Being a teenager, skincare can be very overwhelming in that the imperfections in our skin ranging from simple pimples to you name it, are scary things to tackle. Rule of thumb is to know your skin type. How do you identify skin type? How should I begin building a skincare routine? Don’t worry, The Crier has got you covered. 

First, in the process which is all according to A Guide to Taking Care of Your Skin by Christal Yuen, you need to find out what type of skin you have. Knowing this information will make picking out products best for your skin easier and help you avoid choosing popular brands or products that may irritate your skin due to not being fit for your skin type. 

To find out your skin type at home, you can test your skin’s sebum production. 

1. Wash your face and dry it. 
2. Proceed to wait 30 minutes. 
3. When the 30 minutes is up, take a tissue and press it on all different parts of your face. 

You can measure how dry, oily, or see if you have combination skin by holding the tissue up to the light to see how transparent it is. Be aware that you may have sensitive skin which has different factors such as how easily your skin turns red and likelihood of a skin allergy. 

Now with this information, your skincare possibilities are broader and brighter by pinpointing your skin type to the products you need.

Cleanser is where it all begins. Cleanser should be used once to twice a day and your face should not feel perfectly clean afterward because that means some of the skin’s natural oils are gone. 

Serums are up to bat. Serums are a bit tricky in terms of which you should use depending on whether it is day or night. A serum with Vitamin C is best to use in the morning under sunscreen. However, at night it is recommended to use retinol. 

For that coolness in our lives, we need moisturizer. Moisturizer should be lightweight, gel-based, and non-comedogenic which means it doesn’t block your pores. 

Now, to protect from the harmful rays of the outdoors… Sunscreen! The sunscreen used on the skin should have at least 30 SPF and should be applied at least 15 minutes before going outdoors so that it can activate and effectively protect the skin. However, darker skin tones need more SPF protection. 

Skincare seems overwhelming and scary, not to mention expensive but it is worth it for the health of your skin both short-term and long-term so get some new products and have yourself a great day of self-care in quarantine!