A 5-Step PM Skincare Routine For Teen Skin

Thanks to puberty, skin can be all over the place when you’re in your teens. Hormonal changes can mean your skin has problems with breakouts, clogged pores, and oiliness (hormones called androgens increase the production of oil (or sebum) from the sebaceous glands). Dead skin cells stick to this oil and block the pores, resulting in blackheads, and bacteria which builds up in these clogged pores leads to breakouts. The best thing to do is introduce a proper skincare routine and stick to products that are simple and gentle to keep your skin calm, clear, and balanced. 

If you wear makeup then you’re going to want to get that off your face as soon possible – it’s absolutely essential to remove your makeup in the evening – leaving it on overnight will lead to clogged pores and breakouts. A cleansing balm or oil is the easiest and quickest way to melt away makeup and SPF, and it’s also way better for your skin than face wipes. 

You may have heard of second-cleansing – the process of using two separate cleansers to make sure your skin is super clean before you apply any more products. Oil-based cleansers melt away makeup and surface residue, but follow it up with a more efficient gel or foaming cleanser to remove deeper-rooted impurities. 

Toners are a handy step for adding a little extra hydration into your skin or removing any residue left behind by your cleanser. While exfoliating acid-based formulas are great as a once-a-week treatment (see below), a gelt hydrating solution is better for daily use as there’s no chance of it drying out or irritating skin.

If you’re looking to introduce a serum into your routine, niacinamide is a safe place to start – it’s a good all-rounder because it has benefits for all (including sensitive) skintypes. Ultimately, it ticks a lot of boxes for teen skin – it balances oil and sebum production, reduces the appearance of blemishes, helps to fade the pigmentation left behind by breakouts, and strengthens the skin’s barrier (to keep blemish-causing bacteria out). 

It’s important to keep skin hydrated – hydrated skin is healthy skin, and healthy skin is stronger and can heal itself faster. If your skin can’t quite make up its mind (oily here, dry there), a water-based gel formula will cater for both – soothing dry patches without being overly greasy. Layer it on thick overnight to wake up to a radiant complexion. 

Once or twice a week you may want to use a face mask or exfoliator to give skin a truly deep cleanse and target texture or congestion. Clay-based masks are great for tackling excess oil and breakouts, whereas an exfoliating toner or acid-based mask will help to brighten skin and smooth texture. If you are prone to breakouts, then you’ll want to have a couple of spot treatments in your skincare arsenal. A targeted spot treatment containing ingredinets like zinc, salicylic acid, and calamine will help to take down existing breakouts as well as stop upcoming ones in their tracks.