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Proper care for combination skin: What you need to know


Everyday care for typical combination skin can sometimes be a real balancing act: While the greasy skin particles need clarifying, pore-refining nourishment, the “normal” areas of skin appreciate light moisturising that provides your skin with sufficient protection. If the skin on your cheeks is very dry and flaky, comprehensive nourishment may even be helpful. Your beauty regime is a little “tricky”: It has to fulfil the wishes of two different kinds of skin at the same time. On this page, we will reveal the things you really need to watch out for.

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These are signs of blemished skin

With combination skin, the T-zone (forehead, nose, chin) in particular has hyperactive sebaceous glands. The skin on the cheeks, temples and eyes tends to be normal or dry. 

Enlarged pores, increased greasy shine and even blemishes are typical of combination skin (primarily in the T-zone). At the same time, the skin on the cheeks and sides may be normal to dry (with typical signs such as tightness, redness and irritation).

Balancing care

On the one hand, combination skin will appreciate antibacterial, clarifying nourishment, and on the other hand, it will benefit from a large dose of moisture and comprehensive skin protection. 

To fulfil these dual requirements primarily requires intuition and products with light, delicately balanced recipes, in other words: Lots of moisture, little grease. Heavy nourishment in the T-zone only leads to increased greasiness, which promotes the formation of more blemishes. 

On the other hand, a deeply mattifying cream is not great for the dry areas of skin as they are not sufficiently moisturised. Water-in-oil emulsions that can be absorbed quickly and don’t leave a layer of grease on the skin are ideal. 

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Top tip: The different creams can also be applied selectively to the corresponding areas (mattifying, clarifying cream for the greasy T-zone and heavier creams for the cheeks).

lavera Naturkosmetik research has developed balancing facial care products using high-quality, organic ingredients that are appropriate for your skin type and specifically target combination skin. It provides a balanced ratio of lightly moisturising and clarifying, antibacterial ingredients. Find out what a perfectly coordinated care regime for combination skin looks like in the next section.

Facial cleansing: Thorough yet gentle

While the T-zone usually produces too much grease, conversely, the dry cheek areas are not greasy enough. This poses a big challenge for facial cleansing. It’s not easy to find the perfect cleansing products and routines. To avoid combination skin being cleansed too often or too aggressively, we recommend that you opt for thorough but mild cleansing in the morning and the evening. The aim of this care is to give the skin a refined and mattified appearance.

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A cleansing gel that thoroughly removes dirt and make-up from your skin while also giving it valuable moisture is a must-have product for this type of skin. As a second step, apply a clarifying, lightly degreasing toner, ideally only on the greasy T-zone. 

It can help your skin to better absorb the valuable ingredients in the following care products and also removes the remaining dirt particles and make-up residues that can lead to new blemishes.

Short Routine

Morning

Your skin should be given sufficient moisture throughout the day and free radicals should be neutralised

Step 1: Mild yet thorough cleansing with a cleansing gel or foam (pore-refining) 

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Step 2: Clarifying toner clears your complexion and prepares your skin for step 3

Step 3: Apply skin-balancing, mattifying cream, fluid or serum

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Daytime

Lightly mattify a shiny complexion using a loose powder or blotting paper (matting paper).

Evening

At night, your skin can tolerate and process more nourishing substances – cream with regenerating ingredients and lots of moisture is ideal (supports cell regeneration).

At a glance: Needs of combination skin

  • Aim of care: Regulate sebum production, bring oil and moisture balance into line
  • Thorough but not aggressive cleansing
  • Use exfoliator once a week
  • Use a clarifying mask once a week
  • Use lukewarm water – water that is too hot causes the dry patches too much stress and removes its moisture!
  • Opt for lighter, moisturising textures of make-up to avoid “overloading” the skin

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