Teenage skin can be quite problematic as it transitions a lot during puberty creating need for suitable skincare. Their skin is acne prone, oily and can be sensitive as the skin is delicate. Choosing the right face wash for teenage skin is important to deal with clogged pores, acne breakouts, and constantly oil skin. 

Many teenagers often fall for strong active ingredients which might seem good to use but these active ingredients might be too strong to use and could not be suitable for teenagers skin. The face wash should contain gentle ingredients to ensure cleansing.

The best face wash for teenagers must deliver a safe and gentle cleansing action for the skin. It should be basically formulated with gentle cleansing agents along with suitable hydrating and skin soothing agents. For dealing with breakouts on teenage skin it should contain mild acne control ingredients in safe concentrations. 

Teenagers should certainly avoid ingredients like strong fragrances, harsh cleansing agents or other strong ingredients which might cause irritation, redness and could worsen acne breakouts. So while choosing a face wash meant to be used in daily routine it is best to always check the ingredients list. 

The challenges with teen skin

Teen skin goes through continuous hormonal shifts which makes their skin dramatically affected. The androgen levels increase a lot during puberty which easily triggers the sebaceous glands to produce excess sebum. 

Along with that the increased stress can increase the cortisol levels which also increase the sebum production in the body. It makes their skin excessively oily and shiny

This excess sebum is thicker and sticky and it mixes with dead skin cells and stops them from shedding. It creates a stick mix along with dirt and other impurities which sits on the skin and it might even clog the pores of the skin. This clogs the pores and prevents air pass out which creates a suitable environment for Cutibacterium acnes bacteria to act. This leads to painful acne breakouts on the face.

This is why their skin requires proper cleansing to get rid of oil and acne but it should work too harshly on the skin.

Cleansing approach for teenage skin

Harsh cleansers are not an ideal choice for teenage skin. These cleansers work too strongly on the skin and clear out the excess sebum but along with that it also clears out the natural oils from the skin which damages the skin barrier and might also increase the transepidermal water loss from the skin. It makes the skin dry and more damaged and can even cause rebound oil production.

That is why it is preferred to use gentle face washes on the skin which do not work too harshly on the skin yet deliver proper results. They help in clearing out the excess oil from the skin without damaging the oil barrier of the skin completely. In fact choosing the suitable gentle face wash can help in nourishing the skin as well.

Anti-acne and oil control ingredients to select

The main concern of most teenagers is dealing with active acne and choosing appropriate gentle and effective ingredients is important for them.

Salicylic acid

This is a chemical exfoliant which delivers best results for acne and oil clearance. It is a beta hydroxy acid with oil soluble nature so it can cross the lipid layers of the skin and dive deep into the pore linings. It then acts by dissolving the bonds of dead skin cells, oil and other impurities from the pores and clears them out.

Niacinamide

It is also called vitamin B3 and this ingredient works to regulate the oil production in the skin as it works by regulating the oil production by signaling sebaceous glands directly. It also helps in repairing the damaged skin barrier while reducing inflammation due to acne.

Benzoyl peroxide

This could be used for dealing with acne breakouts for teenagers. It is best to use a very mild concentration like 2.5% to 4% in a foaming face wash formula. This ingredient works by directly delivering oxygen to the pores which kills anaerobic acne causing bacteria and prevents acne breakouts.

Barrier-supporting actives

These ingredients in a formulation are important in order to repair the damaged barrier and help in locking moisture into the skin properly.

Ceramides 

These are the main barrier repairing ingredients which are already present in the skin and their loss can be covered by incorporating ceramides in a face wash. Ceramides help in replenishing the skin barrier and it acts as a protective layer which locks the moisture into the skin.

Panthenol

Also known as vitamin B5 and this ingredient helps in both hydrating the skin as well as moisturizing the skin and works as a humectant. It is a great ingredient that helps in reducing the skin redness and inflammation as it helps in soothing the skin barrier as it also helps in accelerating skin renewal.

Hydrating and nourishing additives

Hyaluronic acid

It is a humectant ingredient that helps in attracting water from outside air and then locks it in due to its great water holding capacity. This helps in making the skin look plump as it gets hydrated and provides proper nourishment to the skin.

Aloe vera

A calming ingredient that helps in totally soothing the skin redness and inflammation. It helps in providing subtle hydration to the skin post cleansing and makes skin feel refreshed right after cleansing. 

Ingredients that need to be avoided

• Harsh sulphate based surfactants because they work very strongly on the skin and damage the moisture barrier.
• Strong fragrance and perfume ingredients as they cause skin irritation and could trigger breakouts.
• Highly volatile alcohols which can make the skin feel completely dry and tight after cleansing.

Final thoughts

Teen skin is already very troubled and delicate also it constantly faces problems and using unsuitable ingredients on teen skin can make the skin more troubled. It might lead to acne breakouts and more problems. So it is advised to select suitable ingredients with mild concentrations appropriate for teenage skin.

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