4.2. Skin Types and Conditions

💡 First Principle: Skin type describes the skin's inherent characteristics based on sebum production and moisture balance. Skin condition describes the skin's current state, which changes based on environment, products, health, and age. The same person can have a fixed skin type but different skin conditions at different times.

This distinction matters for the exam because treatment decisions are based on both. You must correctly identify what you're looking at — and the exam will test whether you choose the appropriate response for each.

⚠️ Common Misconception: Oily skin does not need moisturizer. Over-stripping oily skin triggers the sebaceous glands to produce even more sebum as a compensatory response. All skin types require appropriate hydration — the product formulation differs, not the need.