Teen Skincare: Morning vs. Night Routines and How They Differ

Life is busy for your teen-and so is their skin! Between hormones, stress from school, new responsibilities, and unexpected breakouts, their skin is going through a lot. It's time to start building strong skincare habits that will help them succeed and have the healthiest skin possible. But with popular trends and scientific advice all vying for their attention (and your money) it can be hard to know where to begin.

Good Morning Skin Barrier!

The early hours of the day are the time to gear up for everything their hectic schedules will bring. Morning is the time to create that protection zone. Start with a clean slate by wiping away all the sweat, oil, and debris that accumulated while you slept. A simple cleanse will do the job, and will help your next steps be even more effective. Your moisturizer can now sink deeply into your skin without locking acne-causing contaminates in. Finally, always remember to apply an SPF to protect from sun damage and premature aging. A clean mineral sunscreen like the one from Girlyish Skincare is great!

Sleep Tight Skincare

Our sleep time is the skin’s time to recharge. Blood flow increases, cells replenish, and collagen production picks up. While it may seem like overkill to cleanse again at night, it’s just as, if not more so, important before you sleep. Even if you don’t wear makeup, your face has been exposed to dirt and grime, sweat, and environmental contaminants that need to be washed away in order to heal properly overnight. Plus, the longer you leave that gunk on, the more chance there is for acne and irritation to develop. We all hate waking up with new pimples!

Of course, you’ll want to finish off the night with a moisturizer to renew the hydration that was taken away while cleansing. Now is the time to use that heavier, thicker cream, or a moisturizer formulated for both day and night. Using a day-only moisturizer at night is often not hydrating enough for all the work your skin does overnight. 

Additionally, if your dermatologist has recommended any active skincare products, night time is the best time to apply those. Just remember-active ingredients can be potentially harmful to young skin if not used properly. Stick with a simple 3 step routine unless you’ve been prescribed other products. Click here to read why! 

What’s The Difference?

You might be wondering if there really is a difference. Just remember-morning is about setting up the skin barrier with lightweight products that won’t trap debris. Night is about washing away the day and replenishing the skin while it heals itself. A lightweight moisturizer is important in the morning, but a night time moisturizer will be too heavy and can potentially cause more harm than good if worn out and about. Using professionally prescribed additional products during the day is not as effective as it is at night, since the skin isn’t able to focus on that healing and replenishing as much. There are subtle, but important differences that will change the game for your skin and set you up for healthy skin in the long run. 

Skincare You And Your Skin Will Love

If you’re feeling a little stumped about where to start, Girlyish Skincare has a 3 step skincare line that is fragrance free, hormone disruptor free, and specifically formulated for teens. Their simple creamy cleanser, day/night moisturizer, and clean mineral sunscreen are the perfect place to start building those consistent skincare habits. Glowing, happy skin doesn’t happen all at once, but stick with it and trust us, you and your skin will be thanking those routines in no time!