Some parts of your skin are dynamic — they change with stress, sleep, hormones and weather. But other characteristics stay relatively steady over time. These are your baseline properties. Knowing them helps you choose products that support your skin, instead of working against it.
Your baseline includes your natural oil balance, hydration patterns and the way your skin tone interacts with ingredients and sun exposure.
1. T-Zone Oil Balance
The forehead, nose and chin often produce more natural oil. This is the T-zone, and it’s perfectly normal for it to look a little shinier than the rest of the face.
Stella observes:
- How much visible oil appears in this region
- How pores in the T-zone look compared to other areas
- Whether oil increases with heat, workouts or stress
This helps you understand when to balance oil without stripping it — because oil isn’t the enemy. It’s part of your skin’s protection system.
2. U-Zone Hydration (Cheeks & Jawline)
The cheeks and jawline — the U-zone — usually produce less oil. This area can feel drier or tighter, especially in colder or low-humidity environments.
Combination skin (oily T-zone + drier U-zone) is one of the most common patterns we see.
Knowing this helps you adjust, for example:
- Lighter textures on the T-zone
- Richer moisturizers or barrier support on the U-zone
This is called zone-specific care — supporting each region based on what it naturally needs.
3. Why Baseline Matters
Your baseline isn’t something to “fix.” It’s something to work with.
- Oilier areas benefit from non-comedogenic, light-weight hydration.
- Drier areas benefit from slower exfoliation and richer moisturizers.
- Combination skin benefits from adjusting products by region, not one product for everything.
When you understand your baseline, routine decisions become simpler and more intentional.
4. Melanin Content & Tone
Stella also observes how your skin reflects and absorbs light to estimate melanin content. This helps us identify your natural tone and how your skin might respond to sun exposure and certain ingredients.
Why this matters:
- Some exfoliants need to be introduced gradually depending on tone.
- Darker skin tones can be more prone to uneven pigmentation after irritation.
- Lighter skin tones may show redness more easily.
This isn’t about labels — it’s about using products in a way that supports your skin’s biology, not fights it.
The Bottom Line
Your baseline is your starting point. It sets the foundation for everything that comes next — from hydration strategies to how you introduce actives.
Tomorrow: Day 4 — Tone & Evenness. We’ll explore how Stella tracks brightness, uniformity and subtle shifts in skin tone over time.
