Not sure what your skin type is? This free skin type quiz (also called a skin type test, questionnaire or assessment) asks eight quick questions about how your face behaves day to day, then tells you whether you have oily, dry, combination, sensitive or normal skin. You also get a simple starter routine built for your result. It works for women and men and for every skin tone, and there’s no email or sign-up. Answer honestly, and use the result to choose the right cleanser, moisturizer and sunscreen.
Eight quick questions. Find out whether your skin is oily, dry, combination, sensitive, or normal — and what to actually do about it.
Your starting routine
How to know your skin type
Skin type describes how much oil your skin makes and how well it holds water. Here is how each of the five main types looks and feels.
Feels tight after washing, may flake or look dull, and rarely gets shiny. Pores are usually small.
Looks shiny across the whole face by midday, with larger pores on the nose and forehead and more frequent breakouts.
An oily T-zone (forehead, nose, chin) with normal or dry cheeks. It’s the most common type and the trickiest to shop for.
Reacts easily to products, weather or fragrance with redness, stinging or itching. It can go with any of the other types.
Balanced: not noticeably oily, dry or reactive, with small to medium pores and few ongoing concerns.
Skin type test at home: 2 easy methods
1. The bare-face test
Wash your face with a gentle cleanser, pat it dry and apply nothing. Wait about 30 minutes, then look at your skin in natural light. Tight or flaky means dry. Shiny all over means oily. Shine only on the T-zone means combination. Comfortable and balanced means normal. Stinging or redness points to sensitive skin.
2. The blotting paper test
Later in the day, gently press a clean blotting sheet on your forehead, nose, chin and cheeks, then hold it up to the light. Oil from every area suggests oily skin. Almost no oil suggests dry skin. Oil from the T-zone only suggests combination or normal skin. This test only measures oil, so use it alongside the bare-face test and not instead of it.
Skin type, skin tone and other skin systems
People search for many kinds of skin test, and they measure different things. Your skin type (oily, dry, combination, sensitive, normal) decides which products suit you. The others answer different questions.
Six types based on how your skin reacts to sun. It’s useful for sun protection, but it doesn’t tell you whether skin is oily or dry.
A system by dermatologist Dr. Leslie Baumann that sorts skin into 16 types using four traits: oily or dry, sensitive or resistant, pigmented or non-pigmented, and wrinkle-prone or firm.
Traditional Ayurveda describes skin as Vata, Pitta or Kapha, which roughly line up with dry, sensitive and oily skin.
Korean routines use the same basic types and also pay close attention to hydration, so “dehydrated” often comes up alongside oily or combination.
Why your skin type matters for skincare and makeup
The right products for the wrong skin type can cause the problems you’re trying to fix. Oily skin usually does best with lightweight, oil-free formulas. Dry skin needs richer creams and gentle cleansers. Sensitive skin does better with fewer, fragrance-free products. Your skin type also helps you pick a base makeup formula, such as matte for oily skin or hydrating for dry skin. Foundation shade is a separate question, decided by skin tone and undertone.
Frequently asked questions
What is my skin type?
There are five common skin types: normal, dry, oily, combination and sensitive. Take the quiz above to find yours, or use the bare-face and blotting paper tests described on this page.
How accurate is this skin type quiz?
It’s a self-assessment based on how your skin usually behaves, not a medical diagnosis. It’s a reliable starting point for choosing products, and a dermatologist can give a more precise assessment if you have specific concerns.
How can I test my skin type at home?
Use the bare-face test: cleanse gently, apply nothing, wait about 30 minutes, then check how your skin looks and feels. You can also press blotting paper on your forehead, nose, cheeks and chin and see where it picks up oil.
Can your skin type change?
Yes. Age, hormones, climate, season and lifestyle can all shift it. Skin that is oily in your twenties can become drier later, so it’s worth retaking the quiz now and then.
What is the difference between dry and dehydrated skin?
Dry skin lacks oil and is a skin type. Dehydrated skin lacks water and is a temporary condition, so even oily skin can be dehydrated. If your skin looks shiny but feels tight, dehydration is a likely cause.
Is there a skin type quiz for men?
Yes. The questions are the same for everyone, because skin type depends on oil, hydration and reactivity, not gender. On average, men’s skin tends to produce more oil, so oily and combination results are common.
Does skin tone change my skin type?
No. Skin type describes oil, hydration and sensitivity, and any skin tone can be oily, dry, combination, sensitive or normal. Deeper skin tones can show dark marks after breakouts more visibly, which is a skin concern and not a skin type.
What is the Fitzpatrick scale, and is it the same as skin type?
No. The Fitzpatrick scale has six types and classifies skin by how it reacts to sun exposure, from always burns to rarely burns. It says nothing about whether your skin is oily or dry, so use it for sun sensitivity and use a skin type quiz for your routine.
What is the difference between combination and normal skin?
Normal skin is balanced across the whole face. Combination skin has a clearly oilier T-zone next to normal or dry cheeks. The key sign is a noticeable difference between zones, not just occasional shine.