Makeup Tips for Teens With Oily Skin

Many teenage girls are just beginning to explore the wide world of makeup and cosmetics. A common tendency among teenagers is to apply too much makeup, especially when it comes to foundation, blush or eyeshadow. If your teenager has oily skin, too much makeup can make her problems with oil and pimples worse.

Avoid Foundation

Teenagers are lucky. In most cases, their skin hasn’t started to wrinkle or become uneven in terms of tone. Still, many teenage girls feel that a slathering of foundation is necessary each morning, even though they really have nothing to hide. Advise your teenager to skip the foundation, at least for now. Many foundations can make oily skin worse, since they clog pores.

Use Green to Hide Red

If pimples are a problem for your teenager, give her a green concealer stick to dab on bright red pimples. Green and red are complementary colors, so when you place one next to or on top of another, they cancel each other out and dull each other down.

Wear Sunscreen and Moisturizer

Even though your teenager’s skin is oily, she stills needs a moisturizer. She should also start using sunscreen on her face to protect it from UV rays, which can cause a range of problems, from wrinkles to skin cancer. Give her a sunscreen with at least SPF 15, though SPF 30 and higher is even better. Look for a moisturizer and sunscreen combination designed for oily skin. Some moisturizers contain salicylic acid to help fight acne.

Keep It Clean

Dirty makeup sponges and brushes can make oily skin worse, leading to more breakouts and other skin problems. Have your teenager clean her brushes with a specially designed brush cleaner at least once a week. Toss the brushes and get new ones when they get so worn that cleaner is no longer effective. Sponges should be replaced every few weeks. Sharing brushes and sponges isn’t the best idea.

Use Loose or Pressed Powder

A dusting of powder can make your teenager’s face look less shiny and can help absorb excess oil. Make sure she uses a color that matches her skin tone. A shade that’s too light will make her look ghostly while a darker shade will make her look like she has a mask on. Look for a powder that won’t clog pores and contains salicylic acid to help fight acne.

Wash It Off Before Bed

Give your teen a gentle facial cleanser to wash away any blush and powder and an eye make up remover to wash off any mascara or eye shadow. If she leaves the makeup on overnight, her skin doesn’t get to breathe or restore itself. Leaving it on can make oily skin worse, too.