If you’re a teen, these skincare tips for teenagers are definitely for you!
As someone who has struggled with their skin for years, I’ve learned a lot about what works and what certainly doesn’t. Throughout my teenage years, I was always looking for insight into how I should take care of my skin. But alas, social media made the skincare arena kind of confusing.
With conflicting information on how to take care of your skin, I decided to write the ultimate skincare guide for teenagers. This blog post is jam-packed with the absolute best skincare tips for teenagers that you need to know about. You’re also going to get some of my favorite product recommendations and some helpful advice. If that sounds great, keep reading!
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Best Skincare Tips For Teenagers:
1. Less Is More
This is something I always advise implementing into your skincare routine, especially for teenagers. Nowadays, you can find 12-year-olds using retinol and having 10-step routines on social media.
In the long run however, this is not good for your skin: it can damage the skin barrier and can also be crazy expensive. The most important tip I could possibly give you is to slowly integrate products into your routine and not use too many at the same time. Focus on having a cleanser, treatment product, moisturizer, and sunscreen in your routine!
2. When Wearing Makeup, Double Cleanse!
Double cleansing is a must if you wear makeup. I love a two-step cleansing system because by first using a product such as a makeup removing balm, you get rid of the bulk of the makeup. Then, by following up with a cleanser, you remove the final traces of makeup and the residue from your balm!
I always enjoy taking off my makeup with The Inkey List Oat Cleansing Balm: it just melts off all the makeup without stripping my skin, a result of it being formulated with oat!
A great makeup remover balm:
3. Moisturizer Is A Must
No matter what type of climate you live in, you absolutely need to have moisturizer in your teen skincare routine. I would recommend finding a thicker moisturizer if you have drier skin and a lighter, more gel-like moisturizer if you have oily and/or combination skin! A good moisturizer won’t aggravate your skin concerns but rather help diffuse them.
I love this CeraVe moisturizer because it has a great texture and is formulated with hydrating ceramides!
An affordable, versatile moisturizer:
4. Always Wear SPF
It’s never too late to start using sunscreen. There are so many long-term benefits to using skincare: protecting yourself from skincare, sunspots, and premature aging. We’ve all seen those side-by-side photos of what happens when you use SPF versus when you don’t.
Especially as teenagers, we tend to go out a lot and could use proper protection from the sun. I love this Elta MD tinted sunscreen because it has SPF 46 and gives the skin a great finish (plus it has a nice texture and no white cast)!
A great sunscreen:
5. Keep Track Of Your Cycle
This tip is for the ladies. While not everyone experiences acne because of their menstrual cycle, for those who do, it’s worth it to keep track of what cycle phase you’re in. This can help you remember that skin issues are temporary and not to be too hard on yourself!
6. Don’t Touch Your Face
This is a big one. I struggle with not touching my face a ton, so I get how difficult it can be. However, by touching your face excessively, you’re actually transferring more oil to the surface of your skin, which can cause acne breakouts. That’s why it’s super important to not excessively touch your face (especially problem spots)!
7. Avoid Picking At Blemishes
This is such an important skincare tip for teenagers that I just had to include it. Whether it be a dry patch or zit, picking at your blemish only aggravates your skin and makes it worse. By not picking at your skin, you’re letting your skin issues heal properly, which will actually speed up the healing process and help you avoid any scarring/pitting.
If you have trouble not picking at your skin (especially pimples), I love using these Hero Cosmetics Pimple Patches: they’re so great!
The best pimple patches:
8. Have A Balanced Diet
This is not me saying you have to diet to have clear skin. People who eat really healthy can still get acne, and people who eat whatever can have clear skin. However, if you notice that your skin breaks out or gets inflamed when you eat certain foods, it could be worth it to try cutting it out of your diet and see if it makes a difference.
Another tip that everyone knows about but don’t always follow: drink water!!! While it’s not going to magically clear up your skin, no harm can be done by getting your 8 cups in a day. Drinking the proper amount of water can help flush toxins out of your system faster, improving the appearance of your skin!
9. Minimize Stress
I know what it’s like to be stressed out about your skin to the point where it breaks you out even more. Trust me, I get it. However, stressing out about your skin does nothing good for your situation. In fact, it can only make it worse.
I know it’s easier said than done, but finding comfort in the fact that there is a light at the end of the tunnel and you’re just trying your best is better for not just the state of your skin, but also your mental health!
10. Focus On One Skin Issue At A Time
Whether it be acne, hyperpigmentation, dryness, rosacea or another skin issue, these skin issues will be resolved fastest if you focus on one at a time. Focusing on one skin issue at a time can ensure that you’re not overloading your skin with products that have actives (this could cause damage to your skin barrier)!
11. Always Patch Test Products
This is so important. If you are trying a new product out for the first time, be sure to test a small portion of it on your ankle or elbow. This is to see if you have an adverse reaction to the product!
This can prevent skin irritation on your face and is crucial when trying out new skincare products.
12. Keep Hormones In Mind
As a teenager, your hormones are all over the place. While this can affect your emotional wellbeing, it can also affect your skin’s wellbeing. Hormonal acne can present itself in many places on your face such as on your jaw or around your mouth. Keep in mind that there is not much you can do about it and it could take some time for hormonal acne to go away. It’s just all a part of growing up!
13. Don’t Be Hard On Yourself!
I wish I could go back and tell my younger teenage self to not beat herself up about the state of your skin. For years, I obsessed over every imperfection in my skin (which did absolutely nothing good for me, btw).
The most important thing I could tell you is to radically love and accept yourself throughout your skin journey because at the end of the day, that’s something which pays off in the long run. <3