Asian skin tone: Their types and how to take care of them

When we talk about the Asian skin tone, maybe we only think of that white porcelain with round cheeks that we can see in the movies, right? But their types of tones are not limited only to that, since we can find a wide variety of them. In fact, in exact figures, it could be said that there are up to 6 skin groups that are classified according to the Asian area or region.

In the Fitzpatrick scale, which helps us classify the different existing skin tones, it is said that the Asian skin tone and its different variations occupy the places between phototypes II to number IV that, as we imagine, group all brown tones, from the lightest to the darkest.

Given this multiplicity of tones, also considering the importance of skin care today (especially in everything related to Asian culture) and the existence of a wide variety of products for the care of it, which are composed of ingredients that provide different specific benefits for each type,  it is important to know a little beyond the basic tones (white, brown or black) and the case of the Asian skin tone is an ideal example to delve a little deeper into this topic.

Starting from the idea that there are several Asian skin tones, and that each one may need a different care, with specific products (especially in makeup, the use of moisturizers or lighteners, and in skincare products in general) for their care that use components that can be beneficial for a specific one,  but it might not turn out for anyone else, in this article we will describe the most important aspects related to the Asian skin tone and its different variations, so that you can have the necessary tools when identifying the most important differences that each one presents.

Asian skin tone, its variation according to regions of the territory

Taking care of the skin, specifically that of the face, depends on many factors, both external (the climate, the environment or environment) and internal: the texture of the skin, whether you are sensitive skin or not, the type of food, among many others. So taking into account this and that the Asian continent is quite extensive and diverse in every way, we can already understand that when we talk about the Asian skin tone we can not think of just one.

As we already mentioned, these will present variations ranging from light brown tones to dark type, in this sense, Asian regions will be a determining factor to understand the way in which the Asian skin tone is classified.

For example, the Asian population located to the north will have a lighter skin tone than those found in East Asia, since sunlight does not enter these two regions in the same way and this will have a considerable influence when it comes to the skin tones of the people who reside in these areas.

Taking into account these aspects, below we will present a summary on the classification of the most relevant characteristics of the Asian skin tone according to each region.

North

It comprises the Asian area of Russia or also called Siberia, has about 39 million inhabitants, is the least populated Asian region, but the one that contains the largest territorial extension among the six existing. Residents of North Asia usually tend to have a fairly light skin tone, with slightly yellowish undertones and mostly dark hair. The climate present in this region is dominated by polar air currents, this characteristic greatly influences that light tones have a greater presence in this area.

East

East Asia, made up of countries such as China, Mongolia, South Korea, North Korea, Japan, and Taiwan, is considered the second largest Asian region, surpassed only by North Asia. In the eastern area, the Asian skin tone that dominates are peach-like tones and skins with light brown nuances, the prevailing texture is mostly smooth skin, without spots or freckles. As for facial care, this region stands out for the culture coming from both North and South Korea, which has gained popularity thanks to its facial care techniques.

South

The Asian skin tone that dominates in the southern area is one that varies between light and dark browns. Likewise, among the countries that make up this region we can highlight Pakistan, Maldives, India, and Afghanistan.

In the case of the inhabitants of India, they may present a brown skin tone with some yellowish or golden reflections. The slightly darker tones are partly related to the temperatures of the South Asian area, in which a type of climate called monsoon predominates, that is, it keeps the region humid during the summer and dry during the winter.

Southeast

The area of Southeast Asia covers countries such as Singapore, the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia, among the characteristics related to the type of skin presented by its inhabitants, the presence of much darker tones compared to the previous regions stands out, this is because they are exposed to a climate with higher temperatures and tropical type.

That is why the Asian skin tone that we can find in the southeast area has a greater presence of tan, gold or dark brown tones, except for countries such as Indonesia and Malaysia which have a considerable number of inhabitants that have slightly lighter tones than the rest.

Center

In Central Asia, skin tones with shades of light and medium brown predominate, the countries that make up the central region of Asia are: Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Kyrgyzstan, these have mostly temperate temperatures, that is, neither very cold nor very hot, and although brown skin tones predominate among its inhabitants, there are specific exceptions such as the inhabitants of central Uzbekistan who mostly have a fairly light skin tone, integrating blonde and pink nuances.

West

Of all the Asian regions, it is the central area where we can find greater diversity in terms of skin tone, remember that this area is made up of a variety of countries such as Turkey, Israel, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, among others.

In this sense, the Asian skin tone that we can find within the central region will be quite diverse, from tones with light and warm colors, through medium browns, to reach the darkest tones, and it could be said that in general, the latter (light and dark brown tones) have a slight advantage in terms of presence in the region.

General skin care in the Asian region

As we have been able to notice, the Asian skin tone varies according to the regions of origin of each inhabitant, these variations could be explained considering that people face different climatic conditions and different types of temperature, these factors in addition to influencing the variations of skin tones, also affect the type of conditions presented by each of them, among the most common are: hyperpigmentation, acne, sunspots, among others.

When any of these conditions occur, it is important to evaluate the condition of the skin well, the most ideal and most advisable is to go to a specialist before performing any treatment on your own, since in some cases if we present a sensitive skin type and we do not know, the situation could worsen considerably.

To prevent our skin from presenting any type of complications, daily care is essential, especially if a sensitive skin type is present (as in most Asian regions).

As a result of these reasons, we will develop below some of the steps that can be done from home to avoid conditions and maintain healthy skin:

1. Eliminate impurities: To maintain a proper and effective routine, it is very important that our skin is free of elements that can cause contamination in it, that is why it is recommended to use special cleansers and that adapt to our skin type, according to specialists, applying it twice a day will be enough.
2. Moisturize the skin: Both internally (taking an adequate amount of water) and externally including in our care routine some moisturizing cream or gel, since generally temperature changes dry out and considerably affect the texture of our skin.
3. Protect yourself from the sun: Although we can not see them, the sun's rays are responsible for many of the diseases that affect our skin, such as premature aging or hyperpigmentation, which is why we must avoid prolonged exposure to the sun without a good sunscreen. This is usually retouched every four hours, depending on the weather (in higher temperatures it is advisable to touch it up every two hours).
4. Eat healthy: The health of our skin depends largely on the food we eat, which is why it is recommended to eat a balanced diet where organic fruits and vegetables predominate over processed foods.

Know your skin tone

Finally, we can say that the Asian skin tone presents variations, and it is important to know them since from identifying the type of skin we can apply specific care and adapted to the different needs that each one presents. In addition to this, it is important to maintain a lifestyle that integrates internal care as this will allow our skin to improve its texture and increase its natural shine.

To achieve a clean and careful look, it is necessary to highlight some elements that should be avoided when applying makeup in an Asian skin tone. Considering that Asian skins vary within ranges II and IV according to the Fitzpatrick scale, a variety of shades will be present, from the lightest to the darkest, which is why makeup must be adjusted to the needs of each person.

In general, we can mention some tips that will help achieve a radiant makeup. For example, the first thing that is recommended is to avoid excess in the uses of pink colors, since they provide greater paleness to the skin, it is also important to use a good base with adequate coverage to keep a makeup intact throughout the day.

Finally, be sure to use tools such as highlighters in bronze and gold tones, (this will help further define the Asian face already marked naturally) and lipsticks in vibrant colors for dark skin tones, as the fainter colors will be perfect for those with a lighter skin tone.