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Skin Care Tips For Teens

by Lexi Baumgardner 13 Comments

Teens have special concerns with their skin and most of us don't have the money to buy super expensive products. Check out these affordable skincare tips for teens.

Skincare is one of the most important things to pay attention to, especially in your teenage years. Breakouts, acne that never seems to go away, and finicky skin that is hard to keep under control are only some of the plagues. I personally struggle with breakouts. Make sure to follow these skincare tips for teens when you are planning your skincare regimen.

There are multiple DIY ‘remedies’ for varying skin issues all over the internet, but some of these could be hurting your skin more than helping it. Here is a list of harmful products for your skin, and how they hurt you.

First, what is the pH scale?

The pH scale is a form of measurement, just like kilometers or inches or gallons. It measures acidity, or amount of hydrogen ions. Acid covers a broad range of the topic, but it isn’t the scary, bubbly kind. Acid isn’t always a bad thing, in fact your skin needs a healthy balance of it.

The pH scale runs from 1 (overly acidic) to 14 (not acidic enough, or alkaline). 7 is neutral (water is a 7). The higher and lower you climb on the pH scale, the closer you come to damaging your skin.

A commonly suggested cleanser, but huge irritant is baking soda. Baking soda is a NINE (9) on the pH scale, which means it could severely damage your skin. Long term use can erode and eat away at your skin’s natural barrier, which keeps out bacteria and keeps in moisture. You can burn your skin with too much usage.

Lemon, with an acidic balance of 2, is just as bad for your skin. It can disrupt the acid balance and cause severe irritation. Applying pure lemon to your skin before sun exposure can cause blistering and burning.

skincare tips for teens

Lemons. Best used for lemonade.

Toothpaste. I have heard endless stories of toothpaste being the end all, be all, and I have tried it myself. Toothpaste is a big conglomeration of irritants that can contribute to worsening your skin. Peppermint, alcohol, peroxide, and harmful fragrances (to name a few) should stay in your mouth. Some of these things can erode the hard enamel of your teeth, imagine the damage it can do to your skin. Not recommended.

Hydrogen peroxide and isopropyl alcohol should be no brainers. These, much like lemon and baking soda, can eat away at your skin, irritate, and inflame. They can cause your skin to be unable to heal itself, and strip away the moisture.

Sugar and processed honey clog your pores like no other. The natural crystals in sugar are abrasive for your face, although many people use them. Sugar scrubs are fine for your lips, because they have a thicker and more resilient surface. Honey doesn’t clean your face, or have the same properties it would for your hair.

Natural honey, however, can be very beneficial for your skin. It can draw in moisture and remove bacteria. It can naturally exfoliate by rubbing in small circles as you apply it or remove it with warm water. Make sure to not get it in your eyebrows, or it can stick to them! Make sure you patch test the honey on another part of your body in case you’re allergic to pollen.

Body lotion is meant for the parts of your body that are not your face. Fragrances and dyes are irritants for most of the population, and simply switching to a skin moisturizer, such as a CeraVe, a gentle moisturizer for all skin types, can help immensely.

Teens have special concerns with their skin and most of us don't have the money to buy super expensive products. Check out these affordable skincare tips for teens.

Teens have special concerns with their skin and most of us don't have the money to buy super expensive products. Check out these affordable skincare tips for teens.

The most important thing is to wash your face. I went for so long not realizing that bacteria was a big contributor to my problems. I know that just washing your face won’t solve everything (I’ve been told the same thing!), but finding your skin type and researching the best products (face wash, moisturizer, and whatever may help your skin based on the type) on the low and high end of things can help a lot.

Research as much as you can. Play around with different combinations and such. I’ve found that a gentle salicylic acid scrub (a rank of 4-5 on the pH scale), salicylic acid cleansing pads , and a light moisturizer work the best for me. I have oily skin, acne problems on my cheeks, and a few diet issues. I take a prescription from my pediatrician, and have found that cutting dairy from my diet really helps. This won’t be the same for everyone, because different things will work and won’t.

skincare tips for teens

An easy, hydrating mask is a banana mask. It’s super simple; just mash up half of a banana, add some natural honey, and maybe some aloe if you have it handy. My mom has an aloe plant, so I took a little bit from there, and just under a teaspoon of fresh, natural honey. I mashed it with a fork to mix it up. Leave this on for about 10 minutes, rinse with warm water, and follow up with your usual skin care routine.

Best wishes in your skin care endeavors!

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About the Author
Lexi

Hi, I'm Lexi! I'm sixteen, and when I'm not learning the ropes of working and driving, I'm working with makeup or building my ballroom dancing career. I want to go to college debt free, and I'm hoping to make that a reality in the next two years!

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Comments

  1. Emilee Polster

    March 12, 2017 at 6:27 pm

    I liked this article because it was very informative and it helped me gain information.

    1
    Reply to Emilee Polster" aria-label=' Reply to Emilee Polster'> Reply
    • Eva

      March 13, 2017 at 4:55 pm

      Thanks for stopping by Emilee!

      1.1
      Reply to Eva" aria-label=' Reply to Eva'> Reply
  2. Emilee Polster

    March 12, 2017 at 6:29 pm

    I liked this article because it was very informative nad it helped me for things that I could use in the future. Thank you for this article!

    2
    Reply to Emilee Polster" aria-label=' Reply to Emilee Polster'> Reply
    • Eva

      March 13, 2017 at 4:48 pm

      Thanks Emilee!

      2.1
      Reply to Eva" aria-label=' Reply to Eva'> Reply
  3. Alexis @FITnancials

    March 14, 2017 at 11:00 am

    I use coconut oil for pretty much everything, including my face and hair!

    3
    Reply to Alexis @FITnancials" aria-label=' Reply to Alexis @FITnancials'> Reply
    • Eva

      March 16, 2017 at 12:49 pm

      I’ve heard that it is really good for both but I haven’t tried coconut oil yet – except for cooking!

      3.1
      Reply to Eva" aria-label=' Reply to Eva'> Reply
      • Anna

        March 16, 2017 at 2:45 pm

        My sisters put coconut oil in their hair before they wash it, and it works really well! ‘Cept the rest of us crave homemade french fries the whole time. ;P

        3.1.1
        Reply to Anna" aria-label=' Reply to Anna'> Reply
  4. David Beck

    March 15, 2017 at 7:01 am

    Great post with great Skin care tips. I really appreciate your post.

    4
    Reply to David Beck" aria-label=' Reply to David Beck'> Reply
    • Eva

      March 16, 2017 at 12:47 pm

      Thanks David!

      4.1
      Reply to Eva" aria-label=' Reply to Eva'> Reply
  5. Centsai

    March 20, 2017 at 12:51 pm

    I am no longer a teen (21 years old and in college) and I still get acne! It’s not too bad but I definitely need to take better care of my skin! Thanks for sharing these with me! Coconut oil and tea tree oil also works wonder on your skin! People think oil is horrible for your skin but it is actually very beneficial!

    5
    Reply to Centsai" aria-label=' Reply to Centsai'> Reply
    • Eva

      March 22, 2017 at 10:29 am

      Thanks for stopping by! I haven’t heard of using tea tree oil but that makes sense!

      5.1
      Reply to Eva" aria-label=' Reply to Eva'> Reply
  6. Brooke

    April 9, 2017 at 6:21 pm

    What amazing tips for skin care. It’s something that I have issues with occasionally. When I use good skin care that usually includes the ingredient, salicylic acid, my skin has remained clear. I have never heard of the PH Balance before, but that makes a lot of sense to me.
    Thanks for the infomative information.

    6
    Reply to Brooke" aria-label=' Reply to Brooke'> Reply
    • Eva

      April 11, 2017 at 10:38 pm

      Thanks Brooke. I’m going to look into the salicylic acid. It’s interesting how different things help different skin types.

      6.1
      Reply to Eva" aria-label=' Reply to Eva'> Reply

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Welcome to TeensGotCents, my name is Eva Baker and I founded this site when I was sixteen. I'm a complete money nerd and I love helping teens learn how money works. Also, I watch too much Netflix. Although I still have a lot to learn about personal finance I hope you will use my successes and failures to help reach your own goals whether you want to go to college debt free, get a part time job, work on a fun DIY project that will save you money or just read about ways you can learn to manage your money well as a teen. So glad you're here! Read more about my story here.

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