6 Things I Wish I’d Known As A Teenager About Skincare

Growing up with oily, acne-prone skin meant I had to jump through hoops just to keep my face looking clear and healthy. I was told that pimples are just a passing phase but at the time they seemed pretty permanent. What first was mild acne on my forehead soon spread to breakouts all over my face. I was embarrassed by how my skin looked thanks to the totally unforgiving and unachievable standards of beauty. I was only a teenager, and just like any other adolescent, I was worried about my appearance and how I’d be perceived by my friends and family.

Thankfully, as soon as my mom noticed a drop in my confidence levels, she took me to a dermatologist and bought me my first set of legit skincare products. Looking back at that phase, I now realise there were a few things I could have done differently in dealing with my problematic skin type. So, if you’re dealing with acne or know someone who is, maybe these epiphanies could help you out.

Things I Would Tell My Younger Self About Skincare

Having Acne Is Not Your Fault

That’s right! It’s not your fault that you have a certain skin type. Oily skin is more prone to experiencing acne thanks to environmental pollutants and the skin type’s ability to attract and trap bacteria. Not to forget, hormonal changes also do trigger acne and none of that can be all on you. Knowing this would have helped my mental state a lot more and probably would’ve prevented a few stress pimples from popping up.

Gentle Skincare Works Harder Than You Think

I tried my luck with a few cleansers and moisturisers back then. The initial product set consisting of a cleanser and moisturiser I had was super gentle and it slowly but surely helped in controlling my acne. Since I still experienced occasional breakouts after using it, I thought I’d shift to more hardcore cleansers that draw out all the sebum from skin and I also made a decision to skip on moisturiser considering how oily my skin could get. The decision I took would keep my skin oil-free alright, but I struggled with even more painful breakouts than before. After years of experimenting with products, I now realise that the gentle way was the best. Nature-infused cleansers that didn’t strip my skin of moisture was and still is gold standard, and a moisturising gel is my skin’s best friend.

Dandruff Can Make Acne Worse

Who knew that dandruff can aggravate your acne? I always reserved hair washing twice a week but since I was an active kid who was involved in a lot of sports and daily training, I would occasionally have bouts of dandruff which I now realise was the cause of breakouts on my forehead. Dandruff fall out can form into pimples when it comes in contact with skin. And considering my oily skin type, dandruff was one reason why my forehead acne was so persistent. Washing my hair after workouts and washing my face whenever I got back home are two things I could have done differently.

Moisturisers Are Important For Oily, Acne Prone Skin

I was long under the assumption that moisturisers aren’t suited for oily skin until I became a beauty aficionado and the industry stepped up their game. It’s true back then not every moisturiser was non comedogenic and that’s what made most of us oily skin beauties lose faith in the product altogether. But looking back, I did have a moisturising gel from a niche brand that helped my skin a lot even though I underestimated its ability. Today, I am aware of the fact that a good moisturiser will keep oily skin under control as it will trick your skin into stopping excess oil production by offering a layer of hydration. A moisturiser’s shine is different from a that off excess sebum, keep that in mind.

Toners With Alcohol Are Not Doing You Any Good

When I caught wind of astringents and toners being available in the market, I immediately had to have them because it was another option that promised pimple-free skin. Unfortunately, the toners back then contained alcohol and I believed it to work because it gave instant results. Little did I know, those results were only temporary and in the long run, the alcohol in the formula caused my skin to get even more sensitised and prone to acne. Switching to alcohol-free natural toners was the best decision I’ve ever made.

Sunscreen Can Help In Fading Acne Scars

Belonging to the oily/acne prone skin community and being a woman of colour, the scars left behind after a breakout was always the worst. Since I was trying to avoid moisturisers as much as I could, there is no doubt that I would also skip on sunscreen. But, sunscreens would have helped prevent my acne scars from darkening and would have eventually helped in them fading away naturally. But of course, I could never find a good drugstore sunscreen back then and I am so grateful that today’s sunscreen products are tailor-made for problematic skin types as well. A sunscreen containing zinc oxide is the best for oily skin types because it is the ingredient that soothes and mattifies the skin.