How to help teenage clients suffering with breakouts

Carole Jones, director of Totally UK, reveals the best skincare advice you can give to younger clientele:

Teenagers can really suffer with their skin but often a simple skincare routine is all that’s required. Cleansing properly, drinking a reasonable amount of water daily and reducing their junk food intake will really make a difference. Cheaper supermarket cleansing products advertise that they will get rid of spots but some can actually strip the skin, leaving it dehydrated and ultimately not treating the underlying cause.

Tell your clients to invest in products that contain ingredients such as willow herb, known for its balancing and purifying properties, and manuka concentrate, which provides a great source of essential elements for the skin. Red clay is particularly good for deep cleansing and liquorice extract can help desensitise the skin, while salicylic acid gives an exfoliating action that is gentle and effective.

Also advise your teenage clients to try to limit the amount they touch their face as this can spread bacteria and tell them to consider changing their pillowcase every other night. If someone has bad acne and sleeps on their side, they can re-infect the area as they turn back and forth throughout the night, so tell them to use one side of the pillowcase on the first night, turn it over for the next night, then change it for a fresh one on the third day.

Many salons now offer facial treatments for teenage skin and by making it clear in your menu that you’re happy to treat teenagers, you will encourage parents to bring their sons or daughters along when they come in for their monthly ritual. The teenager will enjoy the experience and the parents will often buy their homecare products, so it’s a win-win situation.

Carole Jones is director of Totally UK, which distributes Spanish skincare brand Germaine de Capuccini and owns slimming brand Universal Contour Wrap. Prior to that, Jones ran her own salon.

Carole Jones, director of Totally UK, reveals the best skincare advice you can give to younger clientele:

Teenagers can really suffer with their skin but often a simple skincare routine is all that’s required. Cleansing properly, drinking a reasonable amount of water daily and reducing their junk food intake will really make a difference. Cheaper supermarket cleansing products advertise that they will get rid of spots but some can actually strip the skin, leaving it dehydrated and ultimately not treating the underlying cause.

Tell your clients to invest in products that contain ingredients such as willow herb, known for its balancing and purifying properties, and manuka concentrate, which provides a great source of essential elements for the skin. Red clay is particularly good for deep cleansing and liquorice extract can help desensitise the skin, while salicylic acid gives an exfoliating action that is gentle and effective.

Also advise your teenage clients to try to limit the amount they touch their face as this can spread bacteria and tell them to consider changing their pillowcase every other night. If someone has bad acne and sleeps on their side, they can re-infect the area as they turn back and forth throughout the night, so tell them to use one side of the pillowcase on the first night, turn it over for the next night, then change it for a fresh one on the third day.

Many salons now offer facial treatments for teenage skin and by making it clear in your menu that you’re happy to treat teenagers, you will encourage parents to bring their sons or daughters along when they come in for their monthly ritual. The teenager will enjoy the experience and the parents will often buy their homecare products, so it’s a win-win situation.

Carole Jones is director of Totally UK, which distributes Spanish skincare brand Germaine de Capuccini and owns slimming brand Universal Contour Wrap. Prior to that, Jones ran her own salon.