Looking after teenage skin naturally

Parents often ask me how to introduce skincare to their teenagers. Sometimes it’s even their pre-teens who are starting to notice small bumps on their skin or start showing an interest in skincare.

I had terrible acne when I was younger so I know how sensitive this topic can be and how it can affect self-esteem.

Natural skincare is so important when embarking on any skincare journey but especially the younger you are. The skin is our largest organ and can absorb ingredients from our skincare in as little as 26 seconds. Carcinogens and hormone disruptors are the last thing we want to put on delicate teenage skin.

Hormonal changes can cause teenage skin to become sensitive, oily or congested and even have acne.

We need to support teenage skin through these changes, not try and work against these changes. What I mean by this is keeping the skin as calm as possible, clean and gently nourished.

Many cleansers aimed at teens will be super foamy and leave their skin feeling dry and tight. Unfortunately, what this can do is strip the skin of its natural balance, which in turn can actually cause an over-production of oil to compensate for the imbalance.

That’s why it’s important to choose a gentle cleanser for your teen to use daily, that cleans delicately without stripping.

I recommend a natural cleanser that contains calming and balancing ingredients along with natural plant-based cleansers that can be massaged into the skin and washed off. This will leave skin leaving fresh and clean without stripping the skin of its natural balance.

The second step I recommend will help to reduce the appearance of blackheads, whiteheads, pimples and acne that start to pop up with hormonal changes.

Exfoliating once or twice a week will help remove dead/dry skin cells, bacteria and oils on the skin’s surface that can build up in the pores.

Unfortunately, we can’t just make pores disappear – but what we can do is keep our teen’s pores looking as clean and clear as possible and help prevent the further build-up of debris.

Introducing an exfoliant to your teen’s skincare routine once (or twice) a week will help improve their skin and also help them to feel in control of tackling these changes.

The last step in your teen’s skincare routine is a light and balancing moisturiser. What many people don’t realise is that the skin actually needs moisture to heal and remain balanced. It’s using the right moisturiser that is key. 

I created Harmony and Balance face moisturiser to help balance and calm even the most oily and congested skin types. Expertly formulated to hydrate and smooth the skin while preventing clogged pores. Moisturising, yet feather-light. 

Believe it or not, even skin with acne will benefit from the right moisturiser and skincare routine.

Take 18-year-old Connor, who was introduced to Seven Islands Skincare by his mum last year. They have kindly allowed me to share his story.

Connor was suffering from cystic acne, and the medication he was on, was causing extreme sensitivity, redness and flaking skin. His skin was stiff, splitting and his lips were cracking. This was making Connor's skin and acne look a lot worse, and making him feel even worse about himself.

I helped by supporting Connor's skin naturally and gently with a simple skincare routine to replenish his skin with much needed moisture, in a gentle way. This helped to reduce sensitivity, calmed his redness, eliminated the flaky skin that was building up, within days.

I received an email from Connor's mum about how significant and fast the change in Connor's skin was, and how happy and relieved they were. This in turn helped him find his confidence again. And I thank Connor and his mum, for allowing me to share his story.

There is also 13-year-old Lexi who started showing interest in skincare and her mum introduced her to Seven Islands Skincare, ""I just love it so much! Oh it makes my skin feel so smooth!"

I have put together my ‘Teen Skincare Set’ which is perfect way for teenagers to start their skincare journey. It contains my gentle cleanser, smoothing exfoliant and balancing moisturiser.

And don’t forget I have a happiness guarantee. I will refund if you or your teen are unhappy with the results… because if you are not happy, then I am not happy.

And we all want to be happy with healthy, glowing skin, right?

Written by: Anne Marshall 

This is 18-year-old Connor's before and after pics: