Natural Skin Care Tips for Combination Skin

Skin classified as combination skin has oily and dry or normal regions. Combination skin arises due to hormonal and genetic factors that cause overactive sebaceous glands in certain areas of the skin. Most commonly, people with combination skin have an oily T-zone. The T-zone includes the forehead, nose and chin. Combination skin requires a slightly different skin care regimen than oily or dry skin. According to an 2009 article on PlanetGreen.com, cosmetic and skin care products in the United States make up a $35 billion industry. In 33 percent of these products, the formulations contain at least one chemical with links to cancer. Caring for your combination skin does not require purchasing expensive cosmetics. Arm yourself with a few natural skin care tips and caring for your combination skin will be a "war-no-more."

Cleanse your skin naturally using products from your grocer or even organic cosmetics. A good natural cleanser for combination skin is raw honey. Raw honey is honey in its most natural form. Honey has skin healing properties and it helps the dry areas of combination skin retain moisture. Honey has a soothing effect and it is rich in minerals, vitamins (such as B-vitamins and biotin) and antioxidants. Honey's antiseptic properties help combat acne in the oily areas of combination skin by reducing bacteria on the skin.

Toning the skin is an important part of any skin care regimen. It is especially important in combination skin because it helps to balance the skin. Toner removes cleanser residue from the skin, removes and redistributes excess sebum from the oily areas and gently moisturizes the dry areas. Use a solution of cucumbers and distilled water as a toner after cleansing combination skin. Rose water or other hydrosols are also excellent natural toners for combination skin types. Astringent toners, such as lemon juice may be too harsh for combination skin. Astringent products strip oil from the skin, and in turn, the skin may produce excess oil to replace this loss.

Use glycerin to moisturize combination skin naturally. Mix one part glycerin to four parts distilled water and use your fingertips to massage it into the skin. During colder months of the year, try adding a drop of oil (such as almond or lavender oil) to the moisturizer for dry areas of the skin to seal in moisture. Experiment with different types of oils. Some oils are heavier than others, and each oil has its own natural fragrance. Glycerin does not offer effective sun protection; however, there are natural products on the market that contain sunscreen. These sunblock products usually contain zinc oxide or titanium oxide instead of chemical ingredients. See Resources for natural sunscreen products.