Take it from someone who was still a teenager just a couple years ago: avoid celebrity skincare ranges like the plague! They likely aren’t professionals and it’s not worth trying out their new skincare products as chances are, they’re full of chemicals that will make your skin worse! Instead, opt for well-established brands who have been around long enough to be trusted. And remember, less is more so stick to a few products that work for you, there’s no need for a 15-step routine morning and evening, it will just make your skin breakout more or dry up!

According to experts (ie, not me) you only need 4 steps for a good skincare routine that will help improve your skin, get rid of that teenage acne, and set up a healthy foundation for your skin’s future. How you treat your skin in your teenage years will impact how it evolves in the future so make sure to use the right solutions, only buy quality skincare products and thank me later.

Below I’ll be going through the 4 skincare products you should be using (in order) but first I’d like to stress two that you should avoid at all costs! Firstly, avoid plastic-bead based exfoliants, not only are they harmful for your skin and too abrasive (been there, done that), but they’re also harmful to the environment as they contribute to even more plastic being released into the oceans (#savetheturtles). You also want to avoid using toothpaste to dry out spots, this doesn’t work and damages your skin due to the chemicals found in toothpastes that are not meant for your skin! As a daily routine, just stick to the 4 products below in the order they’re listed in and you should be good to go!

1. Start by cleansing your skin with a good, soft cleanser to avoid damaging your skin with abrasive products. Try a foaming cleanser to help reduce oiliness or if your goal is to reduce acne then opt for a cleanser with salicylic acid. Micellar water like the Bioderma Sensibio H2O is also a good option especially if you’re wearing makeup as it provides a good cleanse and removes buildup from the day.

2. The second step to a good skincare routine is the use of a serum like the Liftactiv Vitamin C Serum to protect your skin from pollution and day-to-day grime while providing a boost of much-needed antioxidants. The one thing to remember when choosing a serum is to avoid ones with Vitamin E as this tends to clog pores, not exactly the effect we want to go for.

3. Our third product might seem obvious but it is key: moisturiser. Never skip your moisturiser as this does more for your skin than you’ll ever imagine! Try to use a lotion instead of a heavy cream or opt for a dry oil; they work amazing for certain skin types and they aren’t sticky unlike standard lotions so if you’re like me and hate the feeling of creams this can be a great option! You can find so many moisturisers in your drugstore, no need to start off with expensive brands. You can start off with a classic like the La Roche-Posay Effaclar Mat Mattifying Moisturizer or Nuxes’ Huile Prodigieuse if you prefer a dry oil.

4. The fourth and final product you want to incorporate into your daily routine is SPF, all experts will tell you that. Use SPF 30 sunscreen every morning to protect your skin from harmful UV’s which will lead to fewer wrinkles in the future!

These four types of products are all you need for a healthy skincare routine that won’t break the bank and won’t damage your skin. The trickier part now is finding which brands work for you. While this can take some time, it is essential so that you can give your skin what it needs to have that healthy glow. Don’t give up if the first brand you try isn’t working for you, just try a new one next time! You can even try them out with friends, maybe the one you bought isn’t good for you but could work great for them so maybe try exchanging them and trying out the one they bought.

While this is great as a beginner skincare routine for teens, it can also be perfect for adults if you just add a retinoid product like the Effaclar Adapalene Gel 0.1% Topical Retinoid Acne Treatment in between the serum and the moisturiser!