A Teenager's Skincare Needs

Whether you’re gifted with flawless, acne covered, dry, or oily skin, we all need the same, special care for it. That “care” we all need is a simple, yet solid skincare routine. All over social media we see flawless-faced people doing their “10 Step Korean Skincare Routine”. But honestly speaking, we don’t need that many steps to accomplish the same gorgeous, radiant skin. All we need is three core products: A cleanser, a moisturizer, and a sunscreen. It’s that simple. But, before we get into it, a quick lesson on skin-types. 

Determining Your Skin-Type

Everyone’s skin is different, there’s no two people with the exact same type of skin. Since it is way too vast to determine every single skin type out there, we narrowed it down to 5 main ones: Normal, Dry, Oily, Combination, and Sensitive. In order to find the right skincare routine for yourself, it’s really important to know which skin type you are! Here is an explanation on each skin type.

Normal: Well-balanced. Neither oily, nor dry.

Dry: Lacking hydration. Dry patches. Rough, flakey complexion. 

Oily: Skin produces more oil than normal. Shiny complexion. 

Combination: You get double the dessert! Oily around the nose, forehead, and/or chin. Dry or normal around the cheeks. 

Sensitive: More prone to itching and irritation when using certain products. 

Keep your skin-type in mind!

A Brief Note: As teens, our skin functions and refreshes itself a lot better than adults. So, we don’t really need as much support as they do. 

Now, back to building your skincare routine. As I suggested earlier, we only really need three core products: A cleanser, a moisturizer, and a sunscreen.

The Cleanser

A cleanser is used to wash the day’s dirt and grime off. Finding the right one for this job is super important. Look for a gentle cleanser that doesn’t dry you out. Here’s a little secret: drying out your oily skin will just make it ever oilier! 

The Moisturizer

A moisturizer’s purpose is to hydrate your skin. Hydration is the key to having good skin at this age. Target moisturizers suitable for sensitive skin. If you gravitate more to the oily side, get a lighter moisturizer. And if you’re dryer, get a richer moisturizer.

The Sunscreen

Sunscreen is used to protect your skin from damaging UV rays (the sun). There are two types of UV: UVA and UVB. UVA causes aging and sagging, while UVB causes sunburns and freckles. Find an SPF 30 sunscreen for everyday use, as well as a waterproof SPF 50 sunscreen for outdoor activities and sports.

The Routine

So, now that we know what we need, how to put it in order?

In the morning, you can cleanse with a cleanser or just splash your face with some water. Follow with moisturizer, then sunscreen.

At night, cleanse your skin with a cleanser and follow with a moisturizer. 

From there, we can branch out according to our specific needs. Once in a while, a mask can come in handy when your skin feels like it needs a boost. Or maybe a gentle scrub to decongest your poor little pores and refine skin texture (Make sure that the exfoliants in the scrub are not big or jagged. They should be very fine).

Please note that your problematic skin can’t just be solved by skincare alone. Your lifestyle really shows on the outside.  A few quick tips: Sleep, sleep, sleep. Sleeping is sooo important. More sleep will result in much better skin. Also, pay attention to your food. Try to stay away from dairy and sugar. I promise, it’s for the best ;)

Although it’s not perfect, it’s perfectly you.
Solaia