Quiz: How to find your skin personality (and why that’s important)

Have you ever looked at a range of products for dry, oily, or normal skin and thought, “Is there an option D, none of the above?” Maybe your skin is super dry in the winter (isn’t everyone’s?), but gets really oily before your period. And what the heck is normal skin anyway?

Naturopathica founder Barbara Close is right there with you. She also thought the dry/oily/normal skin types are overly simplistic, which is why she came up with the concept of skin personalities instead.

Just like you have a unique personality that comes with unique needs, so does your complexion. The four archetypes—mature, adaptive, hormone reactive, and stress reactive—look at your diet, lifestyle, and skin concerns, and seek to identify why your pores behave the way they do, so you can get to the root of the issue.

“Symptoms are messengers for change that the body is sending us to alert us to a problem.”

“A holistic approach to well-being and beauty always looks at symptoms from an in-depth perspective, since symptoms are messengers for change that the body is sending us to alert us to a problem,” Close says. “Until the cause has been addressed, the condition cannot be effectively treated, and in many cases, will increase in severity.”

And like your best friend who just gets you, Naturopathica products are designed around a deeper understanding of skin care to give your skin (and its unique personality) exactly what it needs.

Take the quiz to find your skin personality, and keep reading below to find your skin-care BFFs.

If you have hormone reactive skin…

Hormone reactive skin is driven by—you guessed it—your hormones. You probably have breakouts around your period, and are more likely to have oilier skin. If you often feel the side effects of hormonal imbalance (i.e. major PMS, irregular periods, or occasional weight gain), your skin is probably feeling those effects, too.

Since breakouts are a sign of inflammation due to excess oil and blocked pores, look for products that include ingredients to fight it—like ginger leaf, which helps mattify oily skin, as well as lactic acid, which helps to exfoliate dead skin cells and promotes naturally occurring hyaluronic acid in the skin for added moisture.

For your diet, avoiding sugar and dairy can also help with inflammation, as can taking an herbal tincture with soothing and cleansing herbs like Oregon grape root and burdock. Zero in on cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, kale or cabbage that support liver detoxification by triggering antioxidant and anti-inflammatory responses in the body.

SHOP PRODUCTS FOR HORMONE REACTIVE SKIN

Pumpkin Purifying Enzyme Peel $58

Ginger Clarifying Concentrate $38

Burdock Radiant Skin Tincture $29

If you have adaptive skin…

Even though Close doesn’t like the term “normal skin” (“It implies that everyone who does not fit that description is somehow inadequate—are they ‘abnormal’?” she says) adaptive skin is the most resilient of the bunch—and 75 percent of women actually fall into this category.

You likely have average-sized pores, and maybe some oiliness and/or dryness around your T-zone. You don’t have to fuss with too many products to make your skin look its best, but there are certain things you can do to get that next-level glow.

Use a facial oil with botanical ingredients to strengthen the skin barrier and calm environmentally induced inflammation. Wash your face once a day (or twice, if necessary) with a rich cleansing balm infused with humectants like mango butter and honey to help nourish the skin microbiome and reinforce the skin barrier, the first step in a healthy skin-care regimen.

SHOP PRODUCTS FOR ADAPTIVE SKIN

Manuka Honey Cleansing Balm $62

Carrot Seed Soothing Facial Oil $58

Skin Tea $19

If you have mature skin…

With age, skin stops producing as much moisture as it once did, so mature skin is often drier, thinner, and may show some lines, wrinkles, and sun damage.

Help your skin get better with age by using products with hydrating herbs like German chamomile or sweet lupine, and trade your gel-based cleanser for a rich cleansing balm. Serums fortified with antioxidants like Vitamin C will be your new go-to’s, as will sipping collagen-rich bone broth to help keep the skin plump or using a humidifier at night to add moisture back into your skin while you snooze.

SHOP PRODUCTS FOR MATURE SKIN

Argan & Retinol Wrinkle Repair Night Cream $106

Vitamin C15 Wrinkle Repair Serum $114

Vitality Tea $19

If you have stress reactive skin…

Like your friend who seems to always be stressed out, stress reactive skin is just a little bit touchier than the rest. The clarity of your skin is directly affected by changes in temperature, sunlight, humidity, sleep, diet, and more (told you it was touchy), but you can help lessen the impact of those changes by supporting your overall adrenal health.

Watch out for foods that cause inflammation in the body like sugar or processed foods, and avoid red meat, dairy, and spicy foods, which are acid-forming and may create heat in the skin.

Also, focus on beauty sleep. Drink chamomile or lavender tea before bed, as well as a passionflower tincture to help you sleep. These steps might not seem to have anything to do with your skin, but if you incorporate them into your regular routine, the benefits will show up on your face.

Though you probably have average pore size and oil production in your T-zone, blemishes (usually around your mouth and chin) and other skin conditions like rosacea are fueled by stress. You should avoid harsh exfoliants, and use moisturizers and cleansers with calming ingredients, such as chamomile, oats, or calendula.

Chamomile and calendula are also soothing when sipped in a warm cup of tea, and oats also help to sooth the mind and body when ingested as an herbal tincture. Consider it a chill pill for your face—and body.

SHOP PRODUCTS FOR STRESS REACTIVE SKIN

Chamomile Cleansing Milk $34

Calendula Essential Hydrating Cream $59

Oats Stress Relief Tincture $29

In partnership with Naturopathica

Photos: Naturopathica