Combination skin tends to come in two types: dry to oily, which is marked by oily skin in the “T” zone (the line of the forehead and nose) and dry skin on the cheeks. The second type of combination skin is normal to oily, where the “T” zone is oily, and the skin of the cheeks is normal.

With any kind of combination skin, the key is to treat the “T” zone, so that it’s less oily, less prone to breakouts, and decreases pore size, while improving or maintaining the dry or normal skin of the cheeks. If the rest of the face is normal, the goal is to keep it so. If the rest of the face is dry, the goal is to moisturize and hydrate it so it approaches normal skin.

For normal to oily skin, you want to look for cleansers which are designed for this type of combination skin. Products with alpha hydroxy acids and retinols (vitamin A) can help balance this type of skin. Oil absorbing formulations can decrease shine. For best results, use a water-based moisturizer.

For dry to oily skin, again, focus on cleansers made for combination skin. When using a toner, apply sparingly to your cheeks. Be sure to spot moisturize cheeks to keep them from drying out further. Use oil absorbing formulations to decrease shine.

Combination skin is defined as skin which is oily in some places and dry in others. This becomes more evident on the delicate skin of the face, where the “T” zone (made up of the forehead and nose and chin) tends to be oilier where the other parts of the face tend to be drier.

Combination skin needs special care: you have to keep the dry parts moist, but keep the oily parts dry.

One of the best ways to do this is to use products with alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA) and Vitamin C. Both of these ingredients work to smoothen the texture of dry (rough) skin, and they also normalize the condition of the skin.

One brand I like, in particular, is Mario Badescu’s Orange Cleansing soap. Don’t let the word soap fool you. This light foamy cleanser is gentle on sensitive skin, but removes makeup, dirt, and grime easily. It is slightly pricey (about $20 a bottle at this writing-but the bottle lasts months)- and it has done wonders at normalizing the skin on my face. Where I used to be prone to breakouts on my chin, this miracle cleanser has kept me essentially breakout free for the past three years.

To learn more about this product, visit http://www.mariobadescu.com