Combination skin is basically the middle ground between oily and dry skin. Our skin biome is not as simple as we like to think. Skin cells are packed around small glands that break down in skin, producing oils (i.e. sebum). These glands are often grouped together on our skin – creating areas of increased oil density (think oily T zones). And as we are all unique – so are the density and spread of these glands throughout our skin. In our face – this can lead to oily skin types (with lots of clusters of glands) and dry skin (not enough glands). This is also what leads to combination skin – with some regions of our faces having extra clusters of glands, whilst leaving other areas dry. 

This leads to areas that breakout with whiteheads and blackheads, are red and irritated and other areas that are flaky, dull and dry. Not just that, but combination skin types are the most likely to be affected by seasonal changes – meaning your skincare routine has to change up based on the weather! Whatever are we to do? 

Luckily, there are a few good tips to follow to ensure you are caring for your whole face and to bring balance to your combination skin. 

A good cleansing routine can be hard to find for combination skin – but it starts with a soft, balancing cleanser that does not strip natural oils, but will help clear that excess sebum to prevent breakouts and keep skin youthful. Double cleansing (cleansing with an oil cleanser first, followed by a foam cleanser) can be great for combination skin – but it’s important not to do it too often (only once a day or once every two days) to avoid drying skin out too much. 

It’s better to do a deeper cleanse either as part of your morning routine or in the evening before bed (likely whenever you like to have a refreshing shower). 

Always evaluate how your skin is feeling after a cleanse and think – is it dried out too much or is it not being cleansed enough. If you are getting a heavier, oily feeling early in the day – it’s a sign you haven’t cleansed well enough earlier in the morning. Any tightness or irritation is a sign your skin is being too harshly cleansed. 

Our favourite combination cleansers to help bring balance to your face include: 

1. Skin1004 Madagascar Centella Tea-Trica BHA foam  
If you are struggling with acne, redness or any irritation – this calming, green cleanser should be your go to. It’s designed to be incredibly soothing and provides a deep cleanse without drying out skin. It’s also mixed with BHA to gently exfoliate and tea tree extract to soothe redness. 

2. Anua Rice Enzyme Brightening Cleansing Powder 
This is a favourite cleansing powder to help balance and brighten skin. It helps gently exfoliate areas of your face that are more oily, whilst also brightening areas of dull, dry skin. It’s a great evening cleanser to bring balance to your face and it’s also fun to use. 

3. Arencia Black Tea Rice Mochi Cleanser 120g 
If you are looking for a soft, balancing cleanser that is gentle on your face, but refreshing – the Arencia Mochi range is highly popular due to its calming properties. Their black tea is ideal due to its ability to calm redness, but also powerful antioxidants that helps repair skin. 

For areas of imbalance - using a toner can be a great secret weapon. Not only does it help begin the hydration process, it also exfoliates and can balance your pH so reduce irritation and damage to your skin barrier.

Ideal toners for combination skin are balancing - not only hydrating, but also exfoliating in harmony.

1. Beauty of Joseon Green Plum Refreshing Toner 
This is a delightful way to wake up – with a cooling mixture of green plum extract and mung bean extract that helps gently exfoliate and relax pores, whilst also hydrating and reducing redness and irritation. 

2. Medicube Zero Pore Toner 
A lightweight soothing toner that is mixed with gentle exfoliating AHA, BHA and PHA whilst being mixed with hydrating panthenol and hyaluronic acid to help plump and hydrate skin.  

3. Beauty of Joseon Glow Replenishing Rice Milk 
This milky, nourishing toner helps bring deep balance to your skin – with brightening rice extracts, mixed with powdered Kaolin clay to bind excess oil and clear pores. It’s deeply refreshing and an ideal skin prep for combination skin and prior to makeup. 

It’s important to watch your skin carefully and evaluate – after all, different areas will require different levels of hydration. Using a serum all over your face will lead to areas that might get overhydrated and oily and other areas that might miss out.

If you have the classic dry cheeks and oily forehead – apply serums primarily to your cheeks (on each side) and massage into other areas. Be considerate to note when your dry areas are sufficiently moisturized and when your oily areas are well balanced. 

Our favourite serums and moisturizing essences for combination skin are:

1. Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum Propolis+Niacinamide 
Deeply nourishing, golden and leaves a delightful glow to your skin. This serum is a longtime K-beauty favourite for a reason and it is perfect for combination skin due to its ability to hydrate without clogging pores.

2. Anua Birch Moisture Boosting Serum  
A deep-hydrating serum that contains 70% birch extract mixed with panthenol and hyaluronic acid and cucumber extract. It’s designed for sensitive skin – but if you are struggling to keep your skin hydrated, it is a perfect addition that doesn’t trigger acne or clog oily regions of your face. 

3. Skin1004 Madagascar Centella Poremizing Fresh Ampoule 
This soothing, pink ampoule is ideal for more the more oily-side of combination skin – with its color coming from pink Himalayan salt that gently exfoliates and refreshes your pores. It’s designed for pore care, with hyaluronic acid and peptides to boost hydration – so it’s a great toner to help refresh and calm skin (especially in warmer weather). 

Similar with moisturizers – it is deeply challenging to find a cream that can match your hydration needs without causing breakouts in oily parts of your face. There are a few fan favourites for combination skin – 

1. Dr Althea 345 Barrier Relief Cream 
   If you are struggling with irritation, acne or scarring – this cream is the ultimate hydration and soothing agent to relax and refresh your skin. It inhibits acne growth and contains cactus extract to deeply hydrate.

2. Celimax Noni Energy Repair Cream 
If you have active acne and need a calming, lightweight cream – this energy cream uses anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial noni extracts to soothe, refresh and hydrate skin. Mixed with hydrating glycerin and ceramides, this cream provides gentle nourishment whilst reducing breakouts.

This is a great hydrating cream that provides a deeper hydration to dryer parts of your face. With powerful glutathione to vanish dull skin, mixed with peptides and ceramides – this cream works hard to bring out your natural glow and hydrate. It can be used lightly on your cheeks or as a great moisturizer in your evening routine to get you waking up with a wonderful glow. 

For combination skin, using a lightweight moisturizer can be great in the mornings – and a heavier one at night to prevent water loss while you sleep and get you waking with softer, dewier skin. If you’re curious about night creams – we have a more thorough article about the benefits here. If you are struggling with moisturizers causing irritation of your skin – chances are you are using too much.

Start with a small amount and carefully note how your skin reacts – after all, using too much moisturizer can lead to both breakouts and an itchy, dry feeling. 

And no matter what skin type you have – always, always have a sunscreen on hand. It’s the number 1 way to protect your skin all day, every day and prevents premature aging. You know your friends who have that deeply youthful, clear skin? Chances are their secret is sunscreen. It should be a sunscreen that melds well into your skin, has a high SPF and one you actually love so you have the motivation to put it on each morning. 

Here are our top picks for good, combination skin sunscreen:

1. Skin1004 Madagascar Centella Probio-Cica Glow Sun Ampoule 
For my combination skin – this is my absolute favourite sunscreen. With a mixture of refreshing centella asciatica extract and probiotics, this sun ampoule literally helps rebuild your skin barrier, all whilst protecting it with SPF+50 (making it ideal for Australian sunshine). We have a full review here.

2. Cosrx Aloe Soothing Sun Cream 
If you are looking for an inexpensive, soothing and refreshing sunscreen – this is one of the most popular ever to come from Korea. For combination skin, it is ideal due to the element of soothing aloe vera, which both hydrates and calms. 

For the struggle between dry skin and oily, acne-prone skin – this soothing sun serum helps bridge the gap well! With hyaluronic acid and aloe to hydrate and soothe irritation, this serum also reduces acne and balances oils with centella extract.

With combination skin, there are a large number of amazing face masks, clay masks and peel treatments that you can use to help keep everything in balance. Similarly to serums and moisturizer – you likely won’t need treatments all over your face, instead use products that balance oils on your oily regions and moisturizing treatments on your dry regions.  

A T-zone clay mask is classic, for example, to help refresh your pores in trouble areas without causing over-drying on your cheeks. 

If you are looking for a weekly refresh for your combination skin – here are a few of our favourites: 

1. Axis Y New Skin Resolution Gel Mask 
If you are struggling with irritation, redness or acne – this is the most refreshing mask to help soothe and refresh. It is a gel, deeply cooling herbal mask with heartleaf extract, fig (brightening), madecassoside (lightening) and allantoin (hydrating) that can be used perfectly to both balance oils and hydrate. 

2. Skin1004 Madagascar Centella Poremizing Quick Clay Mask 

If you are in need of a spot treatment for troublesome pores and overly oily skin – this quick and portable clay mask is amazing. With an easy application, you can easily wand it over your oily areas – rest and wash for smoother, clearer skin. 

3. Heimish Rx AHA BHA Peeling Serum 
Struggling with breakouts as well as flaky skin? This strong acid peel helps refresh the entire top layer of your face for incredibly soft, breathable skin. It can help deeply exfoliate excess skin cells and cleanse pores for clearer, more balanced skin. It is a strong product (with 30% AHA/BHA acids) - so always follow instructions and take care. We have a review here if you’re interested to find out more – but it’s an amazing way to bring balance to combination skin. 

Combination skin can be a challenge – and at times it feels like you have two faces (one struggling with acne and oils and the other constantly irritated and dry) - but if you keep looking for the signs of what your skin needs and remember to apply it to targeted areas, you’ll find that balance far quicker.  

It does not mean you will struggle forever and once you find techniques that work well for your skin type, keep them close. 

What should I avoid if I have combination skin? 
It’s important to remember to be gentle. Even if a harsh cleanse feels great to rid you temporarily of that oily feeling – you are more likely to cause damage across your skin barrier that will then need repairing. It’s more important to cleanse often with a gentle cleanser and follow up with a moisturizer (especially on vulnerable, dry patches). 

Do I have to buy two products for different areas of skin? 
You shouldn’t have to! Combination skin does require different treatment in different areas of skin – but you should be able to use the same moisturizer (if you pick a good one). With a compatible moisturizer, you can place a thin layer in oily patches and a more moisturizing denser layer in dry patches to help equalize your skin.  

Be wary of products that make you feel too dry or too oily and target accordingly. It’s all about being in tune with all the different regions on your face. 

Should I exfoliate with combination skin? 
Exfoliation is an important part of good skincare routine. Whether you buy a special item to exfoliate, or even just use a pad or sugar to gently scrub your face – it allows your skin to regenerate, become softer and prevents clogging or irritation of your pores.  

Combination skin needs exfoliation to help bring balance to both oily and dry areas of your face.