheek area
B: It feels tight and itches all over the face
C: It already feels oily after a short time
D: It is sensitive and reddened
E: It feels refreshed and invigorated

4. How does your skin feel when you don't apply cream after cleansing?

A: It feels partly dry, partly oily
B: It feels dry
C: It feels oily
D: It becomes irritated
E: It feels uneven

5. I get impurities...

A: Scattered occasionally across the T-zone (forehead, nose, chin)
B: Almost never
C: Frequently on all shiny areas of the face
D: Only when I am stressed
E: Often and all over the face

6. What do your pores look like?

A: Enlarged on the forehead and nose, unnoticeable on the rest of the face
B: Very fine
C: Enlarged all over the face
D: Unobtrusive
E: Clogged

7. What bothers you about your skin?

A: Excessive shine across the T-zone
B: Scaly patches and a tight feeling
C: Excessive shine and large pores
D: Redness and irritation
E: Impurities

8. How does your skin react to dry air from heating systems in winter?

A: I get very dry patches of skin on the cheeks
B: It dries out and I need extra moisturizer
C: It doesn't change
D: It tends to become more irritated and itchy
E: It feels stressed and impurities form

9. How does your makeup look a few hours after application?

A: Despite powder my skin shines in some places
B: The makeup settles in wrinkles and flakes
C: Despite powder my whole face shines
D: You can see some skin irritation
E: New impurities have formed

SKIN TYPE TEST: RESULTS

Now count up your answers to find out your skin type. Find out below how you can best care for your skin type.

Beauty Tip: In addition to our test, our online skin diagnosis based on state-of-the-art artificial intelligence analyzes your skin and determines a skin routine tailored for you.

WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO CARE FOR MY SKIN?

To understand how skin types are formed and what each skin type needs, it is important to look at the structure of the skin. The skin has three layers[1]:

• The epidermis: the surface of the skin consists of the stratum corneum. Here, horn platelets lie close together like fish scales, forming a smooth surface. The flakes fall off and new ones are constantly formed. The epidermis has the task of protecting the skin and protecting it from dehydration, germs, inflammation, and the sun's rays[1].
• The dermis: under the epidermis lies the dermis. This layer consists largely of collagen fibers that are interconnected. In the dermis are sebaceous and sweat glands, hair follicles, vessels and nerves, and muscle cells. The task of the dermis is therefore to supply the epidermis with nutrients and give it elasticity and resilience[1].
• The subcutis: the subcutis consists of loose connective tissue with more or less embedded fatty tissue, the so-called subcutaneous adipose tissue[2]. This layer of skin serves as a fat store, provides insulation, and ensures the flexibility of the skin.

SKIN CARE FOR COMBINATION SKIN

In combination skin, oily areas of the T-zone are characterized by excessive sebum production, while the cheeks tend to be dry. So, combination skin is both oily and dry at the same time. What is the T-Zone? This is the area of the forehead, nose, and chin, which together look like the letter T.

What is the cause of combination skin? Combination skin often affects teenagers and young adults between the ages of 12 and 30. In this age range, hormone production is activated[3]. Hormones, in turn, are responsible for many metabolic processes in the body, including skin metabolism. Skincare products for combination skin should:

• Moisturize (cheeks)
• Thoroughly cleanse pores (T-zone)
• Be soothing and anti-inflammatory (whole face)

Skincare products for combination skin

The Aqua Pure Super Concentrate Moisturizer with Salicylic Acid and Life Plankton™ refines your skin's texture and reduces blemishes while moisturizing. Apply daily in the morning and evening for an enhanced appearance. The dry areas on the cheeks benefit from the Biotherm Life Plankton Mask Apply the mask twice a week to the dry areas of your face. Your skin is soothed, recovers intensely and deeply nourished.

SKIN CARE FOR DRY SKIN

If you have dry, flaky, and cracked skin, it probably produces too little sebum. This means that the upper layer of skin is not fully protected against damaging environmental factors. The causes of dry skin are often stress, an unbalanced diet, too much heat or cold, UV rays, or skin care that does not suit your skin type. Dry skin is often thinner than other skin types and suffers from wrinkles, fine lines, and sagging skin prematurely. Skincare products for dry skin should[4]:

• Intensely moisturize and regenerate
• Protect the skin from dehydration in the long-term
• Supply the skin with vitamins and minerals

Skincare products for dry skin

SKIN CARE FOR OILY AND BLEMISHED SKIN

Pimples, blackheads, and acne are the signs of blemished skin. But how does impure skin develop? The reasons can vary: during puberty, hormonal changes cause an imbalance in sebum production. Also, teenagers often have not yet developed a proper skincare routine for themselves and the products are often unsuitable for that particular time in life. Thus, the sebaceous glands produce particularly large amounts of oil, while dead skin cells on the upper layer of the skin clog the pores. Newly emerging body hair often comes into play here and pus pimples develop.

But even in adulthood, hormones can be the reason for pimples and blackheads. Especially during pregnancy, breastfeeding, or menopause, these hormone-related impurities occur. Sebum production can also become imbalanced, the hair follicles change, and the skin reacts with inflammation and impurities.

Other reasons for blemished skin include taking medications, stress, and unsuitable skincare products, and genetics. Oily and blemished skin therefore often go hand in hand. Here the skin appears oily and shiny, the pores are often dilated, and the skin is thicker. On a positive note: wrinkles and sagging skin often take longer to appear here than with dry skin. Skincare products for oily and blemished skin should:

• Intensely clarify and clean
• Have an anti-inflammatory effect
• Be sebum regulating and refine the skin's texture

Skincare products for oily and blemished skin

Sebum-regulating and moisturizing active ingredients are beneficial for oily and blemished skin. The Aqua Pure Super Concentrate with Life Plankton™ and salicylic acid refines your skin's structure and reduces skin impurities. After just seven days, your pores will appear visibly smaller and your skin will appear matte and cleaner.

The Life Plankton™ Creamy Peel from Biotherm with amino acids, essential vitamins, and minerals is a two-in-one skincare product and peeling treatment. This mild facial scrub gently and effectively removes skin flakes and dirt while soothing and regenerating. The squalane it contains has a hydrating effect and rebuilds the skin's protective barrier.

SKIN CARE FOR SENSITIVE AND DELICATE SKIN

With sensitive skin, many things can be the reason or cause. Allergies, inherited skin diseases, hypersensitivity to environmental factors, and a generally weakened skin protective barrier. When sensitive and delicate skin has a reaction, it becomes reddish, dry, develops eczema, pimples, and a rash[5]. Sensitive skin can be dry, but also oily.

Sensitive skin occurs because the upper layer of skin is often very thin and the number of skin flakes is lower than normal skin, for example. This leads to a weakened protective barrier and increased permeability of water-soluble chemicals[5]. Sensitive skin often reacts to: fragrances or ingredients in colored cosmetics, creams, all kinds of washing lotions, and UV protection products. Air that is too cold, dry, or hot can also irritate sensitive skin. The skin may then itch, burn, sting and tighten[5]. Skincare products for sensitive and delicate skin should:

• Lastingly strengthen the skin protection barrier
• Soothe the skin
• Moisturize

Skincare products for sensitive and delicate skin

YOUNG SKIN CARE

Teenage and young skin is not a skin type, but a skin condition. Young skin can have any skin type. But young skin also needs the right care. On the one hand, young skin can be oily and blemished. Products for blemished and oily skin help here. But if you want to preserve the youthfulness of your skin for a particularly long time, you should take precautions. Because the groundwork for beautiful, firm and fresh-looking skin into old age can be established at a young age.

One of the most important factors here is UV protection. This is because UV radiation can accelerate skin aging or cause it to occur earlier - regardless of what skin type you have. Even on cloudy days, the skin-aging rays penetrate through the cloud cover. Therefore, daily application of UV protection can significantly slow down natural skin aging and prevent sun-related skin damage. An Australian study proves that daily use of sunscreen effectively counteracts the signs of premature skin aging.

Skincare products for young skin should:

• Be formulated with UV protection
• Moisturize
• Clarify and protect from impurities

Skincare products for young skin

The skincare products with sun protection factor from Biotherm help youthful skin maintain its strong collagen framework. Whereby the Blue Therapy Multi-Defender SPF 25 Face Cream for daily use is applied to the face in the morning. With Broad Outdoor Defense Complex™, your skin retains its even appearance, smoothness, and firmness.

The WATERLOVER HYDRATING SUN MILK LSF 50 is an ecological sunscreen for the face and body. The light and non-sticky texture is water- and sand- resistant and moisturizes your skin. Our sunscreen is sustainable because Biotherm has completely eliminated microplastics, oxybenzone, octinocate, and octocrylene from the manufacturing process. Waterlover's outer packaging is made of recycled paper. This hence preserves the oceans and aquatic life.

MATURE SKIN CARE

Aging is a completely natural process that occurs across all skin types. So mature skin is not a skin type, but a skin condition that affects all skin types. Oily and blemished skin is rare in mature skin. Combination and normal skin are the most common skin types here. Factors such as smoking, the consumption of alcohol, regular sunbathing, little sleep, a lot of stress, and a diet low in nutrients can cause sagging of the skin, collagen breakdown and wrinkle formation[6].

Elastin also decreases with the years. Elastin consists of proteins that, together with fibers called microfibrils, make our skin look stretchy, elastic, and plump. Collagen and hyaluronic acid, which are responsible for the youthful and plump appearance of our skin, also slowly reduce [6]. Mature skin is visually prone to wrinkles, pigment spots, and a loss of volume and tone. Skincare products for mature skin should:

• Have an antioxidant effect
• Provide a lot of moisture
• Contain retinol, hyaluron, collagen, and vitamin C

Skincare products for mature skin

Within the field of anti-aging, Biotherm offers effective anti-aging creams and firming face serums. Biotherm anti-aging skincare products reduce wrinkles, fine lines, and pigment spots. With ingredients such as algae extracts, retinol, hyaluronic acid, and Life Plankton™, you maintain your radiant complexion even at an older age.

With the help of the Blue Pro-Retinol Multi-Correct Cream with retinol, blue-green algae, and Life Plankton™, wrinkles and fine lines are smoothed, and the skin glows visibly fresh. At the same time, the anti-aging cream refines your complexion and provides your skin with important nutrients.

Serums also offer great potential in anti-aging skin care. The Life Plankton™ Elixir by Biotherm boosts the skin's cell renewal abilities and at the same time strengthens the skin's protective barrier, thus mitigating the first signs of aging. This is because serums can penetrate deep into the skin and have a particularly intensive effect there.

If you have both mature and dry skin, the Blue Therapy Amber Algae Revitalize Night Cream is best. The brown algae it contains gives new energy to the cells, ensuring a healthy glow and firm skin. Resveratrol promotes skin regeneration and reduces wrinkles and fine lines. The plant substance protects against free radicals and promotes collagen formation. Hyaluronic acid also plumps the skin and provides long-lasting moisture.

CONCLUSION: WHY IT IS SO IMPORTANT TO KNOW YOUR SKIN TYPE

Whether you have dry, normal, oily, sensitive, or combination skin, there is the perfect skin care for all skin types. And it doesn't matter if you have youthful or mature skin. With an individual care routine tailored to your needs, you can either protect your skin type, optimize it, or prevent undesirable skin conditions.

[1] Chambers ES, Vukmanovic-Stejic M. Immunität der Hautbarriere und Alterung. Immunologie. 2020;160(2):116-125. doi:10.1111/imm.13152. Aufgerufen am 17.05.2022.
[2] Nestlé FO, Di Meglio P, Qin JZ, Nickoloff BJ. Immunwächter der Haut bei Gesundheit und Krankheit. Nat. Rev. Immunol. 2009;9(10):679-691. doi:10.1038/nri2622. Aufgerufen am 17.05.2022.
[3] ModernBeauty, Definition von Mischhaut, 2022.URL: https://www.modernbeauty.de/haut/hautprobleme/mischhaut-definition.html. Aufgerufen am: 28.06.2022
[4] https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/skin-care-basics/dry/dermatologists-tips-relieve-dry-skin. Aufgerufen am: 28.06.2022
[5] Berardesca E, Farage M, Maibach H. Sensitive skin: an overview. Int J Cosmet Sci. 2013 Feb;35(1):2-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1468-2494.2012.00754.x. Epub 2012 Sep 21. PMID: 22928591. URL: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22928591/. Aufgerufen am 29.06.2022.
[6] https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/0003-4819-158-11-201306040-00002?articleID=1691733. Aufgerufen am 12.04.2022.