Bobbi Brown’s 4 Tips for Healthier Skin

The four most basic skin types are dry, normal, combination, and oily.

• Dry: Dry skin looks and feels rough and dull, sometimes with redness or flakiness. It may feel tight, and you may see fine lines right after washing your face. Hydrating and protective skin-care products are your friends, including gentle cleansers, hydrating serums, rich moisturizers, and face oils.
• Normal: In the skin-care market, “normal” could just mean that your skin is balanced and doesn’t have any uncomfortable issues. Balance is generally the goal for all skin types, but even balanced skin sometimes experiences breakouts or dullness. A proper cleansing, exfoliating, and moisturizing routine will usually keep things in check.
• Combination: As the name implies, combination skin is a mixture of oily and dry. (Some people are oily in their T-zone–the forehead and nose—and dry on their cheeks; others could have dehydrated skin that’s also breakout-prone.) Learning which regions of your face require what kind of care means that you can address your issues in the most optimal way.
• Oily: If your skin produces excess sebum year-round, your skin type is likely oily. On the one hand, this is great because your skin’s natural oils protect and moisturize, so it’ll naturally stave off fine lines and maintain elasticity longer. On the downside, oily skin can easily lead to breakouts. Make sure you have a good exfoliating toner or serum to keep those pores clear.

World-class makeup artist Bobbi Brown says, “The first step in skincare is understanding what your skin needs when you’re looking in the mirror.” For healthier, glowing skin, check out some of Bobbi’s skin-care tips below:

1. 1. Identify your skin’s needs. To begin your journey to healthier skin, you’ll need to find out what type of skin you have and how to take care of it. Sometimes your skin will behave differently depending on the season or changes in your lifestyle, and you have to pivot to its needs. For example, someone with dry skin may not use the same skin-care products or routines as someone with combination skin.
2. 2. Hydrate your skin. Daily face-washing is only the first step in creating and maintaining healthy skin. Developing a moisturizing skin-care regimen to help keep your skin hydrated and polished is also essential. If you have dry skin, you’ll need products that hydrate and protect, like gentle cleansers, hydrating serums, moisturizers, and face oils.
3. 3. Wear sunscreen. Sunscreen protects your skin from sun exposure, reducing the chance of sun damage like wrinkles and skin aging. Tinted moisturizer with SPF helps but shouldn’t be what you rely on primarily for sun protection since you don’t usually apply tinted moisturizer on your neck (which is an important but often overlooked area to protect). Lots of tinted moisturizers have a lower SPF because sunscreen ingredients can affect the tint, so you’re better off using a moisturizer with SPF instead before applying your complexion makeup.
4. 4. Use an exfoliant. If your skin produces excess sebum year-round, your skin type is likely oily. On the one hand, this is great because your skin’s natural oils protect and moisturize, so it’ll naturally stave off fine lines and maintain elasticity longer. On the downside, oily skin makes it hard for your face to naturally shed its dead skin cells, which can lead to breakouts. Exfoliation helps you maintain clear skin by gently sloughing away the top layer, which unclogs your pores and prevents build-up, reducing the chance of pimples. An exfoliating toner or serum can help wash away clogs while also keeping your skin refreshed.

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