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Skin type
At work
Words to know
| Word | What it means | Hindi | Marathi |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surface type | How oily or dry the skin is. Used for facials and products. | ||
| Oily | Makes a lot of oil. Shiny all over. | तैलीय | तेलकट |
| Dry | Makes little oil. Feels tight. | रूखी | कोरडी |
| Combination | Oily on the forehead, nose and chin. Normal or dry on the cheeks. | मिश्रित | मिश्र |
| Sensitive | Stings, burns or itches easily. Added to any type. | संवेदनशील | संवेदनशील |
| Dehydrated | Lacks water. Feels tight, but can still be oily. Added to any type. | ||
| Pores | The small openings in the skin. Oily skin often has large pores. | रोमछिद्र | रोमछिद्रे |
| Blotting paper | Thin paper. Oil shows on it as see-through marks. | ||
| Fitzpatrick type | A scale from I to VI: how the skin reacts to sun. Used for laser and peels. | ||
| Tan | Skin made darker by the sun. It fades again after some weeks. | ||
| Sign-off | The Trainer watches you work and confirms you can do it alone. |
Why it matters
Right products. The wrong product for the surface type can cause pimples, dryness or redness.
Safe laser and peels. Darker skin gets dark marks easily after heat. The Fitzpatrick type helps the Doctor choose safe settings.
Clients trust us. Many people do not know their own surface type. A clear answer builds trust.
Never
How to check
Before every face treatment, in Pre-treatment care. Do the 3 steps in this order.
Ls steps
- Ask
How does the skin feel 1 hour after washing? Where does it get shiny? What happens with new products, sun or heat? Let the client answer in her own words. - Blot
1 piece of paper on each of the 5 areas, before cleansing. Press for 5 seconds, do not rub. Hold it up to the light: oil shows as see-through marks. - Look and touch
Bare skin in white light, with the magnifier. Shine, pores, flakes, rough areas. Any stop sign: stop and show the Doctor.
Good to know
Client in makeup? Do not blot yet. Decide by the answers and the look, and write "Blotting: no, makeup".
Done when: you know which areas are oily, dry or red.
How to decide
Put the answers and the check together. The check decides, not the client's answer.
| The client says | The paper and the look show | Surface type |
|---|---|---|
| Shiny all over | Oil on all 5 areas, large pores | Oily |
| Shiny on forehead and nose; cheeks normal or tight | Oil on forehead, nose and chin; no oil on the cheeks | Combination |
| Comfortable all day | A little oil on the nose only, small pores | Normal |
| Tight all over after washing | No oil on any area; flakes | Dry |
| Tight after washing | Oil on the paper | Add "dehydrated" |
| Stings or burns with products | No redness | Add "sensitive" |
| Anything | Any stop sign | Stop. Show the Doctor. |
| The answers and the check do not match | Go with the check. Write both. |
Redness is not "sensitive"
Redness or thin red lines: stop and show the Doctor. Ask the client about steroid creams and fairness creams.
What the 5 papers look like
The blue shapes are the see-through oil marks. The numbers are the 5 areas in the face picture.
| Surface type | The 5 papers |
|---|---|
| Oily |  |
| Combination |  |
| Normal |  |
| Dry |  |
How to record
Write it in the record like this:
Ls steps
- Surface type: combination, sensitive
- Blotting: yes (or "no, makeup")
- Stop signs: none (or which one, and "shown to Dr ...")
- Client says: oily (only when it differs from the check)
What changes at Leor
| Surface type | What we do |
|---|---|
| Normal | Standard products |
| Dry | Thick, creamy products; soft cleansing |
| Oily | Thin, light products (gel, lotion); soft cleansing every time |
| Combination | Treat each area for what it needs |
| Sensitive (added) | Gentle products only |
| Dehydrated (added) | Products that add water |
Fitzpatrick type
The Doctor decides the Fitzpatrick type before laser, peels and light treatments.
Skin Practitioner: you only ask about a recent tan or sunburn, and tell the Doctor. You do this in Pre-treatment care.
When unsure
Skin Practitioner: stop and tell the Doctor. Asking is part of the job. Doctor: treat the client as the higher Fitzpatrick type and do a test patch.
For Doctors: how to decide the Fitzpatrick type
Mistakes
| Mistake | How you notice | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Blotting after cleansing | No oil, but the client says she is shiny | Blot before cleansing |
| Rubbing 1 paper over the whole face | You cannot tell which area had oil | 1 piece for each area. Press, do not rub. |
| Trusting only the client's answer | She says "oily", but the cheeks have no oil | The check decides |
| Calling dehydrated skin dry | Skin feels tight, but the paper shows oil | Add "dehydrated" |
| Calling red skin "sensitive" | You see redness or thin red lines | Stop and show the Doctor |
| Writing only "skin type" | A colleague does not know which type you mean | Write "surface type" or "Fitzpatrick type" |
Good practice
- Check area by area. Most faces are oily on the forehead, nose and chin, and normal or dry on the cheeks.
- Check again at every visit. Skin gets oilier in summer and monsoon, and drier in winter.
- Treat darker skin gently. Heat, rubbing and strong products can leave dark marks.
- Explain it kindly. Tell the client her surface type in 1 sentence. Never say she was wrong.
Check yourself
9 questions. Think of your answer first. Then tap Show answer.
- Priya's forehead and nose shine. Her cheeks feel tight after washing. Which surface type?
- Dry
- Oily
- Combination
Show answer
- Rahul says his skin is "very oily". The paper shows oil on his forehead, nose and chin, not on the cheeks. What do you record?
- Combination
- Oily
- Normal
Show answer
- Meera has a laser booking today. Her face is much darker than her arm after a beach holiday. What do you do?
- Choose a lower setting yourself
- Write "tan" in the record and go ahead
- Tell the Doctor about the tan before any settings are chosen
Show answer
- Anjali's skin stings with most creams. You see no redness. The paper shows a little oil on the nose only, and her skin feels comfortable. Which surface type?
- Normal, sensitive
- Normal
- Dry, sensitive
Show answer
- Sunita's cheeks are red with thin red lines. She uses a fairness cream every day. What do you do?
- Write "sensitive" and choose gentle products
- Do the facial, but skip the cheeks
- Stop and show the Doctor, and tell the Doctor about the cream
Show answer
- Kavya comes for a facial in full makeup. The Doctors have not set a wait time after cleansing yet. What do you do about the blotting paper?
- Cleanse, then blot at once
- Do not blot. Decide by her answers and the look, and write "Blotting: no, makeup"
- Blot on top of the makeup
Show answer
- Neha says creams sting her skin. You see redness on her cheeks. What do you write as her surface type?
- Sensitive
- Nothing yet. Stop and show the Doctor.
- Normal, because the paper shows little oil
Show answer
- Ritu's skin feels tight after washing. The paper shows oil on all 5 areas. Which surface type?
- Dry
- Oily, dehydrated
- Normal
Show answer
- Pooja says her cheeks feel comfortable. These are her 5 papers. Which surface type?
- Normal
- Combination
- Oily
Show answer
Try it at work
From Assist level: for your next 5 facials, decide the surface type yourself first. Then ask your Trainer to check and compare.
Training
Your path to sign-off
- Observe
Watch the Trainer - Assist
You check, the Trainer checks again - Supervised
You record alone, the Trainer re-checks 1 in 5 - Independent
After sign-off
- By: Trainer, on the job
- How: read this page. The Trainer shows the check once without talking, then again step by step. Then you explain each step while the Trainer does it. Then you do it.
- Time: Coming soon
- Sign-off: the Trainer watches you on a set number of clients, one after the other, and fills in the sign-off sheet. Then the Trainer sets your level in your Training Passport. Fitzpatrick type: Doctors only.
- Already experienced? You can skip the training. Ask your Trainer for the sign-off straight away.
- Every year: the Trainer watches you once more on a few clients.
You will be checked on:
- You ask the 3 questions, and the client answers in her own words.
- You blot at the right time, with 1 piece for each area, pressed and not rubbed.
- You check the skin in white light with the magnifier.
- You show every stop sign to the Doctor.
- Your surface type matches the Trainer's, "sensitive" and "dehydrated" included.
- You write it in the record as shown in "How to record".
For trainers: how to sign off
For managers: monthly spot check
Something wrong or missing on this page? Use the feedback button at the top.