Your early teens can be when problems start with your skin. Navigating your first skincare routine can be particularly confusing. Your skin may be either dry, oily, dehydrated and spotty, or congested with blackheads and sensitive. This may not always be at the same time but you’ve got to figure out how to deal with it.
The products we use as teenagers actually helps set up our skin for later on in life. Think of your youthful skin as the foundation that your skin starts from. When you’re young, your skin is functioning fantastically, so taking care of your skin the right way early in life means you won’t be making up for lost time in years to come.
Cleanser
Gentle washes tend to be best for any skin type since they’re the least likely to strip the skin’s natural barrier. A foaming cleanser, which helps with oiliness, or a cleanser containing salicylic acid or lactic acid are great at treating acne. If you’re wearing makeup, micellar water is great as a pre-cleanse step in your routine.
Serum
Teenage skin needs the same sort of environmental protection as adult skin does. This means antioxidants are key. Vitamin C will fend off pollution and help brighten skin. Vitamin C also helps with collagen production to reduce acne markings post-breakout and keeps the skin protected against UV light and pollutants.
Retinoids
We know how retinoids should become a part of anyone’s skincare routine by the time they hit their late twenties, because of their anti-ageing effects. The vitamin A derivative can also be effective for teens as it considerably reduces acne.
Exfoliation
This is essential and needs to be done one to two times per week. Exfoliating the skin removes dead skin cells, smooths texture, encourages cellular turnover and improves the absorption of the products you apply.
Moisturisers
On the moisturising front, opt for a lighter lotion instead of a heavy cream. Whether you’re dry, oily, or a little bit of both, most teenage skins prefer a lighter texture. Don’t feel the need to skip a moisturiser, this is important to protect your skins natural protective layer, avoids bacteria invasion and the skin to become dehydrated.
SPF
This is a must and needs to be applied every day! You must protect the skin from ultraviolet light damage.
Sharon’s tip!
Wash your pillowcases and makeup brushes regularly. These are the areas that sweat, dirt and bacteria are likely to build up and then this could cause congestion and breakouts within your skin.
Lastly and most importantly, always remove all makeup before going to bed - your face will thank you for it!