You’ve done some back-to-school shopping and stocked up on stationery and books. What about your skincare products? A good skincare routine will do more than just giving you confidence as you start your school year.
Besides keeping skin breakage and acne away, proper skin care for teenagers will help keep the signs of aging at bay. It will help you develop healthy and youthful skin while saving you cash down the line – cash you could have used paying for skin conditions. While you might not notice the effects of your skincare routine immediately, you are bound to start observing some changes with time. Here are some skin care tips for teens you can take up today:
Morning and Nighttime Skincare Routines
Your skin will need a different kind of skin care routine depending on the time of day. In the morning hours, you need to protect your skin from sun and heat damage, pollution, and dirt. All these are precursors for premature aging.
On the flip side, your skin will need some pampering at night after accepting a lot of damage during the day. A little bit of repair, nourishment, and hydration products could go a long way. If you are looking for advice for teenagers with acne prone skin, these routines will help you out.
Morning Skincare Routine
Cleanse
Don’t make the mistake of thinking that your face doesn’t deserve a cleanse in the morning just because you washed it at night. Your skin is exposed to a lot at night, from skin and hair oils to bacteria and dust. A great cleanser will help you brighten your skin, eliminate dirt and excess oil, and activate it. Just be sure to pick a cleanser that is made for your skin type.
Skin exfoliation
The next step is skin exfoliation. This allows you to deal with dead skin cells while creating a smooth skin surface for makeup application. As a quick tip, look for an easy-to-use exfoliator, preferably those that don’t require rinsing after application.
Moisturize and protect
Your skin will be exposed to a lot of harmful substances throughout the day. Using a moisturizer that doubles as a skin protector will keep your skin safe from a broad spectrum SPF and damaging free radicals. Look for a product that is rich in antioxidant vitamin C.
Nighttime Skincare Routine
Remove your makeup
Never sleep with your makeup on – it can gradually lead to acne breakouts, dryness, and breakouts. It could also encourage acne formation and the clogging of your pores and acne formation. Give your skin some room to breathe by removing your makeup.
This will call for a double cleansing routine. The first cleansing step is to remove the makeup from your skin. Look for a cleanser that will get rid of waterproof mascara if you use any. Once you are done, apply a gentle cleanser to further purify your skin.
Exfoliate
Exfoliation is more important at night. It not only removes dull and dead skin cells but also paves the way for better nutrient and treatment product absorption.
Repair and moisturize
Apply a moisturizer to your skin before getting some shut-eye. The recommended moisturizer to use is anything that has retinol. Besides hydrating your skin, retinol-containing products increase collagen production for more youthful skin. They also promote the gradual development of new blood vessels, which leads to better skin repair as you sleep.
How to Layer Your Skincare Products
While there is no one-size-fits-all routine when it comes to skin care for teenagers, there is an optimal way to apply your products. It is essential to follow the right product layering, whether you are a minimalist who follows a three-step skin care routine or a person who relies on multiple products. The layering process you follow will have -an impact on how effective the products are.
You wouldn’t want to render your luxury serum useless by applying it wrong. If you are wondering about the ‘how and when’ to use specific products, this section is for you. Here is a summary and a lengthier approach to the product application steps:
During the day apply each layer as follows:
- Cleanser
- Eye cream
- Toner
- Serum
- Moisturizer
- Spot treatment
- Face oil
- Sunscreen
At night, you’ll want to apply the layers in a slightly different order while adding and removing a couple of products from the routine:
- Makeup remover
- Cleanser
- Eye cream
- Toner
- Serum
- Retinol
- Moisturizer
- Spot treatment
- Face oil
The basic principle is to first cleanse your skin, open your skin for easier product soak in, add active ingredients, and seal it all with a moisturizer.
Makeup Removal
This step only applies at night time. Unless you accidentally fall asleep with your makeup on, you should always remove it before getting some shut-eye. The best bet is to get rid of your makeup immediately after you get home from school, which prevents you from worrying about it right before sleeping.
Look for a makeup remover that will get rid of all products from your face. For instance, if you wear waterproof mascara, a remover that can get rid of it while being easy on your skin will be ideal.
Cleanser
For both night and morning skin care, the next step is to cleanse your face. A good cleansing rids your face of dirt, oils, bacteria, dead skin cells, and pollutants. It also paves the way for easier active ingredient absorption by your skin. Consider your skin type when picking cleansers – each ingredient will impact how your skin reacts to the products.
For instance, for people with dry skins, hydrating cleansers with peptides will suffice. If you are suffering from acne as a teenager or have oily skin, mild exfoliating cleansers that have salicylic acid will be ideal. Such cleansers get rid of dead cells that can lead to the clogging of your pores and acne. Most importantly, avoid sulfates, which could have a harsh, stripping effect on your skin.
Apply Eye Cream
Follow this step both during the day and night. Since it is easy to forget to apply eye cream, applying it immediately after cleansing is essentials. If you are worried about your eye cream interfering with your makeup, consider choosing a lightweight option – one that sinks in quickly. Some of the best ingredients to include in your eye cream are peptides and antioxidants.
Toner/Essence
Applying a toner or essence both at night and day will help prime your skin for active ingredient absorption. However, you should choose a toner that compliments your skin type. Conventionally, skin toners were meant to counteract alkaline soaps and balance skin pH before soap-free cleansers became this widely adopted.
Today, toners are mainly targeted at helping people with oily skin to exfoliate and resurface their skins. If you have oily skin, opt for toners with ingredients like salicylic and glycolic acid. Essence, on the other hand, is meant to be hydrating and works best for people with dry or normal skins. Be sure to choose a product with active ingredients like hyaluronic acid.
Serum
Serum should be applied both during the day and night. It is essential to apply the serum in the initial stages of your routine as it helps deliver active ingredients. If you have a thick formulation before applying serum, it might not penetrate to the deeper skin layers.
The serums you use before school and at night should be different. Daytime products should protect your skin from common stressors like pollutants and UV rays, which can be especially helpful to young adults with acne in Northern Colorado. On the other hand, nighttime serum should repair your skin, which is why it should have growth ingredients.
Retinol
Apply retinol-containing products both during the day and at night. The vitamin A derivative increases skin cell turnover while boosting collagen production. It can be ideal for reducing pore size and dealing with fine lines. Be sure to test it out with your skin to identify the right amount to use.
Moisturizer
Apply moisturizer both in the morning and evening. Moisturizers help hydrate your skin while sealing in hydration and active ingredients. This is why moisturizers tend to be heavier than other products. You can use your moisturizer to double down on active ingredients.
For instance, if you are relying on Vitamin C in your serum for protection, you can choose a moisturizer that has the same active ingredient for extra protection.
Spot Treatment
Apply spot treatment both during the morning and at night. Spot treatment can be great at countering active breakouts and acne caused by stress. Spot treating after moisturizing is essential, as it allows the products to remain over the pimples rather than being smeared all over your face. Look for spotters with ingredients that dry out oil glands while killing acne-causing bacteria.
Face Oil
Apply face oil at night right after your moisturizer. The oil helps prevent moisture loss and evaporation.
Sunscreen
Wear sunscreen every morning before leaving for school to protect sensitive skin from sun damage. Since you wouldn’t want your sunscreen to be less effective, it should be the last product to use on your face. You have two sunscreen options to choose from; physical or chemical.
Physical blockers work by reflecting light away from your skin, and they contain minerals like zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. On the flip side, chemical blockers absorb light and turn it into heat. This prevents the light from penetrating into the deeper skin layers. Pick an option that works for your skin.
Protect and Nourish Your Skin
If you look good from your first day back to school, you are bound to feel more confident and have a successful schools year. Why not start with a comprehensive skincare routine that complements your skin type? Use the skincare routine and layering process above to healthier and youthful skin.