Getting skincare right for your combination skin can be a delicate balancing act. You need ingredients that control the oiliness of your skin without being too stripping on dry patches. It can take a bit of trial and error to find exactly the right products to suit your skin, but some ingredients are likely to work better than others for combination skin types.
Here are some of the best ingredients that are great for combination skin.
What is combination skin?
Before we begin, it would be worth understanding if you have combination skin or not. This skin type involves having both oily and dry areas on your face. Typically, this will involve your forehead, nose and chin (T-Zone) being the oily area, while your cheeks and jaw will be dry. Take a look at our guide to finding your skin type to check which skin type you have!
Hyaluronic Acid
Hyaluronic acid is a fab ingredient for all skin types, but it is particularly great for combination skin types, as it provides fantastic hydration without clogging your pores.
Aloe Vera
Aloe vera is a soothing and moisturising ingredient that works wonderfully for both dry skin and oily skin, so it’s perfect for combination skin types. Aloe hydrates skin and locks in moisture, helping to soothe dry skin. Its light gel texture absorbs quickly and doesn’t sit heavily on your skin, making it also suitable for oily skin.
Salicylic Acid
Salicylic acid (also known as BHA) is one of the best acids for combination skin and provides exfoliation and pore-clearing without drying out skin. It reduces breakouts and inflammation by clearing dead skin and controlling oil production. Salicylic acid is probably a bit better for those on the oilier end of the combination skin spectrum, but it has benefits for all skin.
Willow Bark
Willow bark is considered a gentler, natural alternative to salicylic acid. It exfoliates and removes excess oil as salicylic does but is less harsh, making it safer for sensitive skin. Willow bark extract also reduces redness and locks in moisture, offering benefits to your areas of dry skin too.
Glycolic Acid
Glycolic acid is another fantastic exfoliating ingredient for combination skin. It has benefits to both dry and oily skin types. One of the reasons it’s so good for combination skin is its ability to reduce excess oils without drying out the skin. Additional benefits include brightening skin, reducing fine lines and improving discolouration.
Vitamin C
Any skincare routine benefits from the inclusion of vitamin C. Antioxidant ingredients help protect skin from environmental damage and improve the overall health of skin. Vitamin C offers anti-inflammatory effects, with the added benefit of getting a great glow!
Niacinamide
Balancing oil without stripping the skin barrier, niacinamide is able to keep sebum under control while improving your skin’s hydration levels, making it a winner for combination skin. If that wasn’t enough, it also treats hyperpigmentation, minimises redness, reduces wrinkles and smoothes skin.
Seaweed
A powerful natural ingredient for combination skin is seaweed. Seaweed in skincare helps to balance oil production at the same time as increasing hydration. It can improve skin tone, provide antioxidants, support collagen production and calm skin, making it a great ingredient all around!
