Teen Skincare | Love your skin, because you are BONITA!
Self-care is all the rage these days and rightfully so! Long gone are the days were we placed little importance of looking after all aspects of ourselves, including the very skin you live in! The best way to show your skin some love by caring for it like none other, is getting into a routine…! I know, I know, that word routine can often be annoying, but hear me out.
Before I became obsessed with all things skin care and natural beauty, I used to be confused about what products to buy and put on my skin. I saw countless advertisements on TV and in magazines (the old-fashioned way of advertising) encouraging me to buy this potion or that lotion that claimed to turn your face into that of a supermodel overnight! Like many young people at that time, I would run out and try every product I could, quickly becoming overwhelmed with what product to use when and how, or I would have unfortunate breakouts when trying a new product. I would eventually give up after spending a ton of money and these expensive products would sit in my bathroom and collect dust and my skin was unchanged
I’m here to tell you, skincare does not have to be complicated or overwhelming! In fact, you do not need more than a few products in your beauty arsenal. If you follow these 3-4 easy steps, every single day, twice a day, your skin will get the love it deserves and as a result you will glow and feel fantastic! What’s more, this routine shouldn’t take you more than 5-7 minutes, I promise!
Here’s what you’re going to do:
Step 1 and 2 go hand in hand:
Cleanse and tone. Every. Single. Morning. (and every night before bed) you need to cleanse and tone your skin! This is a non negotiable, and here’s why. Our skin is full of little tiny microbes that are meant to be there. Over many hours while we sleep, or while we are at school or playing sports, the amount of microbes on our face change—sometimes bad microbes take over and can cause an over abundance of bacteria which can lead to things like acne. We also produce oils (sebum) throughout the day and night which in some people can lead to oily skin. Cleansing your face is critical so that we wash away all the unwanted stuff that accumulates on our face and leaves our skin clean. Now, some cleansers are a 2 in 1 formation where you don’t need to tone, but most require a toner and this is a critical step. Toners balance our skin’s pH level, which can help keep the oil and microbes at bay. They also help to prepare the skin to absorb topical serums and creams that are sometimes required to treat certain skin conditions.
Ok, step 1 and 2 complete….how long did that take? I bet no more than 2 minutes!
Step 3:
Exfoliate, exfoliate, exfoliate! Exfoliating your skin is super important and easy peasy! This step is something you’ll do 2-3 times per week after you cleanse and BEFORE you tone. This step helps to rid your skin of all the dead skin cells and dirt build-up that stay on the skin that regular cleansing cannot completely eliminate. Exfoliating your skin ensures your skin is smooth and helps to get rid of congestion. What is super important to note with this step is, exfoliating should not be harsh but rather it should be gentle and not irritating. If you are having an active acne break out, you will want to avoid exfoliating over the pimples, but every area of the face needs to be exfoliated. I recommend you keep this exfoliant in your shower and only use a pea sized amount 2-3 times a week. This step takes less than 1 min to complete.
Step 4:
Protect that beautiful exterior with SPF/sunscreen. This is going to be a tough sell for a lot of you, but I’m here to tell you that this too, is a non negotiable! We are surrounded by UVA, UVB and blue light every single day. Each and every one of us is on our phones, in front of screens and inevitably go outside at some point in our day—all of these exposures expose you to light rays that can be harmful to your skin and cause burns. Every single morning, after you cleanse and tone your skin, you’re going to apply a non comedogenic (fancy word for ‘doesn’t clog your pores’) sunscreen, preferably one that has a physical barrier like zinc oxide (vs a chemical barrier). There are a variety of wonderful medical grade sunscreens that have this physical barrier and do not leave you looking like Casper the friendly ghost! A small dollop goes a long way. If you choose to wear make-up, I would suggest applying a thin layer of your chosen SPF under your make up.
Phew…we made it! These 3-4 steps are for absolutely everyone, regardless if you have oily skin, acne-prone skin or sensitive skin. The trick here is knowing which product is right for you. I always recommend that you see a professional who is passionate about skin care and knows there stuff. Lets make a pack to leave Tik-Tok and Instagram as a source of cute animal videos and dance inspirations rather than following fad skin care trends, deal?! Talk to a skin care specialist about your skin to get some guidance when it comes to deciding which cleanser, toner, exfoliant and spf is right for you!
You’ve got this, this IS your new routine. Love yourself by showing your skin the love it deserves, because you are BONITA!
With love, your skincare cheerleader (BFF or something trendy…I’ll ask Ali),
Jess
