Starting any skincare for the first time makes or breaks the habit. As a teenager, you have officially entered the zone when your skin needs a routine to keep it healthy and glowing. But what the internet tells you about hundreds of serums, ampoules, creams, cleansers, toners, and whatnot is completely a lie. No, you don’t need it for your teenage skin. You need a simple teenage skincare routine that contains a cleanser, moisturizer, and sunscreen. Nothing more, nothing less!
But, even within this simplified list, picking the right moisturizer becomes confusing because of the effect of hormonal changes on your skin. You may have sensitive skin when applying any product, breakouts, sometimes dry, flaky skin, or sometimes, oil pouring down from your pores. You don’t know what to choose for yourself, which is totally understandable. Therefore, this blog will help you make easy decisions about how to pick your first moisturizer as a teenager.
Why Teenagers Actually Need Moisturizers
When we were teenagers with oily and acne-prone skin, people warned us about moisturizers that would worsen the skin with new breakouts and excessive oil production. Until we realized that the problem was never in the moisturizer, but the unavailability of the right products for teenage skin.
During puberty, hormonal shifts can cause your sebaceous glands to produce more oil. But oil and hydration are two different things. Your skin becomes oily when dehydrated from the core. The more it produces, the less hydration it has as skin tries to compensate for the lack of moisture. Therefore, breakouts become worse in teenagers.
You need a lightweight moisturizer that balances the hydration and moisture in your skin. So, do not skip moisturizer, stay with us, and choose what works best for you.
Know Your Skin Type First
Not just moisturizer, but before buying any skincare product, you should know your skin type first. Observe your skin for a week. Here’s what you see and what your skin type is accordingly:
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Oily Skin: Looks shiny on the forehead, nose, chin, and sometimes cheeks, too. It happens within a couple of hours after washing. Your pores also look larger, and your skin feels greasy to touch.
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Dry Skin: Feels tight, looks dull, rough, and flaky. It may cause slight stinginess after washing.
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Combination Skin: Often confused with oily skin. People with combination skin have an oily T-zone, but cheeks feel normal or dry. Skin on different areas of the face feels different.
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Sensitive Skin: reacts easily to fragrance and unsuitable ingredients. It appears red and feels itchy and stinging when using any new or harsh products.
When you know your skin type well, you can easily proceed to product-hunting.
What To Look for In Your First Moisturizer
Keep it simple. A moisturizer is to hydrate your skin rather than do any other wondrous work. So, you must not look for any active ingredients like retinol, AHAs, or strong Vitamin C. Keep them for later when your teenage skin gets adjusted to skincare. Here’s what each skin type should look for in a moisturizer:
Oily or Combination Skin
Look for terms like “gel moisturizer,” “oil-free,” and “lightweight moisturizer” on the packaging or product descriptions on the website. These absorb extra quickly without feeling heavy or greasy. For added benefits, they may contain ingredients like niacinamide that control oil production and offer hydration.
Jenpharm recommendation: Dermive Oil-Free Moisturizer
Dry Skin
Dry skin needs a richer, creamy formula that feels thick, stays on the skin, and penetrates deeper to lock in moisture. Look for ingredients like glycerin, ceramides, and hyaluronic acid as they are well-tolerated by skin. People with dry skin must use formulas that are a little thicker so their skin does not feel tight after application.
Jenpharm recommendation: Dermive Oily
Sensitive Skin
Sensitive skin reacts easily to fragrance. So, choose a fragrance-free moisturizer for sensitive skin. Pick something that hydrates the skin without damaging the skin barrier. So, smell the product before making a purchase or look out for “fragrance” in the ingredient list.
Jenpharm Recommendation: Dermive Sensitive or Dermive Oil-Free Fragrance-Free Option
Remember not to fall for heavy occlusive moisturizers or lather your skin with petroleum jelly to keep it soft. Your teenage skin cannot tolerate it, which can lead to clogged pores and breakouts.
One Last Thing
Do not fall for marketing tactics that show you crystal clear skin models with perfect skin or heavily edited to look flawless. Embrace human skin. Especially as a teenager, when you are getting to know about yourself and exploring so much about yourself, give your skincare some patience, too. Let it go through the exploration phase until you stop at one right product that sits with you for years, and you apply it every day.
Jenpharm aims to make skincare easy and accessible for everyone, regardless of their age, gender, class, or other classifications. Invest in a lightweight, simple, affordable, and fragrance-free moisturizer from the Jenpharm moisturizer range. Remember to keep it simple yet focused at this stage to have a problem-free skin in the future