No matter your age, breakouts can happen and negatively impact self-esteem. Breakouts often hit adolescents the hardest. Around 12 years old, hormonal changes will begin to show up as blemishes and irritation on a tween’s face. While some skin types are more prone to breakouts than others, skin health can be managed with high-quality kids’ skincare products that are essential to combating and preventing breakouts.
Attention to proper skin care should begin well before the first signs of acne appear on your face. However, there is no need for tweens to develop a twenty-step process when a few simple steps are enough. Read on for our take on skin health and our top recommendations for gentle and effective kids’ skincare products.
The Importance of Washing Your Face
You may be wondering, “what does washing my face every day do for skin health?” The answer is - a ton! During the day, your skin becomes covered in bacteria, pollutants, and dead skin. If left unchecked, these substances will clog pores, cause breakouts, and make your skin look and feel dull. For a tween who may already feel self-conscious, the addition of blemishes, acne, or redness will further impact their confidence. A proper skin health routine with gentle kids’ skincare products can help tackle these tough issues.
When you’re starting to figure out a skin health routine, your first step is to determine what skin type you have. If your skin is on the sensitive side, prone to dryness or irritation, you’ll want to find a safe face wash and moisturizer combo that helps hydrate your skin. If, on the other hand, you have oily skin, you’ll want to select kids’ skincare products that help control your body’s oil production.
The skincare industry continues to expand; with so many options to choose from, finding the correct face cleanser to maintain balanced skin health for your skin type can be daunting. Kidskin’s Gentle Skin Cleanser is a perfect option for all skin types - it’s gentle on your face but tough on blemishes, irritation, rosacea, and excess oil.
Why You Shouldn’t Skip Face Washing
We know it’s easy to forget to wash your face now and then. It’s even common to feel too tired to drag your body to the bathroom for another cleanse. Believe us when we say that’s exactly what pimples are counting on! When your skin health is mediocre at best, you create a breeding ground for bacteria. You may as well set up a sign that screams, “All pimples Welcome!”
Neglecting to wash your face with your dirt-fighting kids’ skincare products can lead to:
- dry patches
- clogged pores
- irritation
- excess oil
- ACNE
Clean Off Your Phone
Choosing dedicated kids’ skincare products isn’t all you should worry about. Smartphones are part of most 12-year-olds’ lives. Learning the importance of proper skin health habits includes anything that comes into contact with your face. We know all tweens bring their phones with them on the school bus, into the gym, and worst of all, into the bathroom. It’s part of life, and we get it. However, did you know every new location adds more dirt and bacteria to the surface of those phones? Those substances rub off onto your face when you take a call and sneak onto your hands while you text. The bacteria will make their way into your pores, allowing the trapped dirt and oil to trigger a breakout.
Understanding the importance of being proactive with your skin health and combatting phone germs before they wreak havoc. Here are a few easy tips you can implement both at school, out with friends, and when you return home:
- wash your hands often
- keep hand sanitizer handy
- keep your phone clean
- wash your face with bacteria-fighting cleansers twice a day
- avoid touching your face
Five Additional Tips for Optimal Skin Health
There are many great ways to stay proactive with your skin care routine. These helpful tips don’t need to feel like a chore, and some can be easily implemented into your morning or bedtime routine. Let’s take a look at our top five recommended ways you can help your skin:
- Get familiar with your skin type. Knowing the ins and outs can help you recognize changes, issues, and needs.
- Remove all makeup as soon as possible. If you’ve begun wearing any makeup products, it’s best to remove them after school, sports, or other activities.
- Wear your sunscreen daily! Yes, this includes those dark, cloudy days when you think the sun can’t do any harm. Get in the habit of applying it every morning and take it with you to reapply for after-school sports and activities.
- Eat healthy foods rich in vitamins for your skin. Greasy, processed, and sugary foods only contribute to poor skin health. You’ll keep those pimples under control by being more selective about the foods you eat.
- Hydrate often to flush out toxins and keep your skin moisturized and bright. It’s as simple as tossing a water bottle into your backpack.
No Pimple-Popping Allowed!
Whether you’re dealing with an unexpected breakout or have chronic, painful acne, it can be tempting to pick at or pop your pimples. You may be thinking that this will get rid of them quicker or make them appear less unsightly, but popping a pimple allows bacteria to work its way deep into your pores. The area around your pimple will turn red and swollen and potentially leave a scar on your face - a permanent reminder of your long-gone pimple. Maintain optimal skin health by using kids’ skincare products meant for acne-prone skin. Look for kids’ skincare products that:
- contain tea tree oil to fight through dirt and oils without drying out your delicate skin
- paraben-free
- sulfate-free
- anti-bacterial
- anti-microbial
- anti-fungal
So, before you pop, remember your optimal skin health depends upon your chosen kids’ skincare products and commitment to a routine. A daily routine of washing your face, hydrating with a moisturizer, and spot-treating your largest blemishes with salicylic acne serum will not only diminish a current breakout but will also help prevent future breakouts from messing with your confidence.
If you are a tween just getting into skin care for the first time, we have you covered! Check out Kidskin’s blog for more tips and tricks on skin health and get started on the path to a bright, blemish-free complexion.