TEEN SKINCARE What is the best skincare for a tween or teenage?

by Roopal Popat

Heading into teen years can be a difficult time for all kids, hormones are raging, their body is changing, not to mention the havoc their skin is going through. Tweens and teens find themselves contending with acne, blackheads, greasy, dry, oily skin, and in Hong Kong the pollution and diet can trigger skin conditions. As a parent you may need to start investing in some proper skincare for your tweens and teenagers.

With a few simple skincare tips and practicing healthy habits early, your teenager should feel much happier.

What is the best skincare for a teenager?

A simple, and targeted skincare routine is a great thing to introduce in the early teen years. Starting with gentle cleansers and lightweight moisturisers, so you don’t overload their skin. Older teens may benefit from exfoliators, masks, and micellar water especially if they have begun to wear makeup. Products to combat acne can be very useful for some teenagers but should be used cautiously and it’s best to consult with a dermatologist if you are considering them.

Your teenager does not have to use ALL of these but here are a few tips you may want to introduce into their skincare routine. • A gentle cleanser • A lightweight moisturiser • An exfoliator maybe once a week (more for older teens) • Acne treatments if this is an area of concern (consult a dermatologist) • Suitable sun protection to be used daily • Avoid touching the face too frequently • Use lukewarm water • A well-balanced diet • Hydrate • Daytime and night-time skincare routine • Wash off all make up before bed • Clean makeup brushes regularly • Change pillowcases every week • Clean your phones regularly!

When looking for teen beauty products or the best skincare brands for teens, try to find ones that are labelled ‘non-comedogenic’.

What products are best for teenage skin?

With so many products on the market it can be daunting to find the right one for you. We look at some skincare brands and explore some products that you may want to try for your teens.

BEST ALL ROUND

Woke Up Like This – “WULT is for Hong Kong girls by Hong Kong girls”

Founders Tawnia Lai & Jenn Lam are Hong Kong based best friends who dreamed up WULT together, with Lai’s sister Woke Up Like This Christal Leung as their biochemist. All products are vegan and contain fruit and plant extracts, with an emphasis on the purity of the materials. Hailing from Hong Kong, they understand the hot and humid climate, and their products reflect this.

The Sunfluff sunscreen ($368 HKD) is a liquid potion that also doubles as a serum and moisturiser providing a barrier against the sun and filtering impurities whilst toning, balancing and calming the skin. Their lip dabs ($198 HKD) feature positive femaleempowering messages like, “I Got Your

Back” and “Prove’em Wrong”.

www.wokeuplikethisbeauty.com/

The Body Shop

The Body Shop has a dedicated range for teenage skin. The Tea Tree skincare range has several products to choose from, ranging from cleansers, balms, scrubs, toners, night lotions, masks, and make up removers. Enriched with community fair trade tea tree oil from leaves that are steam-distilled in Kenya, the oil is great for combatting oily skin. Prices start from $49–$196 HKD and are available at Body Shop locations throughout Hong Kong.

www.thebodyshop.com/en-hk

Ciencia Skincare

Amanda Quigley, founder of Australian brand Ciencia, has 30 years of experience creating skincare products. Ciencia products are made in Australian, and they are vegan and cruelty free. For a simple routine to begin with, try the Cleanse8 ($423 HKD) which is an oil-free gel cleanser that balances the skin without drying it out. Followed by the Mattifi8 ($440 HKD), which is a light serum that helps to combat blemishes and large pores. And finally, the Bluelimin8 ($378 HKD), a unique product, that is designed to protect and repair damage caused by blue light emitted from phones, iPads and so on. Products can be bought online and shipping to Hong Kong is free.

www.cienciaskincare.com.hk WOW YOU!

UK based founders Ella and Leo wanted to create a product that was naturally powered with wholesome, and effective ingredients at affordable prices. The WOWYOU ready set glow kit (£27.00) is a five-piece set that does the hard work for you! It comes with an easy-to-follow booklet, and the set includes a cleanser, a serum, day and night moisturisers and a mask which helps to balance excess oil levels, hydrate and combat blemishes. Younger tweens may not need to use the full set but It’s a good starter kit. All the bottles sizes are not too big, meaning you can try before investing in larger bottles. All products are cruelty-free, and packed with natural ingredients including honey, green tea and blueberry. All WOWYOU products can be bought online with international shipping rates calculated at check out.

www.wowyou.com Florence By Mills

Created by Stranger Things actress Millie Bobby Brown, (a teen herself!) and named after her great-grandmother, the products in the range are easy to use, gentle and suitable for all skin types. Packed

Ciencia Skincare with vitamins, antioxidants, botanicals and free from parabens, sulfates, and animal testing. Products include, scrubs, masks, face mists, toners, and make up stables like lipsticks, lip gloss, mascara and nail polish. The double masking gift set (£25.00) makes a great Christmas gift. Containing a shimmery rose-gold calming peel off mask, which contains witch hazel, chamomile extract and water lily extract to calm stressed-out skin. A pore mask and under eye gel pads. Available from a range of outlets that ship to Hong Kong, including Asos, WOW YOU! Lookfantastic and Beauty Bay. www. florencebymills.com

Q+A

UK brand Q+A are on a mission to simplify skincare. Produced in Norfolk by Ellipsis Brands, a family run business. All products are cruelty-free, and most are vegan (except for some moisturisers which contain beeswax), products are 98% natural, and nothing costs over £12 GBP! Take their skin care quiz online to discover what products would best suit your skin type. They also do some great bundles which would make fab gifts! The peppermint daily cleanser is the great first product to try and suitable for all skin types, its gentle so won’t upset the natural oil balance of the skin. They ship internationally for £10 GBP.

www.qandaskin.com

Green People Oy!

Founded by mum Charlotte Vøhtz’s to help her daughter combat multiple skin allergies and eczema. Green People was founded in 1997, after years of private product research and development. The products are suitable for all skin types, vegetarian, vegan, cruelty-free and certified organic, and contain no parabens. With options for a 3-step routine, cleansers and moisturisers, and serums, the range is perfect to try as first skincare products for teenage girls and boys.

www.greenpeople.co.uk

skin with over 98% natural ingredients. The exceptional face care duo and skin care trio are great starter kits. Or choose a stand-alone item from cleansers, moisturisers to haircare. International shipping available. www.

dandydillway. com

Dandydill Way

Created by international make-up artist Tania Rodney, (who has worked with the likes of Beyoncé, and Gwen Stefani), Dandydill Way is a platinum award winning skincare range. Products not only look stylish and elegant and are also effective. Safe for babies and children's sensitive

Sam Farmer

Determined to make skincare that was targeted at all sexes, stay at home dad Sam Farmer went back to school, studied cosmetic science, and formulated a unisex range, specifically for adolescent skin and hair. Available online and subject to international delivery fees www.

samfarmer.co Ceptahil

Popular since 1947, the original Cetaphil Cleansing Lotion, was designed specifically for dermatological needs. Generations later, it is now called Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser, and it is a hugely popular choice for anyone with sensitive skin. The range now contains multiple products for the whole family, including baby skincare, and sun care products. The formula is gentle on the skin, and non-irritating. It’s also often prescribed by doctors to help combat skin irritation and eczema. The gentle skin cleanser is perfect for teenage skin, and a great starter for washing

the face and body. Readily available in Hong Kong from Watsons and Mannings and many supermarkets. Also, online at iHerb, Asos, and Amazon.com.

www.cetaphil.com.hk My Clarins

My Clarins is a skincare range for teens and young adults aged 18 to 29. Made from fruit and plant extracts, with 88% natural ingredients. Choose from cleansing gels, moisturising creams, masks, pore erasers, and targeted blemish treatments. A great one stop-shop for young skin.

www.clarins.com.hk/en/ my-clarins BEST FOR ACNE Bioderma

They offer several products for all skin types. The Sébium range is tailored to oily and acne-prone skin, with products ranging from face cleansers, foaming gels, micellar water, soap bars, anti-blemish creams, moisturisers, and more, so you can pick and choose what’s best for your skin and routine. We especially like the micellar water and the lotion. They have several locations across Hong Kong and products are also available to buy at Mannings and Watsons.

www.bioderma.hk/en Proactiv

Targeted at acne prone skin Proactiv is dermatologically tested skincare, with three acne treatment systems. The products are specially formulated to work together to treat and prevent breakouts for most Dandydill Way skin types. Proactiv Solution® is best for oily & combination skin with acne. Proactiv+® offers gentle acne-fighting formulas for sensitive

Sam Farmer

skin and ProactivMD® uses a more powerful retinoid to treat stubborn breakouts. www.proactiv.com

Bad Habit Beauty

A skincare line from Tik Tok influencer Emma Chamberlain Bad Habit is “purposefully designed to reset stressed out skin”. The 10-piece collection is targeted at Gen Z and millennials dealing with acne. The line features two cleansers, two moisturisers, and quick-fix treatments that include a face oil, hyaluronic acid face mask, charcoal mask, face mist, AHA/ enzyme peel, and hand cream. Products are under £30 GBP and infused with essential oils and very bright in colour, (which makes them very Instagramfriendly!). All products are vegan and cruelty free, and free from parabens and mineral oil. Available to buy on Asos.

www.badhabitbeauty.com

Nip+Fab

Nip+Fab

Nip+Fab’s teen skin fix range is very popular with teens with stressed out skin. There is new Nip + Fab salicylic acid range goes an extra step, it’s anti-inflammatory, unclogs pores, and is exfoliating, whilst still being soothing to the skin. Salicylic acid is a key ingredient when tackling acne prone skin. They also have a fab range of regime kits to try. Available to buy from Asos and Lookfantastic.

www.nipandfab.com

La Roche Posay Effaclar

La Roche-Posay Effaclar acne treatment 3-Step system comes with medicated gel cleanser, a toner, and acne spot treatment. It good for sensitive and allergy prone skin, reactions skin. Their foaming gel, and body washes are also highly recommended for acne prone skin, containing salicylic acid and zinc. Available from Amazon.com.

www.laroche-posay.hk/cn/

Period Faace

We all suffer from breakouts when periods come, and for teenagers going through so many changes it can be even worse. Period Faace has daily and weekly treatments to help kick potential breakouts. Products help to improve breakouts, calm inflammation, and minimise pores. The UK-made, vegan brand also gives some of its profits to period poverty and menopause charities. International shipping available, and free for orders over £30 GBP.

www.wearefaace.com

FACIALS FOR TEENAGERS IN HONG KONG

Glow Spa

The Skeynador Teenagers Facial offers gentle cleansing and exfoliation, $780 HKD for 45 minutes. Address: 8th Floor Silver Fortune Plaza, 1 Wellington Street, Central, Hong Kong WhatsApp: +852 9680 2107

www.glowspa.hk

The Skin Gym

Facial for teenagers under 18 years for $880 HKD. Address: The Centrium, 21st Floor, Room 6, 60 Wyndham Street, Hong Kong WhatsApp: +852 6271 8005

www.theskingym.com.hk

Perfect Skin Surgery Centre

Offers professional guidance for children and teenage skin. Including acne facials. Address: 17/F, 36 Queen's Road Central, Hong Kong

www.perfectskinsurgery.com

SPOT EMERGENCY? TRY THE PIMPLE PATCH PATROL BY PATCHOLOGY

A gentle but effective trio of acne patches and pore strips. With antiinflammatory and bacteria-banishing ingredients like salicylic acid, tea tree oil and witch hazel. Promising to heal spots and unclog pores in a matter of hours!

The box includes:

• 3 Blackhead-Eliminating Nose

Pore Strips • 24 Pimple-Shrinking Salicylic

Acid Dots • 24 Whitehead-Absorbing

Hydrocolloid Dots • 2 Storage sachets to keep your dots fresh

Available to buy on Amazon.com and Revolve for $20 USD.