Skin Types and Conditions

Understanding Skin Type vs Skin Conditions

Many people confuse skin type with skin conditions, but understanding the difference is crucial for choosing the right skincare approach and products.

What is Skin Type?

Your skin type is your skin's natural, baseline characteristic, essentially
your skin's personality. It's primarily determined by genetics and remains
relatively consistent throughout your life, though it can shift due to hormonal
changes, aging, or significant lifestyle factors.

The Five Main Skin Types:

  • Normal: Well-balanced oil and water content
  • Dry: Naturally produces less oil
  • Oily: Overactive sebaceous glands
  • Combination: Different characteristics in different facial zones
  • Sensitive: Easily reactive barrier function

Key Point: Your skin type is like your natural hair colour, it's your genetic
baseline that doesn't change dramatically day-to-day.

What are Skin Conditions?

Skin conditions are temporary or chronic issues that can affect any skin
type. They're problems that develop on top of your natural skin type and can
often be improved or resolved with proper treatment.

Common Skin Conditions:

  • Acne: Clogged pores and inflammation
  • Hyperpigmentation: Dark spots and uneven tone
  • Dehydration: Lack of water content
  • Rosacea: Chronic inflammation and redness
  • Aging: Loss of collagen and elasticity

Key Point: Skin conditions are like having a cold, they're issues that develop and can be treated, regardless of your underlying "constitution."

The Important Distinction

  • You can have multiple conditions simultaneously

    Someone might deal with both aging and hyperpigmentation, or acne and dehydration, each requiring targeted treatment approaches.

    You can have oily skin (type) with dehydration (condition) For example, your
    skin naturally produces excess oil, but due to over-cleansing or environmental
    factors, it lacks water content. You'd need products that address dehydration
    without adding heavy oils.

  • Why This Matters forYour Skincare Routine

    Understandingthis difference helps you:

    Choose the Right Foundation: Your skin type determines your basic routine needs
    (more moisture for dry, oil control for oily)

    Target Specific Issues: Skin conditions require specialized treatments - like GlowLab
    for hyperpigmentation or ClearLab for acne

    Avoid Product Confusion: You won't mistake a temporary condition for your
    permanent skin type and choose inappropriate long-term products

    Layer Products Effectively: Address your skin type first, then layer treatments
    for specific conditions

How Leaf & Lab Addresses Both

Our product range is designed to work with this distinction:

For Skin Types:

BalanceLab provides foundational care for all types,
while AgeLab offers comprehensive nourishment that adapts to your skin's
natural needs

For Skin Conditions:

Each specialized lab targets specific concerns - GlowLab
for pigmentation, ClearLab for acne, CalmLab for sensitivity, ExfoLab
for texture issues

Universal Protection:

SunLab and BodyLab provide essential protection
and care regardless of type or condition

The Bottom Line

Think of your skin type as the canvas and skin conditions as what's painted on top. You need to care for both, nourishing your natural skin type while treating any temporary or chronic conditions that develop. This dual approach ensures your skin gets exactly what it needs for optimal health and appearance.

Understanding your unique combination of skin type and any conditions helps create a personalised routine that addresses your skin's complete picture, not just
surface symptoms.