Think You Have Combination Skin? 5 Ways To Tell + How To Care For It

Discovering your skin type is, arguably, the cornerstone of skin care. After all, you can't begin to approach targeted treatments without knowing what kinds of formulas work best for your skin. 

And while a lucky few can identify their skin type right off the bat—be it dry, oily, or acne-prone—most of the time it's not so obvious. Case in point: combination skin. As its title suggests, combination skin is more of a skin type hybrid, and it's not so easy to point out. 

Think you might have combination skin? We tapped the experts for the most common signposts of this skin type, plus which products you should use to keep your combination skin glowing. 

What is combination skin?

"Combination skin is part oily, part dry," says board-certified dermatologist Jeanine Downie, M.D. "Typically, it's oily in the T-zone and drier on the cheeks."

So while you may notice patches of shine on your face, that doesn't necessarily mean you have run-of-the-mill oily skin. Rather, oily skin refers to shine all over: "When you have oily skin, it is something you will notice all over your face, as opposed to just one restricted area," celebrity esthetician and dermatological nurse Natalie Aguilar adds. 

What causes combination skin?

In terms of what causes combination skin, you can thank those familiar factors for any skin type—age, hormone fluctuations, and genetics (i.e., some people are just born with larger pores around the T-zone). 

Environment also plays a role, as drier weather can zap certain areas of moisture, while humid temperatures can increase sweat and oil on the T-zone.

How to tell if you have combination skin

Combination skin is quite common, and yet it's likely the most difficult to identify. While your skin can certainly fluctuate depending on your environment and lifestyle, there are some quintessential signs you're dealing with combination skin. Here, five ways to tell:

How to care for combination skin

The key to caring for combination skin is treating both oily and dry areas simultaneously. You'll need clarifying products to penetrate into pores and lift the excess oil, but you don't want anything too stripping lest you dry out your skin further. It's a bit of a balancing act, and it takes layering the right ingredients. As Aguilar notes, "Dealing with combination skin is simply trying to find the right combination of products to address its specific needs." Couldn't agree more. 

That said, here are some curated skin care tips for combination skin:

No matter what products you choose—acid-containing cleansers, potent serums, pads, et al.—AHAs and BHAs are great to add to a combination skin routine, especially if you're facing some breakouts. Downie is especially partial to glycolic acid, if your skin can handle it: "It improves the texture and tone of the skin," she says. If your skin falls on the more sensitive side (yes, combination skin can also be sensitive!), you may want to stick to lactic acid, which is known for being more gentle on the skin.  

Regardless, make sure you're not overdoing it with the exfoliation: "Just because some areas of your face might produce excessive oil, that doesn't make your skin 'oily,' so one must make sure not to treat combination skin with harsh overdrying skin care products," Aguilar adds.

Again, it's whatever that looks like for you: Some throw a hydrating toner into the mix, while others love patting in a good niacinamide or hyaluronic acid serum. Just make sure to add in soothing, calming ingredients to balance out that exfoliation and allow the dry parts of your skin to feel equally loved. "Combination skin tends to be dehydrated," says Aguilar. "Applying soothing and hydrating skin care products is key to maintaining a healthy, balanced complexion." 

People with oily areas may shy away from moisturizers, in fear of creating more shine. But as we know, dehydrated skin tends to produce even more oil, and thus adding moisture is key. That doesn't mean you have to slather on a thick cream—lightweight formulas that don't skimp on hydration are just what combination skin needs.

Application matters, too: According to Guidi, a light veil of moisture can keep your skin breathable during the day. Then at night, you can slather on the same formula in a thicker layer, as your skin needs a bigger dollop of moisture while you sleep1.

So what ingredients should you look for?

With products, you'll want a combination (had to!) of exfoliators, like glycolic and lactic acids, and skin soothers, like hyaluronic acid, colloidal oat and ceramides.

Niacinamide is also a great ingredient to watch, as it has oil-balancing capabilities without stripping the skin barrier—so it regulates sebum2 and improves hydration at the same time. In other words, a total win for combination skin.

Makeup tips

When it comes to makeup, you'll want to use silky, cream products on drier areas and perhaps a setting powder on areas vulnerable to shine. Of course, you'll want to stick to noncomedogenic products across the board to minimize breakouts areas prone to pore-clogging.

So what does this look like in practice? Peruse the below:

Product recommendations

Here, find our specific picks for this skin type.

Best moisturizers for combination skin

Lightweight, yet hydrating—these are our favorite moisturizers (and find a full list here).

Best foundation for combination skin

As mentioned, you'll want to grab a creamy foundation that melts into the skin without clogging up the pores. These few will do the trick:

Best face wash for combination skin

Face wash can be tricky—you want one that deeply cleanses the skin and removes excess oil without disrupting the barrier. These picks put in the work, and you won't ever have that tight, post-wash feeling.

Best toner for combination skin

Gone are the days of highly astringent toning solutions. The toners of today are gently purifying, nourishing, and perfect for combination skin types.

The takeaway

Combination skin is just how it sounds: It's a combo of dry and oily areas on your face, with specifically more shine along the T-zone. That's why caring for combination skin is a bit of a balancing act—you'll need to find that perfect medium between penetrating pores to unclog oil and soothing the drier regions.

Perhaps this goes without saying, but sunscreen is also a must-have, especially when incorporating acids into your routine. (No matter your skin type, proper sun care is a must.) 

And while it ultimately takes some trial and error to discover your golden skin care routine, knowing your skin type can definitely narrow down some essential players. If you think you may fall into the combination skin camp, consider the above your starting stage.