So your teen has shown some interest in makeup, or maybe you’re a teenager yourself reading this and you’re looking for the best makeup for teenage beginners.
Either way, if you have sensitive skin, you’ve probably noticed something—not all skin handles makeup the same way.
You may have a friend who can pile on product after product with zero issues, but you put on a single swipe of foundation and breakout! If you or your teen fall into that second category, you’ll want to be a little more careful with the products you use.
Fortunately, you don’t have to give up on makeup completely to keep your skin calm and healthy. With the right approach and products, teens can enjoy makeup while taking good care of their skin.
Why Does Makeup Cause Skin Reactions for Teenage Beginners?
During the teen years, the skin is already going through a lot of changes due to hormones, which can make it more reactive than it was before. If your makeup causes reactions, it’s usually for a few different reasons.
Pore-Clogging Ingredients
Many makeup products contain ingredients that can clog your pores. These are called comedogenic ingredients. When your pores get clogged, oil and dead skin cells get trapped inside, creating the perfect environment for acne-causing bacteria. That’s why you may experience breakouts, whiteheads, and blackheads. This can also result in dull-looking, lackluster skin—the opposite of the glow you want!
Irritating Ingredients
Some makeup ingredients can irritate your skin when you apply them. Fragrances are huge culprits here—they can make your makeup smell nice, but they’re one of the most common causes of skin irritation and allergic reactions.
Other common irritants include certain that can be harsh on skin, some colorants and dyes, and alcohol-based ingredients that can dry out your skin.
When your skin is exposed to these ingredients over and over again, it may become red, flaky, itchy, or develop rashes. Over time, this can damage your skin’s protective outer barrier, making it more sensitive to everything—not just makeup.
Heavy Formulas
Some makeup products are thick and heavy, and tend to suffocate your skin. If you wear that makeup all day long while you’re in school or even gym class, that’s a long time for your skin to be covered with a heavy product. The result may be clogged pores and frustrating skin reactions.
Common Ingredients New Makeup Users Should Avoid
If your skin is easily irritated, start with a minimalist approach. The following ingredients are among the most common triggers for sensitivity or breakouts.
- Fragrance or perfume: Even tiny amounts can lead to itching, redness, and allergic reactions.
- Alcohol denate (denatured alcohol): Common in setting sprays and toners, it can strip moisture from your skin and worsen dryness.
- Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS): A foaming agent sometimes used in foundations or cleansers that can irritate skin and cause dryness, potentially triggering oil production and clogged pores.
- Comedogenic oils: Ingredients like coconut oil and cocoa butter may clog pores.
- Dimethicone: Can block pores and lead to acne and irritation.
- Certain dyes and pigments: Bright reds and yellows, like D&C Red 30, are more likely to cause allergic reactions.
- Preservatives: Certain ones like parabens can irritate skin and also disrupt the endocrine system, potentially leading to hormonal imbalances.
- Petrolatum: Derived from petroleum, it can cause skin irritation and allergic reactions, and may be contaminated with harmful substances.
- Phthalates, Formaldehydes, Heavy Metals, Oxybenzone, and Ethanolamines (like DEA (diethanolamine) and TEA (triethanolamine): These can cause redness, irritation, and sensitivity, and have been linked to health risks.
To keep skin free from a range of skin reactions, including sensitivity, redness, dryness, mild rashes and long-term side effects, read labels and look for clean non-toxic makeup and skincare.
Choose products labeled as non-comedogenic, fragrance- and dye-free, hypoallergenic, dermatologist-tested, and that contain ingredients that support your outer barrier like ceramides, aloe, bisabolol, and oat extract (all included in CV Skinlabs products). Mineral-based makeup is often a good option for teens.
Keep in mind that you can use our Calming Moisture as a soothing daily moisturizer and makeup primer, and our Rescue + Relief Spray as a toner after cleansing to calm irritation, help with makeup removal, and as a setting spray post makeup application.
These products can help keep skin free from a range of skin reactions, including sensitivity, redness, dryness, mild rashes and long-term side effects, like increased skin sensitivity and premature aging.
Makeup for Teenage Beginners: Start with Healthy Skin!
There’s one thing many teenagers don’t realize as they start to experiment with makeup—the best makeup look starts with healthy skin. You can buy the most expensive, trendy makeup in the world, but if your skin underneath is dry, irritated, breaking out, or damaged, it’s not going to look as good as it could.
Think of it like painting a wall. If the wall underneath is bumpy and damaged, even the best paint won’t look smooth. If you prepare the wall first, the paint looks much better. Your skin works the same way.
That means that taking care of your skin should be the most important part of your makeup routine. When your skin is healthy, moisturized, and calm, makeup goes on smoother and looks more natural. You also typically need much less of it to achieve the look you want.
A Safe Makeup and Skincare Routine for Teenage Beginners
Here’s a simple approach that protects your skin while allowing you to enjoy using makeup.
Step 1: Start with Gentle Cleansing (Morning and Night)
Teens can get over-exuberant with cleansing, thinking that will stop breakouts. Thorough cleansing is important, but you can overdo it and dry out our skin, which will only make your breakouts worse.
Use a gentle, fragrance-free cleanser twice a day. Use it again only after sweating. Avoid scrubbing hard or using hot water, as they both irritate the skin barrier. Treat your skin gently. Use a soft skin brush if you like to thoroughly clean.
Step 2: Tone with a Non-Alcoholic Toner
Toner is still necessary to help balance your skin before you apply moisturizer. Use a pH-balanced option that does not have alcohol. We recommend our Rescue + Relief Spray as it helps calm, balance, and hydrate your skin after cleansing.
Step 3: Moisturize to Protect Your Barrier
Never neglect to apply moisturizer, even if you have oily skin. Moisturizer helps maintain your skin’s outer barrier, which is crucial for healthy, non-reactive skin. Look for lightweight, non-comedogenic options. Our Calming Moisture is formulated for sensitive skin and won’t clog your pores. Apply it immediately after toning to seal in moisture.
Step 4: Use a Primer
Instead of jumping straight to heavy foundation, try a barrier-supporting primer or lightweight BB cream. These create a protective layer between your skin and makeup while evening out your skin tone. Many BB creams also contain sunscreen, which is a bonus for sun protection. Our Calming Moisture also doubles nicely as a primer and is often recommended by makeup artists for that purpose. Mix it with your foundation for a healthy, luminous-looking glow.
Step 5: Keep Makeup Light and Simple
Less is more when it comes to makeup, particularly for sensitive skin. For school, a simple routine might include BB cream or a light foundation, concealer where needed (under eyes or on blemishes), a bit of mascara, and maybe some tinted lip balm. The fewer products you use, the less chance of irritation or breakouts.
Opt for mascaras labeled for sensitive eyes and avoid glittery shadows or long-wear lipsticks, as these can dry and irritate.
Step 6: Remove Makeup Every Night
Sleeping in makeup is one of the worst things you can do for your skin. It clogs pores, traps bacteria, and doesn’t let your skin repair itself overnight, which it usually does.
Use a gentle makeup remover or cleansing oil first to break down the makeup, then follow with your regular cleanser. Using a soft brush helps ensure everything comes off before you apply your toner and overnight moisturizer.
Sept 7: Give Your Skin Barrier Extra Support
If your skin is reacting, it often means that your outer barrier needs help. After cleansing at night, make sure you apply our Rescue + Relief Spray to calm any redness, then our Calming Moisture to help your skin recover from any damage it may have suffered in the daytime.
Try our multi-tasking Restorative Skin Balm as an alternative to petrolatum, which can cause skin irritation and allergic reactions, particularly for those with sensitive skin conditions such as eczema or rosacea. It helps to help lock in moisture and protect the skin from external irritants. It doubles as a great lip balm, eyebrow ointment to hold hairs in place, and anywhere your skin needs some TLC.
Makeup for Teenage Beginners: Think About the Health of Your Skin
Establishing habits now where you take care of your skin first is the best way to ensure that your skin looks its best for many years to come. In addition to regular cleansing, toning, and moisturizing, be a bit more thoughtful about what makeup products you use and when. Pay attention to how your skin responds to different products. If something causes redness, itching, or breakouts, stop using it right away.
A simple, well-chosen routine will always look better than piling on products that can irritate your skin. Healthy, glowing skin is the best foundation you can have. Makeup just enhances what’s already there!
NOTE: As a clean beauty, wellness company, we are concerned with your skin health, sensitivity and safety. We always recommend choosing non-toxic, clean skincare and makeup for healthy, radiant skin. Always read your labels and feel free to email us for advice.
What are your recommendations when it comes to makeup for teens?
Featured image by Kaboompics.com via Pexels.
