The teenage years are that fine line between childhood and adulthood. It’s the state of discovering and experimenting on a lot of new and different things. This is especially true to teenage girls who are just dipping their toes into the world of beauty and makeup. You’ll find products you like and products you’ll detest. It’s just a continuous process of trial and error! But for starters, here are effective and helpful skincare tips for teenagers who are just starting out!
Teen Skin vs. Adult Skin: What are the differences?
The adolescent stage introduces different body transformations. Know more about the differences between teen and adult skin.
Structural Changes
Younger children’s skin frequently renews. But as you approach the teenage years, the renewal frequency lessens. Compared to children, the skin of a teenager is tougher and more resilient. It still maintains a good amount of elasticity and is still able to regenerate quickly.
However, as you get older, your collagen production decreases. Collagen is the most abundant protein in the body. It’s the substance that holds the body together and provides strength and structure. For the skin, it’s what keeps it from sagging. This means to say that as you get older, your skin gets prone to fine lines and wrinkles.
Hormonal Changes
As you enter different stages in life, your body undergoes hormonal changes. With this, skin problems develop as a response. The most evident is the increased oil or sebum production that eventually leads to clogged pores and acne.
Though this is more common in teenagers, being an adult doesn’t really save you from ridiculous acne breakouts. Certain situations like menstruation and pregnancy are likely to develop acne due to hormonal changes.
Skincare Tips for Teenagers
We can’t exactly name the perfect products but we can give effective and helpful skincare tips for teenagers who are just starting out!
Use the correct cleaner
To properly wash your face, do your research on what type of cleanser best suits your skin. The right product will prevent your skin from drying out and causing irritation. Avoid using soaps not made for washing the face as it can irritate the pores.
For those who have oil or normal/combination skin, a daily cleanser with salicylic acid can control excessive oil production. Aside from that, the intake of Vitamin A or Zinc supplements can control sebum production and lessen the appearance of blackheads.
Moisturize
To keep your skin supple, plump, and hydrated, don’t forget to apply moisturizer. We suggest you pick a moisturizer that also functions as a sunscreen. For those with sensitive skin, avoid moisturizers that have added scent.
For those with oily skin, use a lightweight and oil-free moisturizer to prevent clogging while those who have acne-prone skin can use gel-based moisturizers.
Exfoliate
Hormonal surges can result in clogged pores. To avoid this, exfoliate your skin once a week with products that consist of clay since it has natural antiseptic and astringent properties. Beauty products consisting of AHAs and salicylic acid are also great ingredients for deep cleaning into your pores.
Use Sunscreen
A skincare product that is often overlooked is sunscreen but fortunately, more and more teenagers are being made aware of the importance of sunscreen.
Use a moisturizing sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 but we suggest going higher, depending on your skin pigmentation for year-round coverage from the damaging sun rays.
If you are planning to go outdoors, wear long-sleeved shirts and hats for added protection.
Clean Makeup Habits
Sometimes, it’s not body changes or environmental factors that cause acne breakouts or degrading skin quality. It could also be improper makeup habits.
Take a watch of the dirt your makeup brushes and applicator are accumulating and clean them at regular intervals. It’s best to also avoid sharing makeup with others, most especially with lip products.
Make sure to wash off your makeup before going to bed every night. Use the correct cleanser or micellar water to remove any makeup residue and practice a nighttime skincare routine. At all costs, do not leave makeup on your face overnight as it will most likely clog your pores.
Go for a healthy lifestyle
Beauty doesn’t only need physical products slapped on your face on a regular basis. It also needs support from within and the best way to do this is to follow a well-balanced diet by dominantly consuming vegetables and fruits and avoiding oily food.
It’s a wonderful practice to start taking care of your body at an early age. This means eating healthily, exercising, drinking plenty of water, taking a break if things get too rough and avoiding fad diets.