5 Essential Skin Care Products for Teens and Tweens
The 5 must have beauty products
1. Gentle Cleanser
A gentle cleanser will remove build-ups of makeup, oil, and dirt. Remember to wash with warm water and don’t scrub too hard. Crave that squeaky-clean feeling? Well, it turns out that you may be doing more harm than good to your skin. Excessive scrubbing with a washcloth, loofah, or a harsh cleanser can remove protective oils from the skin and make your skin more vulnerable to irritation, rashes, and even acne! We recommend using the PREP Purifying Daily Cleanser, which can remove impurities without making your skin feel taut or dry. With PREP Purifying Daily Cleanser, you can rely on a skin care combination of gentle surfactants and plant extracts to thoroughly cleanse your skin without having to sacrifice your skin’s protective layer. In fact, many of the ingredients in our PREP Purifying Daily Cleanser work to do more than just cleanse the skin. For example, the cocamidopropyl hydroxysultaine in our formulation both cleanses and conditions the skin, while potassium sorbate defends against harmful microbes and keeps your cleanser fresher for longer. (Environmental Working Group, Eastman).
Dr. Carole's Tip:
Be gentle!
When washing and don’t scrub your face off! Stay away from harsh cleansers and using loofahs or washcloths.
2. Broad Spectrum Sunscreen
Whether you have oily and acne-prone skin, dry and flaky skin, or a skin type that is somewhere in between, regularly using a moisturizer with sunscreen can do wonders to keep your skin looking and feeling healthy. Aside from hydrating the skin, many moisturizers can even provide an external barrier that keeps moisture from escaping and irritating substances from entering the pores. Sunscreens should be used every day in your skin care routine (even in winter!) no matter what type of skin in order to protect your skin from sunburn, sun exposure, and sun damage. The PREP SPF 30 Daily Moisturizer is a 2-in-1 combo as it is a moisturizer + sunscreen! Designed specifically for teen and preteen girls, the PREP SPF 30 Face+Body Lotion offers broad-spectrum sun protection while simultaneously hydrating and nourishing the skin without the greasy residue. There are no harsh chemicals as zinc oxide is the active ingredient, making up 22% of the formula. The other magic ingredients are jojoba oil which may help to regulate your skin’s oil output (Journal of the American Oil Chemists’ Society, Acne.org), niacinamide, which works to reverse several signs of sun damage, including hyperpigmentation and dark spots and blotchiness (Dermatologic Surgery), and vitamin E (also known as tocopherol), which is a powerful antioxidant that can protect the skin by scavenging free radicals and by treating other signs of UV-induced skin damage, including erythema (redness), edema (swelling), development of sunburn, and photo-carcinogenesis (the formation of cancer cells) (Journal of Investigative Dermatology).
3. Night Moisturizer
There are 3 types of skin types:- Oily
- Combination
- Dry
Dr. Carole's Tip:
All of our skin care products are sulfate free, phthalate free, and paraben free!
4. Acne Treatment
Unless you are one of those few lucky girls who doesn’t have to deal with acne during their teen years, it’s best to have an acne treatment in your skin care routine. We recommend trying the PREP Everyday Clear Acne, which relies on salicylic acid, azelaic acid, and other compounds and extracts to clear existing acne lesions and prevent new breakouts. Not only have several clinical studies found that salicylic acid is effective for treating mild to moderate acne breakouts, but recent research also suggests that it may be even more effective than benzoyl peroxide in terms of treating acne lesions (Clinical Therapeutics, Journal of Dermatological Treatment). What really makes salicylic acid so special is that it is a keratolytic (exfoliating) ingredient that can remove the buildup of dead skin cells which may clog and irritate pores and even make your skin appear dull (Skin Pharmacology). Azelaic acid has a similarly strong prowess when it comes to treating acne. Research suggests it may be even as powerful as 0.05% tretinoin (a popular prescription acne treatment) when applied topically, is generally well-tolerated amongst users and causes fewer adverse effects (Acta Dermato-Venereologica: Supplementum (Stockholm), Clinical Therapeutics). If you have marks from old acne, then azelaic acid can come to the rescue, as several studies suggest it can improve the appearance of hyperpigmentation, especially in those with darker complexions (Clinical Therapeutics, Skin Therapy Letter). Many of the plant extracts in our acne treatment can help to banish blemishes and redness, too. For example, chamomile has been found to reduce inflammation and fight some bacteria, helpful traits when you consider that some acne and discoloration can come from skin inflammation or acne-causing bacteria (Molecular Medicine Reports). Chamomile also can act as an astringent, making it ideal to clean out clogged and congested pores that are riddled with pimples. As if you needed another reason to love chamomile, consider this: topically-applied chamomile is even believed to alleviate itching, improve skin texture and the appearance of photodamage, and even hydrate the skin (Mercola, Skin and Allergy New Cosmeceutical Critique Comendium). Lavender oil doesn’t just smell heavenly - there is also evidence that one of our favorite aromatherapy oils may be able to kick acne to the curb. Lavender oil possess antibacterial and antifungal properties, which can be of benefit when fighting acne-causing bacteria (and other germs that may irritate our skin!) (Phytotherapy Research, Mercola). Even better, topically-applied lavender oil is believed to bestow a number of other benefits to the skin, such as treating dry skin due to atopic dermatitis, fighting bug bites, and promoting wound healing. So whether your are working to treat just a few pimples or are dealing with combination skin/multiple skin needs, lavender oil is here to help (Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing, Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Medical News Today). Who knew tree bark could improve the appearance of your skin? As it turns out, white willow bark extract can actually do a great deal to beautify your skin, from fighting signs of pigmentation and uneven skin texture to signs of aging! When applied topically, the salicin in white willow bark extract was found to improve skin roughness, skin radiance, pore size, pigmentation, and signs of aging when applied twice a week for 12 weeks (Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology). But that’s not all; white willow bark extract also contains tannins which work as astringents that can clean out wounds, such as lesions from poison ivy and eczema (The Longwood Herbal Task Force), and may even heal particularly sore or weepy pimples, but more evidence is needed in order to confirm this.