Got acne? Since pretty much all teenagers do, you shouldn’t be ashamed of your zits. The good news is there’re tons of amazing skincare solutions out there to help you get your acne under control. Likewise, there’re also easy skincare routine for teens to follow.
The best part? They don’t involve investing in 20 new products or following an insanely complicated routine multiple times a day. No, simplicity is key when it comes to purging the pores and getting fresh, clear skin — so don’t stress.
If you’re looking for an easy skincare routine for teenagers and don’t want to complicate your life, follow the steps below twice a day. In reality, you’ll probably only need to do two or three of the four steps most of the time.
It takes only a couple of minutes to complete. It’s all about regularly deep cleaning and restoring the skin with essential moisture when you’re done. No need to complicate it.
1. AM and PM: Wash and Moisturize
It’s important you wash your face twice a day to get rid of all the gunk that builds up when you sleep or go about your life. Otherwise, you’re just giving dirt, dead skin cells, and bacteria a chance to seep deep and cause blackheads and whiteheads. No thanks. Here’s the best routine to follow in the morning and at night.
Wash Your Face with a Salicylic Acid Face Wash
The best thing you can do to purge the pores on a twice-daily basis is to use a deep-cleaning face wash with salicylic acid. This is a gold standard ingredient for treating acne that works by gently exfoliating the top layer of skin along with all the gross gunk that seeps into the pores and stirs up acne. Here’s how to wash your face so you don’t introduce any extra zit triggers to the mix:
- Gently wet the face with warm water. Tip for those with long hair: Use a headband or hair wrap to keep rogue strands dry.
- Apply a dime-sized dab of face wash to your hand and wet it slightly.
- Apply the face wash all over the face, paying special attention to problem areas. Work the face wash into the skin in a circular motion.
- Thoroughly rinse your face with cold water to close pores.
- Dry your face, dabbing with a clean towel.
Choose your acne products wisely! Got extra-oily skin? Make sure to use a gel moisturizer for oily skin with salicylic acid. Got body acne? Grab an acne body wash with salicylic acid to use in the shower.
2. Hydrate with a Face Cream that Won’t Clog Pores
If you thought face cream was just for old folks targeting fine lines and wrinkles, well, we’ve got news for you! Actually, face cream is crucial to every skincare routine, no matter your age and specific needs.
That’s because hydration helps maintain the skin’s overall health and aids in keeping pores clean of excess sebum (skin oil). It sounds crazy, but face cream is actually extra important for those with oily skin since it helps the body chill out on the oil production, which leads to less greasy skin and fewer pimples.
3. Going Outside? Don’t Skip the Sunscreen
Can we talk about the sun for a sec? We all love it, but it’s not the best for the skin. You already know too much exposure to it can lead to serious issues, including skin cancer and saggy, wrinkly skin later in life.
So, make sure you get serious about SPF, especially if you’re planning to spend the day outside. For teenagers, it’s really important to choose a non-comedogenic sunscreen (that means one that won’t clog your pores) so as to not aggravate breakouts.
The Skin Cancer Foundation recommends looking for sunscreens labeled “oil-free” and those designed specifically for the face.
4. Exfoliate Once or Twice A Week
In addition to a twice-daily wash and moisturizing session, you should integrate the occasional scrub or mask into your routine once or twice per week. We don’t know about you, but we love a good peel-off face mask for blackheads or body scrub with natural exfoliators (those are the little specks in your scrub that rub away dirt and old skin cells). But over-exfoliating is bad news and can cause irritation or dryness, so make sure to keep the exfoliation in moderation.
5. Follow Your Routine
Your skincare routine is only as good as your ability to follow it, so make sure you’re doing everything you can to stay on track. Remember, even a couple of days without washing your face is enough to put your skin into clogged pore overload, which can send you into zit city real quick.
Here’re some of our favorite tips for remembering to scrub your mug twice a day:
- Get two sets of products, one for the shower and one for your sink. This way, you’ll remember to wash when you shower and one other time during the day.
- Load up on travel-sized products, so you don’t mess up your skin while you’re traveling or away from home. Be eco-friendly about it and invest in mini reusable plastic bottles you can fill from your full-sized products.
- Set a reminder on your phone. Hey, nothing works like a good nagging session, right? Have your phone let you know when it’s time to wash.
- Buddy up. Whether it be with a sibling or a friend who’s also experiencing stubborn acne, it can be helpful to start a routine with a friend to hold you accountable and keep you on track.
- Keep it simple. Don’t complicate things too much. Trying a bunch of different products or entering into a complicated regimen will only overwhelm you (and your skin) and prevent you from following it.
6. Give It Time
There’s one more important thing to remember when you’re dealing with acne as a teenager: time heals all wounds, even huge whiteheads. Don’t stress if your acne is taking a bit of time to clear up after starting your new routine.
As long as you follow it closely and are consistent about cleansing, you will start to see results sooner rather than later. And your crystal-clear complexion will be so worth it!
