Men have a higher level of collagen and their skin is about 20% thicker when compared with women. Males usually have tougher skin which is also more prone to oiliness. The pores are larger and more exposed and visible. When compared with women, the blood supply to the skin is also greater in men. The fact that men sweat easier should also be taken into account as an important difference between men and women’s skin type.
How to Test What Skin Type you Have
Determining your skin type is not a complex affair at all. One of the simplest ways in which you can identify your skin type is to wipe your face with a clean tissue as soon as you wake in the morning. Here is what people with different skin types will find with this test:
Normal Skin- The tissue is oil free and your skin feels as elastic and supple as ever.
Dry Skin- The tissue is oil free but your facial skin feels dry and tight.
Oily skin- The tissue has oily spots and your face looks oily especially the nose and forehead areas.
Combination Skin- The tissue has oil traces when you wipe your nose, forehead or chin but is clean when you wipe your cheeks.
Sensitive Skin- Those who have this skin type do not usually need the tissue-test to figure this out. That’s because sensitive skin reacts poorly to several things- harsh sunlight, dehydration, many creams/shampoos / cosmetics, even the weather
What is pH-Balance?
pH is an abbreviation for Potential Hydrogen. The pH number ranges from 0 to 14 and it measures how alkaline or acidic a liquid is. Anything below 7 is Acid and anything above 7 is Alkaline. Water has the same amount of acids and alkalis which gives it a pH level of 7.
pH levels in skin cleansers do make a difference. Your skin has a pH level of about 5.5. The outer layer is acidic which helps to keep bacteria out and keeps the skin moisturized. You should use a cleanser that has the same or slightly higher pH level as your skin. This will help to maintain the outer protective layer. If you choose to use soap as a cleanser, which is too alkaline, then it will dissolve the acid in your skin and it will lead to dryness.
Read more: Bioeffect
A skin cleanser, with a pH level slightly higher than 5.5, will remove the oil and dirt from the skin. Soap has a pH level between 9 and 12. This is too high if you want to keep your skin moisturized. On the other hand, cleansers should also not have a pH level that is too low because then it won’t remove the dirt. Therefore, look for cleansers that are soap-free with balanced pH levels.
