Photo courtesy of Health editor junior Eden Lerner.

  During the era of masks and the necessity for masks, many teens across the US including many at San Luis Obispo High School, have struggled with acne or a new definition for this would be “maskcne”.

  So, what is a solution to this?

Affordable, reliable, and dermatologist recommended skin care. A majority of students struggle with skin problems, so affordable skincare is a necessary step that all companies with skincare products should follow. Expressions interviewed juniors Emma Stoudenmire and Talia Doane to get input on their favorite affordable skincare products and why more students should try their products. 

  Expressions: What skincare products do you use on a daily basis and why do you like these ones?

Junior Talia Doane: Personally, I don’t like to use a lot of skincare products so I keep my routine quite simple. I just cleanse with the soy cleanser by fresh, then I use an aha/BHA acne clearing serum by Peter Thomas Roth, and then my rose moisturizer also by fresh. I don’t like to use a lot of products because my skin can get very irritated, so using clean and light products, like ones by fresh, are very nice. Sometimes I’ll use a facemask if I’m feeling fancy, which will usually end up being the aha/BHA peeling solution mask by the ordinary. 

 Junior Emma Stoudenmire:  Cerave hydrating cleanser and moisturizer and the ordinary serums. If I’m breaking out I put some curology on. I like all of these because they are inexpensive and keep it simple.

Expressions: Where do you get these products and why would you recommend them?

Doane: I get all of my products from Sephora or just any sort of cosmetic store that carries them. I would recommend these specific products because the fresh products aren’t super expensive, but they’re better than drugstore material products and are good for your skin. The serum is really well for acne-prone skin and doesn’t dry your skin out or cause irritation, but it still works for clearing my skin up. The serum is a little bit on the pricier side, but it lasts me such a long time and it is honestly really worth it.

Stoudenmire: Almost all of these products are from the drugstore so it is convenient and affordable for me and others. I recommend these because they work really well and everyone can use them!

Expressions: Which products do you see many students using that you do not recommend. 

Doane: I’ve seen a lot of kids use an exfoliator wash every day which is not good. There is this one by clean and clear or Biore (I forgot which one), but I’ve seen a lot of people use it as a daily wash, and using an exfoliator every day wears out your skin and can tear it up. I also don’t really like the Mario Badescu acne drying lotion because I’ve found that using acne dots (you can get them anywhere) doesn’t dry your skin out as much and is much more sensitive, while also clearing up a blemish a lot quicker.

Stoudenmire:  I see so many people use exfoliators or scrubs for their face and their body when most of the time they’re super harsh and very bad for the environment. An easy and cost-effective alternative is to make your own sugar scrub! 

  There are so many options for teens to choose from for a smart and affordable choice of skincare. Acne is a huge issue that most teens struggle with at some point, so talking about it and normalizing it is extremely important in today’s society.