How to Have a Good Skin Care Regime (Teen Girls)

Co-authored by R. Sonia Batra, MD, MSc, MPH

Last Updated: November 21, 2024 Approved

A good skin care regimen is essential to feel better about yourself, have beautiful skin, and to be free from blackheads and blemishes! And this is especially important for teens, as they're most prone to these kind of problems. Not to worry though, an effective skin care routine is easy to implement. You just need the right products for your skin type, the correct techniques and the motivation to care for your skin every single day! Your skin will definitely thank you!

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Everyday Skincare

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Wash your face when you wake up in the morning. This will take away any sweat and oil and dirt that has built up over the night. It will also wake you up a bit more as well as give you a glowy, but not shiny face for the morning. When washing your face, don't use normal soap, unless it is specific soap for face washing. This is a mistake that many girls make. Normal soap that we use to wash our hands and body can irritate the pores on the face and help acne and pimples get started. When washing your face, use a special facial cleanser with vitamin C, vitamin E, and ferulic acid to give your skin an antioxidant boost.^{[1]
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R. Sonia Batra, MD, MSc, MPH
Board Certified Dermatologist

Expert Interview. 14 May 2021.}^{[2]
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American Academy of Dermatology
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- Don't worry about aggressively removing oil or other matter from the surface. Acne is a problem of excessive oil production and clogs within pores, not a problem of surface obstruction of pores.
- Don't forget SPF 30 mineral-based sunscreen (with zinc oxide or titanium dioxide).^{[3]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  R. Sonia Batra, MD, MSc, MPH
  Board Certified Dermatologist
  
  Expert Interview. 14 May 2021.} Even in winter, the sun's UV rays can damage your skin.^{[4]
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  Research source}
This is important especially if you have chapped lips, but even if you don't, it's still a good idea, just to keep your lips looking smooth and kissable.

Warning: Exfoliation is important! If your lips have dry skin on them it means you need to exfoliate! The lip balm won't help much if your lips aren't naturally smooth.

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If you have dry skin on your hands, put some hand cream on in the morning. Just make sure that you don't put on too much, since it will make your hands oily and slippery.
These are available from Mary Kay as well as other companies.^{[5]
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Professional organization made of over 20,000 certified dermatologists

Go to source} Otherwise, don't worry much about it during school. Don't wash your face during the day! (More on that later)
at night with a facial cleanser. Nighttime is a crucial point for skin care, since it's a window of opportunity to improve skin cell turnover and collagen production, which keep your skin looking young. Pick a product with retinol or alpha hydroxy acid to boost collagen production, and choose a product with salicylic acid or glycolic acid to reduce acne.^{[6]
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R. Sonia Batra, MD, MSc, MPH
Board Certified Dermatologist

Expert Interview. 14 May 2021.} Most cleansers will both cleanse and exfoliate your skin.^{[7]
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6
Moisturize after cleaning. For teenagers, this is something that can help you have beautiful skin if done right, or give you loads of acne if done wrong.^{[8]
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Go to source} Make sure when you're buying a facial moisturizer, that...
- It's actually a facial moisturizer.
- It's lightweight. Lightweight means that it's not heavy and oily, so it won't add to the oil on your skin or clog your pores. This is very important!
If your legs are dry from shaving, moisturize them. The moisturizer you buy for your legs doesn't matter. If your hands are dry do the same before sleep. This is a great time to apply lots and lots of hand cream, since it has hours and hours to soak into your skin.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Special Skin Treatments

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Exfoliate your skin once a week. Exfoliation does not need to be done every day, as this can make your skin irritated and raw over time. Instead, aim to exfoliate your skin once every 1-2 weeks to remove dead skin and soften it up. You can use a homemade exfoliating treatment, or use a store-bought one. Simply wet your skin, scoop some of the exfoliant onto your fingertips, and massage it onto your skin. Do this for 60-seconds, and then use a bit of warm water to rinse it off.^{[9]
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- Try mixing sugar with honey for a homemade exfoliant.
- If your skin is sensitive, you can use oatmeal mixed with honey or milk to buff down your skin.
2
Use a face mask once every 2-4 weeks. Face masks do a few things (depending on the one that you're using). They work to remove toxins in your skin, clear out your pores, and get rid of dead skin cells and grime. They are best used once every 2-4 weeks, as they may dry out your skin if used more frequently than that. To use a face mask, wet your face and scoop some of the mask onto your fingertips. Spread it evenly over your skin, and allow it to dry for 20-30 minutes (until no longer tacky). Then, use warm water and a damp cloth to wipe the mask off your face.
- You can use masks as a spot treatment on pimples; simply dab it onto a zit, and leave it to dry overnight. Wash it off in the morning, and the redness and tenderness of your pimple will be greatly reduced.
- Mud masks are generally the most popular, but there are many kinds that you can find to use.
Pore cleansing strips are a type of cotton strip with an adhesive on one side. The adhesive side is pressed onto your skin, and when you pull the strip off, it removes any blackheads that might have been present. Pore cleansing strips are generally only needed when you're breaking out. They are usually used on the face (on the nose and chin), but can be used on any part of the body that has blackheads. Follow the package directions for your strips, and finish up by washing and moisturizing your face.

Do You Recommend A Specific Daily Skin Care Routine?

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What skincare products should a 13-year-old use?

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The best products for you depend on your skin type. For example, do you have dry skin, or is it oily? Is your skin clear, or do you have acne? Look for products that are designed for the type of skin you have (for example, try a cleanser with benzoyl peroxide if you have acne, or a hydrating cleanser if you have dry skin). No matter what, stick to products that are gentle and don’t have a lot of harsh ingredients, like alcohol, perfumes, and dyes.

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How can a teenager get clear skin?

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Keep your skin clean and prevent clogged pores by washing your face with a gentle facial cleanser twice a day. Moisturize your skin after you wash it so it doesn’t get irritated and dried out. You can also try over-the-counter acne creams, like benzoyl peroxide lotion. If you have pimples, resist the temptation to pop them, since that will just irritate your skin more! If your acne isn’t getting better or if it’s really bothering you, talk to your doctor. They can prescribe stronger medicines that will help.

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Is serum good for teenage skin?

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Be really careful with serums—some of them have strong ingredients that can be too harsh on your young skin. Instead, stick to gentle cleansers and moisturizers. If you’re not sure whether something is safe to use, ask your doctor or a dermatologist.

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Tips

Many girls think that washing your face dozens of times a day will take all the oil off of their faces and reduce pimples, but that's actually not true! In fact, washing your face more often will dry out your skin, which will actually cause it to produce more oil to make up for the lost oil.^{[10]
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Eat lots of fruits and vegetables. Eating healthy keeps your skin looking nice.

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Drink lots of water! Drink as much water as you can (you're supposed to have 8 glasses a day). Water will leave your skin looking hydrated and rejuvenated!

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The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

Keep your skincare routine consistent. You may not see instant differences but your skin will thank you for it and stay clear if you are consistent.
Steam your face before applying masks or exfoliating. It helps to moisturize, soften, and open pores that contain oil.
Make sure you remove makeup before sleeping to prevent breakouts!
Pamper your hair once a week with some hair masks!

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Warnings

Make sure that you're not allergic to any of the products that you will be using on your face. If your skin is sensitive, do a test run by putting a little bit of the product on one small part of your face to make sure that you don't get a rash/irritation from it.

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An urban myth is that not wearing sunscreen on your face will help take away zits, since the sun will dry out the oil. This is not true. It actually functions the same way as washing your face more than twice a day- you will dry out your face, but in an effort to get back the lost oil, your face will produce extra oil. Also, not wearing sunscreen can increase your chances (sometimes dramatically) of getting skin cancer (so not worth it just to take away a couple of pimples). Make sure you wear sunscreen in the summer, just buy a lightweight sunscreen for your face.

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Keep in mind, that your skin will not look like the picture posted to this article. Skin blemishes, acne, oil, and dryness are all completely natural and normal. That photo is obviously a computer-generated image. Learn about what suits you best, since everyone's skin is different. The point of treating your skin is to keep it healthy by keeping yourself healthy. Your skin will reflect your health.

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This skin regime may not work on everyone's skin, depending on how oily/dry your face gets. Customize it and make it your own. This article is only a basic guideline. Consult a dermatologist to get a custom-made skin care regime for you.

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