A great teen skincare routine includes the basics we all know, cleanse tone and moisturize, but take into consideration 4 tips to prevent breakout you may not know...

a) Use gentle non irritating laundry detergent + cut your laundry detergent amount in half for your bedding linens.

b) Change your pillowcase daily

c) Don't rinse your hair over your face in the shower, especially if your shampoo contains Sodium Lauryl Sulphate. It is an irritant and it is a hormone disruptor.

d:) If you are experiencing breakouts ie:) face, back and chest acne its probably being aggravated by the fragrance and chemicals in your dryer sheets used to avoid static in our clothing. If you can't part with these atleast go with the fragrance free version. I use 100% wool balls in the dryer. They are eco friendly and fragrance free. Good for you and good for the planet.

If the acne persists on the face, back and/or chest acne its probably being aggravated by your hydration levels and diet choices. You are what you eat. If you are dehydrated your skin will produce more oil to combat the dehydration in your skin. If deep fried foods and sugar drinks are the norm choices if you have problematic skin it will show up on your skin. Try water infused with berries or lemon, drink more broths and soups, eat more salads and ditch the fried foods or at best to weekends only. For every bad "treat" you eat drink balance that withan 8 oz glass of lemon water. I have had persistent acne my whole life and learning my food triggers for breakouts was huge to feeling better and having clearer skin.

Once you have an understanding of your body's reaction to what you are exposing it to or eating, it will be so much easier to avoid breakouts or lessen the time they hang around. 

Here is my skincare routine recommendations for blemish prone skin. 

1. Jelly Cleanser: Start with Avalonia Jelly Cleanser It is suitable for young skin prone to breakouts. Sometimes if you want more a more foaming cleanse use Aurora Facial Bar . It is our first zero waste product made from plant based glycerin, blue tansy and Labrador tea. Cleanse your face twice a day, once in the morning and once early evening when you get home from school. This gives your skin time without makeup or other possible skin irritants you came in contact with throughout the day. To thoroughly cleanse take your time massage the cleanser in and leave it for a minute. This effectively removes the day and splash thoroughly with tepid water and then pat dry with a wet facecloth. 

2. Toner: Follow up with a toner to remove any excess residue from your cleanser and help balance the pH of your skin. Unscented with an aloe base infused with seaweed is best. Our Avalonia Mist launches just in time for summer. It doubles as a toner and aftersun treatment. Pre-orders open June 21st online. If you like aroma our  Aurora Mist has a slight woody wild rose aroma that calms skin. It is a lighter formula using botanical rose water. You can pick this one up at most Sobeys, Foodland, and Pharmasave on the island or Sobeys/Pharmasave stores in the Atlantic Region.

3. Spot treat: If you have pimples or acne, apply a spot treatment containing salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide to affected areas before applying serum. There is nothing more economical than hydrogen peroxide, pore a few drops into a little bowl you will use for this and apply sparingly with a  a q-Tip or cotton swab. Don't overdo it twice is plently to an affected area during an evening cleanse. As a teen and adult who has suffered acne since I was 14 this is my personal advice. 

4. Aurora Serum. Apply 2 drops of Aurora Serum, it is a  non-comedogenic serum that deeply nourishes each pore. You have 2500 pores per square inch on your face, lol no wonder we break out! The serum sinks into your pores and helps unclog them. During summer you probably don't need a moisturizer if you are using this serum, but if you do prefer one use it very sparingly. We recommend our Lab Tea Day Cream.
5. Labrador Tea Day Cream is also an Eye cream: This hylauronic acid infused Labrador tea healing light cream does wonders for acne control. With younger skin I would recommend using it at night and only around the eye area during the day. Remember to be gentle with your skin and use masques and scrubs only once weekly. Try to reduce usage of products that contain alcohol. Also, it's important to note that everyone's skin is different, so you may need to adjust your routine based on your individual needs and concerns. SPF can cause alot of breakout applied direcly to freshly cleansed skin. Try a foundation product that is a CC cream with a high SPF or a powder spf on the face. Clothing is your best protection against the sun's rays for the body but you definitely need sunscreen on any exposed area.
6. Lip Balm ... we love our Smooch Lip Balm it is light and has reparative properties. 

*If using Accutane it is very important to not exfoliate and follow your doctor's advice

Sustainably sourced local ingredients are used to create extracts that are effective, natural and proven to work through research and development by National Research Council and Memorial University + MITACS.

Certified Cruelty Free and Vegan these formulas are gentle on your skin and it is very important to us thatyno animals are tested or their bodies used for cosmetic formulation that is just wrong on so many levels to us. 

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