There are so many products out there these days that help improve skin texture, but if you don’t understand your skin’s unique texture and qualities, it can be hard to pick out products that work well with your complexion.

What is Skin Texture?

Skin texture refers to the condition of your skin’s surface. Is it soft and smooth or coarse, dry, and dull? Your skin’s texture will affect what your makeup looks like over the top of it, so it’s best to take care of the base underneath before adding makeup.

The best skin texture is soft, smooth, and well-hydrated with firm collagen and elastin. Damaged skin can be coarse, rough, dry, cracked, dull, and sun-damaged. Depending on how your skin is damaged, you can use products to help repair it.

How to Determine Your Skin Type & Texture

There are a few ways to determine your skin type and texture, that way you’re better equipped with the information and the ability to fix the problems you’re experiencing.

There are a few different types of skin, including:

  • Normal
  • Oily
  • Dry
  • Combination
  • Sensitive

The type of skin you have will determine what products you can use and how you should proceed with skincare. For example, if you have normal skin you should focus on protecting your skin from any potential damage. If you have dry skin, you should focus on moisturizing.

To determine your skin type, look at your skin and determine whether it’s:

  • Dry: Dry, flaky, or tight
  • Oily: Oily or shiny
  • Combination: Oily but only in the T-zone
  • Normal: Not oily or dry
  • Sensitive: Itchy and red

Determining your skin texture should be pretty easy. Most skin texture damage is pretty visible, such as cracking, overly dry patches, and sun damage.

How to Improve Skin Texture

To improve your skin texture, you can follow a few easy steps. First and foremost, you’ll want to make sure that you’re drinking enough water. If you’re dehydrated, your skin will be dull and rough. Hydration helps to make skin glowy and smooth.

Next, you should exfoliate your skin once per week, removing any dead skin cells. Pick an exfoliant that matches your skin texture and type. If it appears to react negatively with your skin type, choose a different product.

Using a chemical peel is also a good way to fix damage to your skin texture. If you’ve never used a chemical peel before, it might be a good idea to book an appointment with your dermatologist and have them do it for you to receive the best results.

Your dermatologist will also be able to give you recommendations on how to further improve your skin texture.

Pick Out the Right Products

You can improve your skin texture by picking out products specifically for your skin type. For example, if your skin is overly dry and damaged, you’ll want to pick out products that are made to moisturize. If you have dull skin, you’ll want to pick out brightening or hydrating products.

Enjoy Glowing, Perfect Skin (Maybe)

There’s no end all be all solution to your skin. Skins changes all the time. You could have dry skin at one point in your life and oily skin at another. Your skin type depends on so many factors, like where you live, how much water you drink, and your diet. If any of those things change, so could your skin.

So, enjoy your glowy, perfect skin and do your best to maintain it as you age. If your skin starts to react differently to products it once loved, don’t worry too much, as changing skin is completely normal.