Skin types and hair types can be broadly categorized into a few common categories. Let's start with your skin first – that's the largest organ of your body! About 16% of all the body organs are our skin; moreover, it's external. Being so, this organ is exposed to all sorts of injuries, pollution, and weathering too.

The skin mimics the functionalities of a waterproof, insulating agent that protects the body from the harmful effects of sunlight, extreme temperatures and other damage-causing microbial organisms in the environment. The other essential roles that the skin plays are:

• The calcium that we intake needs to be converted with the help of Vitamin D for absorption by the bones. Your skin aids in Vitamin D absorption by the skin.
• Nerve endings in the skin play a vital role. They signal the brain about everything that’s taking place in the outside world.

All that said, the skin, therefore, demands special attention and care. A quick reminder of the 4 major skin types – Normal, Oily, Dry and Sensitive.

Different skin types: how to identify them?

Oily skin beholders usually possess a relatively thicker skin with acne breakouts not only on their faces but also arms and their back!

The normal and oily skin bearers do not need to worry if their body wash has harsh ingredients. In fact, a strong body wash will remove the excess oil that your skin tends to secrete. If you are a candidate with dry and sensitive skin, a harsh body wash can prove to be detrimental! You need to be very careful and choosy while picking up a body wash for yourself. Abide by the following guidelines while you choose a body wash (in case your skin is dry and sensitive!):

• Go for a patch test on your skin before going in for a full-size bottle. For this, you can try out free samples or buy a travel-size pack of the product to try it out on your skin.
• Go in for products that have terms like ‘moisture’ or ‘crème’ in their description or contains natural ingredients.

Dry skin makes one look dull and pale with fine creases. Wrinkles might be noticed (but at a later age, however)! The common feeling is that of tightness and a burning and itching sensation.

A third type is combination skin, that is, bearing a bit of both oily and dry skin. In fact, this is the most common skin type and the predominantly oily parts are nose, forehead, and chin. The rest of the areas are typically dry.

Let’s now take a glance at the types of body washes that are to be used for the different skin types.

For combination skin: While dealing with combination skin, balance is the foremost thing to be kept in mind. The best products for combination skin are any gel formula with conditioning properties. They deal with the oily areas perfectly, without extracting moisture from the drier patches. That’s the best property of gel products and hence ideally suited for individuals with both (dry and oily) skin types.

For Dry skin: The body wash that you choose in this case should be the type that does not lather much. They are supposed to be rich in moisture content and not harsh. Therefore, lesser your wash lathers, the richer is it in ‘oil’ or ‘moisture’ content. Dry skin essentially needs an overdose of nourishment; no matter how much you feed the skin, it drinks up soon and starts asking for more in just a few hours!

For Oily Skin Types: The oily skin people need to be extra conscious; if you are using a product that is too harsh or too drying, your step could backfire! Those skin pores that are overactive tends to secrete more lubricants once the drying agents have been applied! The best body wash for this would be a gentle, balanced one that effectively controls the oil on your skin.

That was an overview of the type of body wash you could go for, of course after a careful evaluation of your skin type. Scalp type evaluation, on the other hand, is equally important, before you choose the right shampoo for yourself.

Scalp types and your choice of the right Shampoo

Before diving in to cleanse your hair off that dirt, oil and styling products, you must zero in the right product. Now how is the "correct choice" to be made? Scalp types are mainly two – oily and dry. In this post, we will get to walk through some important tips for individuals with oily and those with a dry one.

Choosing the right Shampoo for an oily scalp

Oily scalp individuals are often seen shampooing regularly and trying different products too, but mostly in vain! The excess oil and sebum production remain uncontrolled despite several efforts from your end. Here are certain tips for getting the right product for your oily scalp:

• Shampoos that are hydrating, moisturizing and good for curly hair tend to add too much moisture to your already oily scalp.

• Shampoos that are labeled to be volumizing or balancing, are usually more effective in removing excess oil and are non-moisturizing too. You must preferably opt for such products.

• Clarifying shampoos often yield the best results but one needs to be careful with their overuse as too much of drying stimulates oily skin for more oil and sebum production!

• Conditioning post shampooing should not reach your scalp. You need to carefully rub them on the mid-shaft and ends of your hair.

• Double shampooing sometimes works wonders. Two different brands – one for washing your roots and one for working on the oily nature of your scalp, will help double coat the excess sebum secretion nature of your scalp.

The dry scalp rescue using the right shampoo

If you are suffering from dry scalp, the tips to be followed for picking up the right shampoo have been jotted down here.

• Strengthening and volumizing shampoos are to be neglected at first; they further add to the dryness of your scalp.

• Products with labels like moisturizing, hydrating, smoothing, etc. are the correct choices for your dry scalp. Products labeled with 'suited for curly hair' are suited for dry and frizzy hair too.

• Shampoos containing sulfates should be avoided as they bear a heavily drying effect on both the hair and the scalp.

There is always a third type, that is, the hair could be neither dry nor excessively oily. You then need to simply go in for the product that matches your type – curly, frizzy, thin or simply weak and brittle hair that tends to get split-ends very soon. To enlist the major types of shampoos, there are indeed many. Some uncommon ones are the medicated shampoos, a swimmer's shampoo, 2-in-1 shampoo and so on.

Toiletries, especially your shampoo and body wash are your everyday companions. Being choosy about them indeed gets you the best product and adds to your well-being. Your healthy skin and hair are an integral part of your external appearance which radiates beauty and self-confidence. Proper care and nourishment ultimately help you wear your confidence through the thick and thin of your daily life!