7 Tips for Teenage Skin Care

We all know how important having a proper skincare routine is. It helps to keep your skin healthy, prevents acne and other skin conditions, and reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. We’re always told to wash our faces in the morning and before bed and use a moisturizer, especially in the winter, but at what age is it necessary to start a full skincare routine?

Starting to do skincare in your teens can help you develop healthy skincare habits that you’ll carry on with you as you get older. It’s also necessary for preventing acne and other skin conditions.

However, practicing skin care doesn’t have to entail an entire 10-step routine and loads of products. The best skin care for teenagers should be something simple and easy to follow. While it’s important to start young and take care of your skin from an early age, teenage skin care shouldn’t be complicated or expensive. Keeping it basic with a few products is usually more than enough.

Keep reading for our top 7 tips for teenage skin care so that you can prioritize your skin’s health and establish healthy habits.

Why is it Important for Teenagers to Have a Skin Care Routine?

There are many reasons why skin care is important, especially for teenagers. Many teens deal with skin problems, but that doesn’t make it any less frustrating. Fortunately, having a skincare routine as soon as you hit puberty is a great way to manage common conditions, like acne.
Illustration of a clock with text that reads, “Starting skin care as soon as possible can build good habits and help prevent early aging.”

If you suffer from acne as a teen, there are various products you can use to prevent and treat blemishes, such as benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid. However, the best skincare product depends on the cause of your acne and your skin type, so make sure you see a dermatologist to see what they recommend.

Investing in skin care can also help you create good habits for taking care of your skin in the long term. Skin care gets more important as you get older, but starting these good habits at a young age will make you more likely to continue them in the long run. For example, if you start regularly using a face wash and moisturizer now, you’re most likely going to continue to do so as you get older.

Even though issues like dry skin and acne are completely normal and very common, they can definitely cause insecurities. Keeping your skin clean and clear can also help with self-confidence.

Asian teen boy washing his face over a white sink.

When Should Teenagers Start Their Skin Care Routine?

The exact age that you should start your skin care routine differs for every teen and their skin type. For example, if you have acne-prone skin, you may want to start using a salicylic acid a little earlier to nip it in the bud. Or, if you have combination skin, it may be a good idea to start exfoliating to clear out clogged pores that cause oiliness.

Just remember, it’s always a good idea to check with a dermatologist to figure out the right teenage skin care products for you and your skin type.

7 Tips for Teenage Skin Care

Illustration of a smiling girl with text that reads, “7 Tips for Teenage Skin Care: 1. Start with a gentle cleanser; 2. Wear sunscreen year-round; 3. Moisturize daily; 4. Use non-comedogenic products; 5. Treat acne early on; 6. Avoid sleeping in your makeup; 7. Keep your routine simple”.

Skin care for teenagers shouldn’t be complicated. You don’t need to use fancy serums or anti-aging products, and it certainly shouldn’t take up too much time. Keep it simple as you learn what your skin needs and how to properly care for it.

So if you’re not sure where to get started with your routine, check out these 7 tips for teenage skin care.

1. Start with a gentle cleanser

The first step in a skin care routine for teenagers should be using gentle cleansers every morning and night. As a teen, your skin is still sensitive and prone to irritation, so you want to opt for a cleanser that contains gentle ingredients.

If you suffer from acne, a benzoyl peroxide cleanser can prevent pimples from forming, while a cleanser with hyaluronic acid can help add moisture to the skin.

2. Wear sunscreen year-round

No matter what age you are, you should always wear sunscreen year-round. Wearing sunscreen can prevent your skin from sun damage and reduce your risk of developing skin cancer. However, that doesn’t mean you should necessarily wear just any sunscreen, it’s generally recommended to use chemical-free sunscreens.

Chemical-free sunscreens, like the mineral sunscreen you can find at Colorescience, are made with natural ingredients like zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. Not only are these ingredients safe for your skin, but they also do an excellent job of blocking the sun and keeping your skin safe from sun damage.

You can read up on other sun safety tips for kids to learn more about how to keep your skin protected and safe all year round.

3. Moisturize daily

If you have oily or acne-prone skin, you may be tempted to avoid moisturizer because you don’t want to add any more moisture and oil to your skin. However, moisturizing daily is actually one of the best things you can do for oily or acne-prone skin.

When your skin is dry, it’s actually going to produce more oil, which can lead to acne. But when you moisturize your skin daily, you’re preventing dryness and irritation, which can help to clear up your skin.

4. Use non-comedogenic products

One of the best tips for teenage skin care is to use non-comedogenic products. Non-comedogenic skin care products are essentially products that are specifically formulated to not block your pores. That means they won’t contribute to those pesky whiteheads or blackheads that you’re using the skin care product to prevent.

So whenever you’re shopping for any skin care product, whether that’s a moisturizer or a sunscreen, make it says non-comedogenic on the label.

5. Treat acne early on

Another important tip for teenagers is to treat acne early on. Acne is very common during puberty due to hormones, but that doesn’t mean it’s necessarily going to just go away on its own. Most of the time, you need to actually treat your acne in order for it to clear up. But the good news is, the sooner you treat your acne, the faster it’s going to go away.

You can discuss with your dermatologist to figure out which skin care product is right for your acne.

 White teen girl touching her face and smiling in the mirror.

6. Avoid sleeping in your makeup

We know, taking off your makeup at the end of the night can feel like a huge task, but it’s very important for the sake of your skin. Sleeping in your makeup can cause irritation and breakouts, so you want to make it a point to take your makeup off every night before you go to sleep.

Note: You should gently remove your makeup with a makeup wipe or cleanser and follow up with a quality moisturizer.

7. Keep your routine simple

At the end of the day, the best tip for teenage skin care is to keep your routine simple. Only use a few, simple products, don’t over-exfoliate, and avoid touching or picking your skin. The more you overdo it with your routine, the harder it will be to keep up. Plus, too many products and overwashing can irritate your skin and cause breakouts.

Finding Quality Teenage Skin Care Products

So now that you have some tips to follow, you’re probably wondering what products you should be using. The best teenage skincare products will differ for every person and their unique skincare needs. That said, you want to look for quality skincare products that include safe ingredients.

Illustration of a thumb’s up with text that reads “Colorescience treatments can help teens with: Acne; Oily Skin; Hyperpigmentation; Rosacea; Sunburn; And more!”.

Some of our favorite teenage skin care products include the All Calm® Multi-Correction Serum, which is ideal for sensitive skin and helps soothe redness and irritation, and mineral-based, zinc oxide sunscreen that’s made with safe, natural ingredients and provides excellent sun protection.

Or, you can also check out the Even Up® Clinical Pigment Perfector® Sunscreen SPF 50, which is lightly tinted to even out the skin tone, while still protecting your skin from blue light and sun damage. Any of these products are great choices to add to a skin care routine for teenagers to keep your skin healthy.

Keep Your Skin Healthy & Clear

It’s never too early to prioritize your skin and start a basic routine. Implementing a skincare routine in your teens is a great way to keep your skin healthy and clear and develop good habits for the future. But remember, it doesn’t have to be complicated. All you need is a couple of good products and a few minutes every morning and night.

Getting started is simple. Colorescience carries a wide range of skin care products that are made with high-quality ingredients and are safe for teenagers to use. We’ve created various products that target common skin concerns and can help you achieve your skincare goals. So whether you’re looking for a mineral sunscreen or a non-comedogenic serum to help with redness, you can find the best teenage skin care products at Colorescience.