To know your skin type, the first thing is to understand how it is formed.
 
The skin is an organ organized in many layers of cells that protect it. It is the first defense barrier against water loss and external factors such as microorganisms, in addition to thermoregulation.
 
It is composed by two main layers:
 
The epidermis, which the first layer and protects us from sun, insects, pollution, cold and heat. It retains water, vitamins, minerals and proteins. It is composed mostly by keratin-producing cells, a protein that provides stiffness and resistance.
 
The dermis is the structure that is below the epidermis and that makes up more than 90% of the skin. Made mostly of collagen fibers, that is resilient and elastic, known as elastins.

Four skin types are currently recognized: normal, dry, oily and mixed. These categorizations are based on different factors, such as pores sizes, genetics, hormones, sebum production, exposure to external factors, medications and stress.
 
1 - Normal skin basically means that it is a well balanced in all aspects: protection, temperature regulation, sensations, water balance, synthesis of vitamins, hormones and nutrient absorption.
 
The control of the sebum volume produced is essential to understand how the skin works. Sebum is a natural oil produced constantly by the sebaceous glands that take it to the surface of the skin. Its function is to lubricate and protect. 
 
The sebaceous glands can be and be normal, hyperactive and produce excess sebum or hypoactive and produce little sebum. The largest pores are associated with more active sebaceous glands and the smaller ones with less active glands.
 
We always find the question ‘genetics vs care’. The balance of healthy and beautiful skin is a subjective factor, because it can change due to internal and external factors. An example is that with age normal skin tends to dry out.
Normal skin would be ideal, with a lot of elasticity, softness, poor sensitivity, small pores, with a good texture and uniform appearance. Achieving a balance between sebum and moisture, neither too fat nor too dry, that is, normal.
 
2 - Oily skin is more shiny, with enlarged pores, blackheads and prone to acne. This  skin type is more likely to develop seborrhea. These signals are given by too active sebaceous glands that produce an excess of sebum, which clogs the pores, increasing the proliferation of bacteria and causing skin imperfections.
 
The cause oil excess can be related to the increase of hormonal levels, such as at puberty, as well as during some parts of the menstrual cycle of women, pregnancy and menopause, as the sebaceous glands become more active during these times . Also stress, certain medications such as steroids and makeup that clog pores.
 
3- Mixed skin is usually the most common, it is a combination of two skin types, dry and oily. Sebum-producing glands are more concentrated in the central part of the face, forehead, nose and chin, so the pores in these areas look larger. The cheeks and skin around the eyes are usually drier than the rest of the face, due to lipid deficiency in this area.
 
The oil gets trapped in the pores in the central part, mixed with dead skin cells and other debris, causing a plug. In contact with the air it causes a black dot and, when it is closed, forms a white dot.
 
4 - Dry skin is a skin type that produces less sebum, has a rough texture, small pores, and  is prone to irritation, redness and itching.
 
As we age, skin tends to become drier and more fragile, because the production of natural skin oil inevitably decreases. Also, women have much more predisposition to dry skin than men.
 
Dry skin is an uncomfortable condition that occurs for a variety of reasons. It is possible to have naturally dry skin, but external factors are often the key in this condition. Extreme weather (too hot or too cold) removes moisture from the skin leaving it drier and cracked. Very astringent soaps and detergents, over washing and very hot water deteriorate the skin's lipid barrier, the shield that protects against external factors and retains moisture.
 

"Sleep is a virtue, We must honor and respect the virtues of a good night’s sleep. Our immune, nervous and muscular systems rejuvenate while we sleep."
A good night's sleep is essential to perfect skin, we all agree. Now what many forget is that what we need is quality, true rest – ideally for many hours! It will do wonders for your health.
While we sleep, our bodies produce growth hormones, these are important for cell renewal, our immune and nervous system, and they help repair tissue - including skin.
Cells have a life cycle, they are created and they die, and with repeated unsatisfying nights of sleep, cells fail to rejuvenate. Therefore, people who sleep poorly age more quickly, in addition to developing other health problems.
We know that the stress of your day makes it impossible to dedicate time to quality sleep, especially for eight hours straight. But we have good news! Even just 6 hours of deep, uninterrupted sleep can also have repairing effects.
Sleeping well does not mean sleeping many hours on the weekend, or that you like to sleep. Sleep is a daily exercise, we need to create a routine. Many envy those who can sleep a lot!
Do you know what the most beneficial schedule is for your body? Sleeping from 10 pm to 6 am. We must remember that our body is governed by the sun.
We sleep better during the nighttime, that’s when our bodies release melatonin, a hormone produced by the pineal gland that induces deep sleep, this hormone decreases as we approach 30 years.
Tricks for better sleep:
1. Try to go to bed every night at the same time, it is essential to create a routine.
2. Lights should be off, avoid running the washing machine or strange background noises, silence is important.
3. The temperature in your room has to be comfortable, not too cold or too hot.
4. Do not bring your laptop, iPad or mobile to bed. They will keep you awake with their light and sounds.
5. Try these tricks for one month, you will see the difference.
 

As for your skin, yes, we should use night cosmetics before going to bed and not at any other time of day.
The first reason is that some lose their effectiveness when exposed to sunlight, others may put your skin at risk by not having any protection and may even cause blemishes or skin irritation.
The second reason is that they are much more effective at night, as your body is in full cell renewal mode while you sleep.
A very interesting new idea that has reached the market is called a bio-alarm clock, which is an app for your mobile phone. It records your stages of sleep while you sleep and analyzes them on a graph.
It creates a profile page displaying all stages of your sleep, including the time you fall asleep, wake up, total sleep time and the overall average. Using the results, you can set an alarm to wake you up at the ideal time during the last 30 minutes of your sleep, thus avoiding waking up during deep sleep (REM).
REM sleep is when you are in a deep sleep, when your eyes have that rapid movement (hence the name), when you are dreaming.
How serious is to wake up when you are in REM sleep?
Not very, but you might feel a little different and more tired. You won’t have the feeling of waking from a restful sleep. Sleep technicians in laboratories where tests are conducted are instructed not to wake patients if they are in REM. The most memorable dreams occur at this stage, in which muscle weakness and self-induced paralysis prevails.
Do these devices really work? Yes!
There are different brands that work on different devices. You'll have to see which best suits your smartphone.
It’s worth a try, start to analyze your nights’ sleep. It might make you more productive during the day and improve your health, and logically also your skin.
Sweet Dreams!