Skin types: how to know which one you have and what to use (AZOURANE guide)
Most women who come to us for advice say "I have sensitive skin" or "I think mine is combination." When we actually sit down and look, the answer is often something else entirely. Skin type isn't just how your skin feels in the morning, it's a mix of genetics, barrier health, and environment. This guide helps you know exactly which skin you have, and what it actually needs.
The four basic skin types
1. Dry skin
Skin that doesn't have enough lipids, meaning it doesn't produce enough oil in its barrier. Signs:
- Matte look, no shine
- Tightness, especially after washing
- Small flaking on cheeks or around the nose in winter
- Pores barely visible
What it needs: emollients (plant oils), occlusives (shea, waxes), a gentle cleanser. Avoid denatured alcohols, extremely foamy cleansers, and topical exfoliation more than once a week.
Recommended: AMAAN + AFOULKI, with a few drops of 100% argan oil over the cream at night.
2. Oily skin
Skin produces more sebum than it needs. Not a sign of something wrong, often genetics or hormones. Signs:
- Shine within a few hours of washing, especially in the T-zone
- Visible pores, particularly around the nose
- Tendency toward blackheads and occasional breakouts
- Makeup "slides" throughout the day
What it needs: a gentle cleanser (paradoxically, harsh cleansers increase sebum), light hydration (not zero, oily skin is often also dehydrated), non-comedogenic ingredients. Avoid heavily occlusive creams and coconut oil.
Recommended: AMAAN (non-comedogenic), AFOULKI (prickly pear oil is non-comedogenic), TIFAWIN exfoliating soap for the body 1,2 times a week.
3. Combination skin
The most common type. T-zone oily, cheeks normal or dry. Signs:
- Forehead, nose, and chin shine, cheeks are matte or tight
- Pores visible only in the T-zone
- Occasional breakouts in the T-zone, dry patches on the cheeks in winter
What it needs: balanced hydration. Don't treat different zones with different products, that's a marketing myth. One good cream that hydrates without clogging does enough.
Recommended: AMAAN + AFOULKI. A complex routine isn't necessary.
4. Normal skin
Rare, and usually only lasts until the thirties. Signs:
- Even tone, minimal pores
- Rarely breaks out
- Neither excessively dry nor oily
What it needs: maintenance. A gentle cleanser, hydration, SPF. Over-treatment can disturb a barrier that's working.
Recommended: a minimal routine. AMAAN + AFOULKI.
Special conditions (beyond skin type)
Dehydrated skin
Often confused with "dry." The difference: dehydrated skin has enough oil, but little water. It can appear on any skin type, including oily skin. Signs: fine dehydration lines on the cheeks, a tight feeling a few hours after moisturizer, a "tired" look. The fix: humectants (glycerin, hyaluronic acid, prickly pear oil), and applying moisturizer to damp skin.
Sensitive skin
Reactions to ingredients that normal skin tolerates. Redness, stinging, warmth, occasional rashes. Not a skin type, but a condition, often caused by a damaged barrier or irritant ingredients (fragrance, alcohol, harsh surfactants).
Rule: the shorter the ingredient list, the better. Avoid fragrance. AFOULKI is fragrance-free and suitable for sensitive skin.
Mature skin
After 35,40, skin produces less collagen and fewer lipids. You need stronger humectants and antioxidants. Prickly pear oil (the highest plant source of vitamin E), argan (omega fatty acids), niacinamide.
How to test your skin
Easiest test: in the morning, before washing, look in the mirror and feel the skin.
- If skin is matte and tight → dry.
- If the whole face shines → oily.
- If only the T-zone shines, cheeks are matte → combination.
- If neither shine nor tightness → normal.
On top of that, any ingredient that has reacted with your skin in the past (fragrance, fruit acid, retinol) is a stronger signal than any test. Remember it.
How to choose products
No skin type needs 10 steps. A basic routine always has three elements:
- A cleanser matched to your skin (gentle for dry and sensitive, slightly more active for oily).
- A moisturizer with a combination of humectant, emollient, and occlusive.
- SPF in the morning.
Anything beyond that (serum, oil, mask) is optional, useful if you understand it, useless if you don't.
AZOURANE by skin type
- Dry: Face Duo + argan oil at night + TAYRI soap for the body.
- Oily: Face Duo (light, non-comedogenic) + TIFAWIN exfoliating soap.
- Combination: Face Duo.
- Sensitive: AFOULKI (fragrance-free) + TAYRI soap.
- Mature: AFOULKI + 100% argan oil + TAWENZA hair mask.
Need a second pair of eyes
If you aren't sure which type you have, message us on Instagram @mi.smo.azourane and send a few details about your skin. You'll hear back from a human, never an automated reply.
