Words by guest writer, Yadira Galarza Cauchi
Almost all teenagers experience some form of acne at some stage. Whilst problematic skin isn’t unique to teens, it can be confusing to know how to approach it and where to start, especially when raging hormones can leave teenage skin dry one day and oily the next. So it’s best to tread with caution. It’s also important to treat problematic and congested skin correctly as scarring can become a major concern further down the track if managed incorrectly.
Where to start?
The first thing you need to do is establish what exactly is going on with your skin, because no two faces are identical, and therefore we don’t recommend a one-size-fits-all approach. This is why we’ve detailed a variety of approaches for a few different ‘types’ of problematic skin below.
1: Impaired Barrier
The role of our skin barrier is to keep water in and irritants out. Essentially then, when our skin barrier is functioning optimally, skin looks and feels healthy/glowing and is predominantly acne free. However, when a skin barrier is damaged or impaired it’ll have trouble maintaining its hydration levels, leaving skin feeling dry/irritated or compensating with the lack of oil by over producing sebum – in turn, leading to more breakouts. An impaired barrier may also make skin feel extra sensitive, easily irritated or even prone to redness in some areas.
We recommend:
AM
Appropriate cleanser for skin type, vitamin B serum, appropriate moisturiser for skin type, SPF.
PM
Appropriate cleanser for skin type, Hyaluronic 8 serum, appropriate moisturiser for skin type.
2: Persistently oily, congested and continuous blemishes
When dealing with persistently oily, congested skin or if you are experiencing continuous breakouts it is important to be exfoliating regularly as excess dead skin cells can exacerbate clogged pores and further dehydrate the skin. Most people with oily skin also tend to avoid moisturising although it is very important not to skip this step either. Why? Because if you’re not hydrating skin adequately your skin will produce more oil to compensate. Cleansers that leave your skin feeling squeaky clean or stripped should also be avoided and ingredients such as Salicylic Acid should be incorporated into the routine regularly to help clear and decongest the pores.
We recommend:
AM
Clear Skin Daily Face and Body Wash, Clear Skin Tonic, Clear Skin Hydrator Gel and chosen SPF.
PM
Clear Skin Daily Face and Body Wash, Clear Skin Tonic (alternate evenings), Blemish Control Gel and Clear Skin Hydrator Gel.
3: Moderately problematic
Moderately problematic skin is completely normal and something many teenagers may experience thanks to fluctuating hormones. Hormones can increase oil production in the skin, often then leading to breakouts as excess sebum and dead skin cells mix together and form a plug. This imbalance in sebum production can cause the proliferation of acne causing bacteria which can lead to inflammation and clogged pores. People who experience moderately problematic skin also tend to have glands prone to making more oil and while many will experience this sort of oil surge in their teens when (and if) it happens can be different for everyone. Hence why starting on the right skincare routine early is key.
We recommend:
AM
Clear Skin Daily Face and Body Wash, Clear Skin Blemish Control Gel, Clear Skin Daily Hydrator Gel and chosen SPF.
PM
Clear Skin Daily Face and Body Wash, Clear Skin Tonic, Blemish Control Gel and Clear Skin Hydrator Gel.
4: Localised problematic
Localised problematic skin is very common and can often be attributed to certain hormonal fluctuations as well as simple acne causing mistakes such as washing pillowcases too infrequently, using the wrong makeup and even not cleaning your phone. Products formulated with Salicylic Acid that target specific breakout prone spots are key for localised problematic skin as they help accelerate our skin cell turnover leading to healthier skin.
We recommend:
AM
Appropriate cleanser for skin type, Clear Skin Blemish Control Gel, Clear Skin Daily Hydrator Gel (over affected area only) and chosen SPF.
PM
Appropriate cleanser for skin type, second cleanse with Clear Skin Daily Face and Body Wash, Clear Skin Blemish Control Gel, use of an accelerating acid such as Clear Skin Tonic, moisturise/treat according to skin type.
5: The odd blemish
Everyone deals with the odd blemish or two and there are so many factors at play. So while we do commonly associate acne with teenagers the truth is everybody can experience a breakout no matter what stage of life they’re at. Which is why it’s important to have products on hand with Alpha Hydroxy Acid’s (AHA’s) or Beta Hydroxy Acids (BHA’s), such as Salicylic Acid to help clear skin when these breakouts occur. Using a clay based mask once weekly to help draw impurities from the skin is also recommended for healthier skin.
We recommend:
AM
Appropriate cleanser for skin type, Clear Skin Blemish Control Gel, appropriate moisturiser for skin type and chosen SPF.
PM
Appropriate cleanser for skin type, Clear Skin Blemish Control Gel as needed, Clear Skin Mask used as a spot treatment, moisturise according to skin type.
If you are still unsure or to get a truly bespoke routine for your skin, please get in touch to set up a free online skin consultations with one of our trained skin therapists.
