Wash your Face
As soon as your teen starts wearing anything on her face, she needs a good cleanser (no bar soap from the shower) formulated for her skin type: dry, oily, combination. Faces should be totally clean before bed and cleansed again in the morning.

Moisturize
Even oily skin NEEDS a quality moisturizer. This is the most important product she’ll use. Spend time finding a moisturizer that works well for her and don’t skimp. Apply after each wash.

Treat Acne
Don’t let your teen slather foundation and concealer over breakouts without treating them properly. Teach her to cleanse, spot treat with acne medication.

Spend Wisely
It’s super fun to shop for lip gloss and glitter nail polish, but teach her to invest in the products that really matter. The point of wearing makeup is to look great, but if her skin’s trashed from using cheap makeup… Never skimp on acne treatment, moisturizer, eye shadow (allergies!), powder and lipstick. These products lie directly on her skin all day and will determine her skin’s health. They can over-dry and clog pores – by the way, hypo-allergenic is a term anyone can use. A good cleanser will make a big difference too.

Application
Show her the proper way to cleanse and apply her makeup. To wash, make circles up the cheeks to help exfoliate. Apply all makeup downward with the fine hairs on her face for a more natural, even look. Pat concealer gently to blend, never rub. Don’t line the inside of her eyes. It makes the eyes look squinty. Instead, smudge under the lower lashes.

Less is Best
Most teens don’t need foundation, concealer, brow pencils… Let her try all your makeup goodies, but teach her to only use what she needs. Less stuff on the face, less breakouts!

Try Tints
Introduce her to tinted mascara instead of harsh black. Try a cheek tint instead of a ton of blush. Tinted moisturizers or Tinted SPF can provide all the coverage a young girl needs. Tints are especially useful for your outdoor girl or girls involved in sports. They allow her skin to breathe more than traditional makeup.

Sweat-proof Makeup
This can also be a great idea for athletes. Just be sure she’s cleansing and moisturizing well. Included a freshener (or toner for breakouts) in her twice daily cleansing routine.

Accentuate her Best Feature
Does she love her eyes or her lips? Teach her to play up her favorite feature instead of her whole face. A shimmer shadow and tinted mascara with a hint of cheek color and a natural or soft pink lip gloss creates a beautiful teen look. She’ll want to go crazy with color. Let her. Then have her try a look where she accentuates only one feature. She’ll see the difference.

Tanners
Tan skin looks healthier and most teens want it. Tanning beds are dangerous to young skin. Self-tanners are a safer option, but they all have a scent and most aren’t good. Apply at night with plenty of time to dry before going to bed and shower in the morning.

Be Patient
Remember when you started wearing makeup? Thick blue eye shadow, screaming raspberry lips… don’t we want better for our kids? Have fun experimenting, but be the voice of beauty wisdom.