If you don’t feel like reading, don’t worry! You can also watch this as a video!
How well do you know your skin? and your children’s? Chances are, if you’re like most people, you don’t really think about it until something goes wrong. One of the most important things that you can do for your teenager’s skin is to make sure that it is properly hydrated. Most people don’t realize how easy it is to maintain healthy, hydrated skin – all you need are a few simple steps! In this blog post, we will discuss the best ways to hydrate and moisturize their skin. teach your teenagers how to follow these steps and lead them on their way to beautiful, healthy skin!
The importance of keeping teen skin hydrated
Skin hydration is essential for maintaining healthy skin. The skin is the body’s largest organ, and it needs to be properly hydrated to keep the skin barrier functioning properly. During the teenage years, the skin is going through so many changes, that united to common environmental stressors, it can be difficult to keep it working healthy.
Why hydration could prevent teenage skin from breaking out?
Skin hydration is essential for maintaining healthy skin. The skin is the body’s largest organ, and it needs to be properly hydrated to keep the skin barrier functioning properly. During the teenage years, the skin is going through so many changes, that united to common environmental stressors, it can be difficult to keep it working healthy.
If you want to understand better how acne is formed and how to prevent it don’t forget to download our free ebook here.
Hydrators vs moisturizers
Hydrating skin refers to the process of keeping the skin cells plump and full of water. The skin naturally draws water from the air and into its cells and with the help of humectant agents can pull water from the dermis (internal skin layer) to the skin surface where it’s needed for the proper cell turnover process.
TEWL and skin hydration
One of the functions of the skin is to keep the body temperature. To do so, skin passively releases water during the day which is measured through the transepidermal water loss (TEWL). As young skin is less mature and the relation between weight and skin surface is larger, tends to evaporate too much water which can lead to dehydrated skin. When skin is properly hydrated, it has a lower TEWL and functions as a better skin’s barrier to keep skin concerns out.
Skin's natural moisturizing systems
Our skin is protected by the natural moisturizing factor (NMF) which is a natural skin mechanism that prevents dehydrated skin because can retain moisture by locking water into the skin reducing the TEWL.
The NMF is formed by fatty acids (sebum included), sugars, and amino acids that create a film on the skin surface preventing water to escape. In summary, NMF is our natural skin barrier.
Hydrators
When it comes to skincare for tweens or teens, we might be inclined to think that they don´t need any oils because they probably have oily skin and we don’t want it to become acne-prone skin. That is why we choose water-based skincare products with hydrating ingredients that bring water from the dermis to the skin surface.
These oil-free type of products is what we call humectants as their only purpose is to bring water to the skin. Are they necessary? of course. Are they enough? not really. Remember TEWL can be higher in young skin and just bringing water is not enough to keep skin moisturized, we need to prevent water to leave. Here is where moisturizers enter into action.
Moisturizers
This kind of skincare product is usually packed with hydrating ingredients (like hyaluronic acid or aloe vera for example) but also brings a healthy dose of oils that prevent water evaporation.
How to choose a good moisturizer
To choose an effective moisturizer it should provide the following:
- Proper hydration to keep enough water in the skin surface
- Emollience smooths skin by filling space between skin flakes with a droplet of oil
- Occlusive properties which lock water to prevent dehydrated skin
Is a moisturizer one single product?
More than a product, I would call it a skincare routine. You will find moisturizing routines packed in a single product and others divided into several steps for example:
- Hyaluronic acid serum followed by lightweight lotion. The hyaluronic acid attracts water while the lotion brings emollience and occlusive properties.
- Emollient cream followed by a face oil. This is usually recommended for really dry skin and while the cream brings hydrating properties and emollient ingredients, the oil avoids those ingredients to evaporate easily.
What are the steps to keep your skin hydrated?
Step 1: Everything starts with your cleanser
We tend to think that a good cleanser should leave the skin feeling dry or with a tight or stretched feel-like. However, this only means that the cleanser is too harsh and that is removing face natural oils exposing it to dehydration.
Cleansing the face well is absolutely necessary because excess oil can clog pores, but make sure you choose a gentle cleanser, especially for the face of your teens.
Here are some tips to hydrate your skin while cleansing:
- Make two steps cleansing process (check our previous blog to understand this better), this way the lipid barrier is kept safe.
- Choose a cleanser for the specific skin type of your teenager. Oily skin and dry skin will probably benefit from different active ingredients.
- If your teenager has an oily skin type, avoid buying products with alcohol thinking that it can remove excess oil better. It only will lead to dry skin
- Choose a cleanser with ingredients focused on hydration like aloe vera or herbal extracts
Steps 2: Vitamin C
Keeping skin healthy is needed to have a balanced TEWL and therefore keep hydration levels in place. Environmental stressors like sun or pollution damage skin cells, which is why even young skin needs an antioxidant booster. In this matter, there is nothing better than vitamin C which fights free radicals and protects the skin’s barrier function.
In this blog, we made a few recommendations for natural vitamin C serums that can be used by teenagers.
Step 3: Apply moisturizer
Here you have two options: one single moisturizer with hydration, emollience, and occlusive properties, or search for these features in different products. When I’m choosing a product for me, I usually prefer to split this step into two products:
- one hyaluronic acid serum which helps me increase hydration,
- and a moisturizer that acts as a protective seal.
However, if your teens or tweens are like mine, convincing them to establish a skincare routine is already difficult, so I prefer to keep it as simple as possible. For them, I definitely prefer one single moisturizer with the three winning features needed to keep your skin hydrated.
Step 4: Use sunscreen
We already explained the negative effect that the sun has on our skin. A good sunscreen with mineral filters is always necessary, even when we don’t feel the sun that strong.
Make sure your teenager understands the importance of sunscreen and help him/her find one that feels comfortable enough to wear every day.
Step 5: Use a face mist during the day
Especially in cold wethers, skin is not able to find enough moisture to attract to the stratum corneum (top layer of the skin), that is why during these months or if your kid has dry skin type, an afternoon routine could be to bring more hydration with a face mist.
Face mists are made with herbal extracts and active ingredients that are becoming a trend because can significantly increase skin hydration.
Humidifiers in the room are also a good alternative for the afternoon routine, as this helps to add moisture to the air, which can prevent dry skin.
Step 6: Night Nurturing routine
At nights steps 1 and 3 are necessary (clean and moisturize) but at night we probably add the «treat» step. Here we give «extra» food to the skin to correct those imperfections.
For teenagers is where we add probably a cream formulated for acne or specific concerns, or a cell renewal booster that helps the skin shedding process to be accomplished successfully.
How to choose the right moisturizer?
In part two of this blog post that will be released next week, I expect to cover this topic with more details.
As a mother of a teenager, it’s important to arm yourself with information on how to keep your child’s skin healthy during these years of change. By following the simple tips in this blog post, you can help your teen face hormonal changes and avoid or diminish the effects of acne or other skin conditions that are normal at this age. We hope you found this blog post helpful. Please share it with other mothers of tweens and teens who may benefit from its advice.
Subscribe to Our Blog!
About Me
Beatriz Morales
If you don’t feel like reading, don’t worry! You can also watch this as a video!
How well do you know your skin? and your children’s? Chances are, if you’re like most people, you don’t really think about it until something goes wrong. One of the most important things that you can do for your teenager’s skin is to make sure that it is properly hydrated. Most people don’t realize how easy it is to maintain healthy, hydrated skin – all you need are a few simple steps! In this blog post, we will discuss the best ways to hydrate and moisturize their skin. teach your teenagers how to follow these steps and lead them on their way to beautiful, healthy skin!
The importance of keeping teen skin hydrated
Skin hydration is essential for maintaining healthy skin. The skin is the body’s largest organ, and it needs to be properly hydrated to keep the skin barrier functioning properly. During the teenage years, the skin is going through so many changes, that united to common environmental stressors, it can be difficult to keep it working healthy.
Why hydration could prevent teenage skin from breaking out?
Skin hydration is essential for maintaining healthy skin. The skin is the body’s largest organ, and it needs to be properly hydrated to keep the skin barrier functioning properly. During the teenage years, the skin is going through so many changes, that united to common environmental stressors, it can be difficult to keep it working healthy.
If you want to understand better how acne is formed and how to prevent it don’t forget to download our free ebook here.
Hydrators vs moisturizers
Hydrating skin refers to the process of keeping the skin cells plump and full of water. The skin naturally draws water from the air and into its cells and with the help of humectant agents can pull water from the dermis (internal skin layer) to the skin surface where it’s needed for the proper cell turnover process.
TEWL and skin hydration
One of the functions of the skin is to keep the body temperature. To do so, skin passively releases water during the day which is measured through the transepidermal water loss (TEWL). As young skin is less mature and the relation between weight and skin surface is larger, tends to evaporate too much water which can lead to dehydrated skin. When skin is properly hydrated, it has a lower TEWL and functions as a better skin’s barrier to keep skin concerns out.
Skin's natural moisturizing systems
Our skin is protected by the natural moisturizing factor (NMF) which is a natural skin mechanism that prevents dehydrated skin because can retain moisture by locking water into the skin reducing the TEWL.
The NMF is formed by fatty acids (sebum included), sugars, and amino acids that create a film on the skin surface preventing water to escape. In summary, NMF is our natural skin barrier.
Hydrators
When it comes to skincare for tweens or teens, we might be inclined to think that they don´t need any oils because they probably have oily skin and we don’t want it to become acne-prone skin. That is why we choose water-based skincare products with hydrating ingredients that bring water from the dermis to the skin surface.
These oil-free type of products is what we call humectants as their only purpose is to bring water to the skin. Are they necessary? of course. Are they enough? not really. Remember TEWL can be higher in young skin and just bringing water is not enough to keep skin moisturized, we need to prevent water to leave. Here is where moisturizers enter into action.
Moisturizers
This kind of skincare product is usually packed with hydrating ingredients (like hyaluronic acid or aloe vera for example) but also brings a healthy dose of oils that prevent water evaporation.
How to choose a good moisturizer
To choose an effective moisturizer it should provide the following:
- Proper hydration to keep enough water in the skin surface
- Emollience smooths skin by filling space between skin flakes with a droplet of oil
- Occlusive properties which lock water to prevent dehydrated skin
Is a moisturizer one single product?
More than a product, I would call it a skincare routine. You will find moisturizing routines packed in a single product and others divided into several steps for example:
- Hyaluronic acid serum followed by lightweight lotion. The hyaluronic acid attracts water while the lotion brings emollience and occlusive properties.
- Emollient cream followed by a face oil. This is usually recommended for really dry skin and while the cream brings hydrating properties and emollient ingredients, the oil avoids those ingredients to evaporate easily.
What are the steps to keep your skin hydrated?
Step 1: Everything starts with your cleanser
We tend to think that a good cleanser should leave the skin feeling dry or with a tight or stretched feel-like. However, this only means that the cleanser is too harsh and that is removing face natural oils exposing it to dehydration.
Cleansing the face well is absolutely necessary because excess oil can clog pores, but make sure you choose a gentle cleanser, especially for the face of your teens.
Here are some tips to hydrate your skin while cleansing:
- Make two steps cleansing process (check our previous blog to understand this better), this way the lipid barrier is kept safe.
- Choose a cleanser for the specific skin type of your teenager. Oily skin and dry skin will probably benefit from different active ingredients.
- If your teenager has an oily skin type, avoid buying products with alcohol thinking that it can remove excess oil better. It only will lead to dry skin
- Choose a cleanser with ingredients focused on hydration like aloe vera or herbal extracts
Steps 2: Vitamin C
Keeping skin healthy is needed to have a balanced TEWL and therefore keep hydration levels in place. Environmental stressors like sun or pollution damage skin cells, which is why even young skin needs an antioxidant booster. In this matter, there is nothing better than vitamin C which fights free radicals and protects the skin’s barrier function.
In this blog, we made a few recommendations for natural vitamin C serums that can be used by teenagers.
Step 3: Apply moisturizer
Here you have two options: one single moisturizer with hydration, emollience, and occlusive properties, or search for these features in different products. When I’m choosing a product for me, I usually prefer to split this step into two products:
- one hyaluronic acid serum which helps me increase hydration,
- and a moisturizer that acts as a protective seal.
However, if your teens or tweens are like mine, convincing them to establish a skincare routine is already difficult, so I prefer to keep it as simple as possible. For them, I definitely prefer one single moisturizer with the three winning features needed to keep your skin hydrated.
Step 4: Use sunscreen
We already explained the negative effect that the sun has on our skin. A good sunscreen with mineral filters is always necessary, even when we don’t feel the sun that strong.
Make sure your teenager understands the importance of sunscreen and help him/her find one that feels comfortable enough to wear every day.
Step 5: Use a face mist during the day
Especially in cold wethers, skin is not able to find enough moisture to attract to the stratum corneum (top layer of the skin), that is why during these months or if your kid has dry skin type, an afternoon routine could be to bring more hydration with a face mist.
Face mists are made with herbal extracts and active ingredients that are becoming a trend because can significantly increase skin hydration.
Humidifiers in the room are also a good alternative for the afternoon routine, as this helps to add moisture to the air, which can prevent dry skin.
Step 6: Night Nurturing routine
At nights steps 1 and 3 are necessary (clean and moisturize) but at night we probably add the «treat» step. Here we give «extra» food to the skin to correct those imperfections.
For teenagers is where we add probably a cream formulated for acne or specific concerns, or a cell renewal booster that helps the skin shedding process to be accomplished successfully.
How to choose the right moisturizer?
In part two of this blog post that will be released next week, I expect to cover this topic with more details.
As a mother of a teenager, it’s important to arm yourself with information on how to keep your child’s skin healthy during these years of change. By following the simple tips in this blog post, you can help your teen face hormonal changes and avoid or diminish the effects of acne or other skin conditions that are normal at this age. We hope you found this blog post helpful. Please share it with other mothers of tweens and teens who may benefit from its advice.
Subscribe to Our Blog!
About Me
