Skincare & self-tan
Teenage Skincare: The Complete Guide
Published
The best skincare for teenage skin is simple and consistent, not complicated. Puberty brings a lot of changes, and skin is often one of the first places you notice them, more oil, the occasional breakout, or patches that feel drier or more reactive than before. The good news is that teen skin doesn't need a complicated routine, just a simple, consistent one using gentle, natural products. Here's what's actually happening to your skin and how to look after it.
A Simple 3-Step Teenage Skincare Routine
If you just want to know where to start, a natural skincare routine for a teenage girl (or boy) only needs three steps:
- Cleanse with a gentle face wash, once or twice a day.
- Moisturise with a light, non-greasy moisturiser, even if your skin feels oily.
- Protect with SPF every morning.
Our Teen Skincare Routine Kit bundles these essentials together, and the full routine below shows how to add a gentle exfoliant when you're ready.
What's Really Happening to Teen Skin?
Puberty triggers a surge in hormones, including testosterone, which increases oil (sebum) production in the skin. This extra oil can clog pores and lead to breakouts, our guide to what's really going on with teen skin covers the hormones behind it in more detail. Skin can also feel more sensitive or reactive during this time, especially where hormonal fluctuations are involved.
It's easy to feel pressure to fix things fast, but there's a lot of misinformation out there, our post debunking common teen skincare myths separates what actually helps from what can make things worse. Reading product labels matters too, since some ingredients marketed at teens can irritate rather than help, see our guide to sneaky ingredients to watch out for before you buy.
Building a Routine for Teen Skin
Teen skin really only needs three steps: cleanse, moisturise, protect, with an optional gentle exfoliant once you're ready. If you'd rather keep it simple from the start, our Teen Skincare Routine Kit bundles the essentials together. Here's how to build one:
- Cleanse, once a day - the Hydrating Foam Face Wash is a gentle rinse-off cleanser, or try the Reviving Cleansing Cream if your skin runs drier.
- Moisturise, morning and night - the Radiance-Boosting Face Cream hydrates without feeling heavy, or the Ceramides Face Cream for skin that needs extra barrier support.
- Protect, every morning - the SPF 50 Face Sunscreen is the last and most important step.
- Exfoliate gently, 1-2 times a week - once your skin is used to the basics, the Exfoliating Tonic with AHA & PHA helps with clogged pores and dullness.
- Finish the routine - the Fragrance Free Natural Deodorant is a gentle, aluminium-free option worth adding too.
If your skin feels tight, dry or stingy, it may be a sign your skin barrier needs some support, so see our Skin Barrier Repair: The Complete Guide. If breakouts are the main concern, our blemish-prone and breakout skincare guide goes into more detail on routines and how to tell purging from a breakout.
Frequently Asked Questions
What age should teens start a skincare routine?+
There's no fixed age, most teens can start with a simple cleanse, moisturise and SPF routine once puberty begins, and add targeted products like a gentle exfoliant later if needed.
Is it okay for teens to use retinol or vitamin C?+
Traditional retinol and vitamin C can be too strong for teen skin and aren't usually needed, it's best to stick to a gentle cleanser, moisturiser and SPF first, and only introduce targeted actives later if a specific concern needs it.
Does popping spots help them heal faster?+
No, squeezing a spot can push bacteria deeper into the skin, increasing inflammation and the risk of scarring. It's best to leave spots to heal on their own and use a gentle, targeted treatment instead.
What ingredients should teens avoid in skincare?+
Fragrance, sulphates like SLS and synthetic dyes are common irritants worth avoiding. Our guide to sneaky ingredients in teen skincare covers what to check for on labels.
Prefer not to keep reordering? Our organic skincare subscription delivers your favourite teen-friendly products automatically and saves you up to 15%.
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The people behind Lucy Bee
Skincare with a personal story
Lucy
Founder & CIBTAC beauty therapist
Lucy’s experience working in spas and salons shaped her interest in ingredients and the products we put onto our skin. Her own sensitive skin helped inspire the Lucy Bee skincare range, launched in 2020.
Our approach is to make caring for your skin feel straightforward, with thoughtful formulations and practical advice for everyday routines.
Read our family story