If you are a teenager going through lockdown, i salute you, with my biggest respect. Your resilience and creativity during the past year has been amazing.
Its not an easy time for anyone, but you are handling this without much recognition in return.
Your generation is dealing with something that's new territory and i cant imagine how you feel. Lockdown number 7? What one are we at now?
Life might be weighing heavy on you and causing stress, which shows itself in numerous ways.
In light of this, how's your skin doing? These years are stressful and that's before cancelled exams and logging on to Microsoft teams every morning.
This prompted me to compile a list of 5 things you should know about your skin, during the best years of your life (said with sarcasm but I promise things will get better.)
1 Skincare routine: We all know that a skincare routine is vital, especially as you reach your teenage years. Lockdown stress, what we eat or drink and cosmetics are all factors which can be a rollercoaster for our skin, especially in the years between 11-15 and beyond. Hormones effect the oils produced in your sebaceous glands and that's a road which leads to spots forming. Finding a cleansing method that doesn’t dry out and strip your skin’s natural oils and using it daily is a great habit to form.
Gently cleanse, a facecloth is nice and soft but also great for removing dirt.
No harsh scrubbing needed here, your skin will create more oil if you scrub.
You do need a skin regime, a strict one. If you go to sleep with makeup on, i will find you.
Gently cleanse your face, use toner straight after if you have it, its not totally necessary but its good for closing pores and balancing pH levels, then moisturise. Use a daily moisturiser with spf, preferably non perfumed.
2 The influencers lie. Shock horror i hear you say! So you have to choose your products and sort the gimmicks from the real deal. Do some research and keep your products as natural as possible if you can. Instagrammers and paid influencers with touch up apps, are paid to pose with products. Usually spotted in Dubai during tier 4 pandemic lockdown. Doing 'work' hun.
Think about it, if they think its ok to travel for an Instagram pic, they wont be too moral with the products they promote.
3 Go with what your skin needs. Not everyone has breakouts, your genetics plays a part, so don't dive into any stuff you don't actually need. Good handmade soap and warm water is simply the best way to cleanse.
Supermarkets have an entire aisle of cleansers and soaps, so it’s good to understand what you are looking for. Basically, you want to replenish natural oils and not strip the skin. Hair follicles can become blocked when your skin over produces oils and they need to be gently cleansed without drying and stressing your skin out. Don't over wash your face, twice a day is just right.
4 The ads bend the truth too. There are so many products which claim to be neutral, usually in the form of body wash or ‘beauty bars’ (called this because they aren’t real soap) The pH of the soap you choose, shouldn’t match your skin’s pH. The human skin sits at roughly 5.5 on the pH scale and is naturally acidic, in order to keep moisture in and kill off bacteria. To maintain the skin's natural barrier, handmade soap can be very beneficial. The pH of handmade soap is around 9-10. It is naturally alkaline, making the soap a gentle and effective cleanser.
5 Get the basics right. All the skincare in the world cant make up for a rubbish diet. A healthy balanced diet, is really important, but you knew this already. Keep your refillable water bottle to hand for drinking through the day, with lemon if possible. It is a great foundation for glowing skin. Get some vitamin D every day. Clean your makeup brushes!
It’s your absolute right to be aware of what you put on your skin, so read and google those ingredients, always. Handmade soap has experienced a new popularity over the past few years, thanks to focus on the environment, Palm oil and veganism. (Willow & Plum ticks all those boxes btw) yes the natural handmade stuff will often be more expensive, however your skin is a life long investment.
Handmade soap, i cant stress enough that it won’t contain the cheap filler ingredients which are often causing bigger problems such as irritation and dryness. It will contain quality oils and natural additions such as nettle, charcoal, oatmeal or lavender. Also, find a decent moisturiser, as natural as possible.
When dealing with acne, a good skin routine and healthy habits will assist greatly with any treatment your doctor might prescribe.
6 Dont cut yourself a fringe, i know you might want to, but its lockdown talking.
Everything I’ve included here is available on the web so please do your research and make informed choices. Read the ingredients and remember you are beautiful no mater what.
Handmade soap bars are available at lovewillowandplum.com or via the shop now button.