How to have lovely skin in your teens

Teenage years are a time of change - and this is especially true for your skin. Here's how to give skin the best start.

What's happening

The cells of the skin are being produced at an optimum rate now, so it is renewing itself about every 28 days, and your complexion should be peachy, plump and bright. Collagen and elastin in the dermis are functioning perfectly, making skin toned and resilient. But hormonal changes mean those in their teens (and even earlier ages, these days) may have problems with blackheads, whiteheads and acne because hormones called androgens increase the production of sebum or oil from the sebaceous glands. Dead skin cells stick to the sebum, blocking the oil ducts - the sebum's getaway route - resulting in blackheads (or whiteheads, which are basically the same, except that they have not been exposed to air and dirt). Behind these blocked pores, the acne bacteria grow rapidly in the sebaceous glands, triggering inflammation and redness. You may also find that your skin tends to be shiny because fluctuating hormones affect sebum production.

TLC for your skin

The basic products you need are a cleanser, toner and daytime moisturizer, plus sun protection if you're outside or on holiday. Let your skin breathe at night, rather than loading it with a night cream, although you might stroke in a few drops of a lightweight oil. Bodywise, you shouldn't need much, except perhaps an occasional body scrub (useful for keeping skin smooth, so you don't get patches if you're self tanning) and a body lotion if your skin is dry. Thorough cleansing is essential - even after the wildest night out, when you just want to flop into bed - but don't strip your skin of its natural moisturizing oils. A minute's massage with a creamy cleanser (not soap: it won't shift oil or oil-based make-up effectively) wiped off with a clean muslin cloth or flannel, wrung out in warm water, is all you need. This will also keep your pillow clean - important, because debris-laden pillows can trigger spotty skin. Cleanse your face first thing in the morning, too, to wipe away sebum produced overnight.

Toners are useful just after cleansing, to remove any residue and brighten and refresh the face. You could use aloe vera juice, which is healing and soothing, for spot-prone, inflamed skin: choose a brand that is sold fresh in the refrigerated section and store in the fridge to help preserve its vitamins and enzymes. For oilier skin (not dry) mix three parts rose water with one part witch hazel.

In the daytime, follow with a moisturizer based on lightweight but emollient plant oils, such as a mix of coconut and palm oils (look for coco-caprylate/caprate on labels). This mix has very good spreading power, yet a non-greasy - almost dry - feel. Also look for products with added antioxidant, such as beta-carotene and vitamin E.

Although most teens aspire to look tanned, a much safer option is to self-tan. Keep skin protected when in the sun, apply a mineral-based sunscreen, with a blend of titanium and zinc oxide filters for broad-spectrum protection against UV light, which suits even the most touchy skins.

If you're enviably spot-free, choose a simple range that you enjoy and stick with it - chopping and changing may provoke your skin. Learn to read ingredient labels: all products carry an INCI listing (ingredients), which will guide you through much of the jargon. Learn to read your skin, too: notice when it feels tight, taut or over-dry - usually due to over-stripping with harsh drying ingredients, such as benzoyl peroxide. Soap, even so-called 'mild' facial soaps, can also strip the skin, over-dry it or lead to sensitivity. If you have oily skin, avoid ranges that claim to cut oiliness and dry the skin: the skin may then produce more oil to compensate, setting up a vicious cycle. In fact, I don't believe in buying oil-free skincare for face or body: remember, our skin produces its own oil, so oil, as such, is not bad. It is suggested to use lightweight plant oils, such as apricot or peach kernel or passionflower seed oil. Massage in a few drops on your face at night to soften sebum so it can get out of the follicles and help balance your skin.

Choose formulations without mineral oil (paraffinum llquidum), as this can clog pores. This inevitably means going for a 'greener' or more natural option. Skincare ranges targeted at teens - often labeled 'non-acnegenic' -aren't necessarily best (there is no legal definition of 'non-acnegenic'). It is advisable to always treat angry, inflamed skin with great care, using calming and soothing ingredients such as natural clays, manuka honey and propolis. A teaspoonful of a gentle herbal extract, such as calendula (marigold), chamomile or hypericum tincture, in a bowl of warm water makes a gentle face splash. Calendula ointment is very calming for sore, red skin.

Make sure your hands are washed before touching problem skin. Pustules can be encouraged to come to a head by applying a cloth wrung out in hot water to the affected area. Very gently remove any pus with the cloth; be sure to wash it thoroughly after. A greasy fringe can trigger spots on the forehead, so keep hair pinned back and make sure skin and hair are kept scrupulously clean.

If you have oily, spot-prone skin on your back or chest, cleanse the area thoroughly every day with a gentle body wash. A towelling backstrap is useful for reaching upper backs, but do wash it and your bath towel frequently -daily, if you have acne. Applying a clay-based, deep-cleansing face mask to the affected area once or twice a week can also help: do your face at the same time.

Making up

Some teenage girls love Benefit's High Beam, a pearly pink liquid which you dot on cheeks and brow bone for a healthy glow. It's actually multi-age.

*The best eyelash curlers are Shu Uemura: they are expensive, but a good investment - and a great present.

*To subdue shine, try Origins Zero Oil, which blots shine to an instant matt finish without drying, or Body Shop Matte It Face & Lips, which suits all skin types.

*If you have a breakout, dot on a cream concealer with a (very clean) eyeliner brush, pinpointing the red epicenter  - then cover with a fine brushing of translucent powder.

*Blotting papers are useful for on-the-spot shine treatments (try MAC or, in the UK, Barbara Daly for Tesco), or simply peel apart a paper tissue.

* Mineral make-up, which contains skin-healing zinc oxide, sits better on the skin than thick foundation and gives some sun protection. Prescriptives' All Skin Mineral Foundation SPF15 (a powder) claims to be concealer, base and finisher in one, and is good for hiding teenage blemishes without clogging.

Nutritional needs

*If you have dry skin, take an essential fatty acid supplement with omega-3 and GLA (gamma-linolenic acid). It may take 2-3 months before you see results so don't give up too soon.

*If you have spots, consider vitamin A; also zinc with copper to help heal acne and prevent scarring.

*It is also recommended to use colloidal silver, which you apply directly to spots, or mix a few drops with your daily moisturizer. This naturopathic remedy can really help to keep skin clear as it de-activates the enzymes that cause bacteria to multiply.