I might not be an expert but as a mom of teens and foster mom for teens for 10 years I can say I’ve seen A LOT when it comes to life but I’ve also seen a lot of different skin issues. As a teen I did not struggle with acne and used to cry, yes I cried, because I wanted a zit or something so I could fit in with everyone that was complaining about their skin issues. I know lame right? Anyways…
In all these years I’ve had kids that have dealt with regular hormonal acne on the forehead, the “monthly visitors”, cystic acne, psoriasis, lupus rashes on face, and the basic-your face is dirty, wash it and it will stay clear.
Something I’ve found helpful is to know the kind & cause of the acne first so we can treat it appropriately. Here’s a little chart of different kinds of acne. Remember that not all acne is treated equally.
What kind of acne is your teen dealing with? What might be causing it?
Okay, now that we can identify what type it is we can treat it once it appears. The best thing to do is prevent it and to do so we can take some preventative steps. Here is an online consultation to identify what you need and send you samples if you want them.
A good skin care routine with natural products is the basic start up to prevent the acne. A lot of times we go to the pharmacy or any store and grab what we have seen in commercials or what we think they need. The problem with that is that most of those products are full of fillers. These fillers can cause more acne or overly dry the skin and make it worse. Fillers can be super dangerous in the long run and can even contribute to cancer. The exact same applies to make up. Over the counter drugstore foundation has 14-18% pigment content. Higher end foundations that you can find at Sephora or Ulta have 18-24% pigment content. (these “fillers” depending on what they are, are huge causes of acne then people cake it on to hide the acne and the cycle continues) LimeLife’s Botanical Foundation is not only paraben free but it also has a 50% pigmentation which is why it has been a staple of professional make up artists for decades.
Back to skin…The goal is to balance the PH of the skin to stabilize it and help it be the best it can. **Read about PH at the bottom of this post. This is another important reason why picking different products at random because we “think” they will work can make the skin worse.
Cleanser-This product must gently, key word GENTLY, remove acne causing bacteria and natural pollutants, along with sweat. Ideally it should help balance your skin and soothe it. We have a variety of cleansers that can be recommended depending on their issues.
Mask-The mask you need has to be for the issue that you have. Don’t just pick a mask because they look cute, fun or have glitter in them. These can cause a lot worse issues than what you’re using the mask for. Exfoliation is key for all skin but specially teens. It will remove impurities and keep their pores clean of impurities. This will prevent black heads and sebum build up. There are other masks that work differently and they have ingredients that have specific purposes like our Masque of Zen that is specifically made for acne-fighting ingredients that work together to reduce acne outbreaks, and bring a youthful glow. A mask we have also used and has worked amazing is the “Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay Mask” you can find it on Amazon.
Moisturizer-Most kids highly dislike to put moisturizer so more of a reason to get the right one. This should not only moisturize on the surface but penetrate and restore the skin along as help with inflammation.
How to clear up existing acne– Keep the face clean. It is important to wash the face twice daily to remove impurities, dead skin cells, and extra oil from the skin’s surface. There are masks that can help you heal and clear it up. We have an amazing ZIT Zapper that has worked amazing with most of the teens that use it.
Hormonal acne- This can be an infuriating one, especially because it tends to come at the worse time! Unfortunately is tied to hormones and it doesn’t necessarily have a “cure” but there are ways to manage it. Cortisol, the stress hormone, can affect all the other hormones too. Make sure that your teen is being proactive with their hygiene especially before finals, prom, or any big deal event that will be causing them stress. Encourage exercise to help relieve some of the stress and counter the cortisol. having a clean face is especially important, be careful and don’t overdo it. It can dry up the skin too much and cause further irritation.
Black Heads- Clean the surface, exfoliate to remove debris and dead skin that will pack up the pore, moisturize to fill the pore with “good stuff” If your teen has not been good at cleaning their face and have a nose full of blackheads please DO NOT get “pore strips” RANT-They have a harsh adhesive that attaches to the debris within the pores. This ripping you have to do to take it off can cause inflammation, spider veins and broken capillaries on areas with thinner skin. They can also exacerbate other skin conditions. FYI- They do not make the “black head” disappear, they just remove the top of it along with healthy skin cells. This can also cause the pores to look larger. Overall it might look like you got rid of it but they will quickly return, rant over. INSTEAD try cleaning it (longer process but so worth it). If they have a lot of blackheads try this method-Make a strong batch of chamomile tea, put a towel over the head and hot tea to make it into a steam for the face CAUTION to prevent accidents of spilling I put it inside the sink and hunch over with the towel, remember that there is still risk of getting burn so make sure you take all the precautions necessary to do this safely. After doing that for approximately 3-5 minutes, I like to wet a small wash cloth with the tea, zap it in the microwave for a few seconds and make it hot then when the heat is tolerable apply it to the face, this will open up the pores and they will be easier to clean. After doing that 2-3 times I begin to exfoliate the area, the exfoliant will remove the debris from a deeper level and truly cleanse the pore. After finishing rinse with cold water, this will cause the pores to close and shrink in size.
Food can be a big contributor to acne so a well balanced diet along with a lot of water is also key. I know, good luck having a teen with a well balanced diet but we must try. Sweets, dairy, processed, and breads can be huge contributors to acne.
This is a super tricky age and we need to approach all this with “CAUTION” maybe even more than the hot tea we were just dealing with. They are highly influenced by tv, their friends, celebrities that advertise products that they probably don’t even use themselves. Depending on their age they are struggling with wanting independence along with knowing they still need help so its a constant mental battle within them. If they reach out for help don’t over share, don’t make it a big deal eventho we all know it is a big deal. Be gentle with your approach and help them as far as they let you. Use that time to connect and show them you respect them and are there just to help. If they want to tell you what they need give them the task to do some research on the ingredients that product has and why that might not be a good idea. If you get them products to use tell them a story of how you saw a picture of a person who’s skin was cleared up with it, or your friend told you that’s what helped her kid, or that you did some research and found that these products work and don’t have all the gunk that they others have. If the product you purchase has a return policy make sure you tell your teen, this can encourage them to try it regularly and see results faster instead of it being another product that sits on their counter and be a waste of your money. Maybe you can mask together and use that time to reconnect and chat.
**PH-The skin’s normal range is between 4.0 to 6.5, with 5.5 being the most optimum, so human skin is slightly acidic by nature. The thin, protective layer on the skin’s surface, referred to as the acid mantle, is where the skin’s natural pH level is created when certain elements of the skin and sweat mix.
All the images below are non filtered or altered. They are real results from some of our customers. They have all used LimeLife products in different combinations and you can get your products here or a consultation here. The skin care collections will save you money and will also last you 2-3 months, longer for the mask. These are highly effective natural products that can save you and your teen’s skin. We have a 30 day money back guarantee, so no pocket risk involved.
