Treating teen skin is a delicate balancing act. Treatment requires balancing not only the oil and bacteria that form the breakouts, but also the dark marks they leave behind.
The skin experts from Dermalogica’s Clear Start range of products share invaluable insights into how to tackle younger, breakout prone skin.

How is it that younger skin breakout more than an adult skin?
Suffice to say, teens and tweens are under the powerful influence of hormones. These hormones, human growth hormone, estrogen and testosterone, are responsible for the growth and development of the body, changes in moods (we remember them well, as do our parents!) and increase in oil flow and skin cell production in the skin. The result? Greasy skin which when not addressed with a consistent routine of a non-stripping cleanser and light-weight moisturiser, will develop blocked pores and the risk of breakouts.

Why do younger skins need a moisturiser when they have enough oil?
There is a common misconception that moisturisers cause breakouts and an oily shine. To give a quick “101” on the skin, it’s vital to note there is both water and oil found in the skin. The balance of these components maintains a healthy balanced skin. Water is found within the skin cells providing hydration of the skin and enabling to our natural skin cell shedding process to occur. If dead cells are not shed, this will contribute to congestion and breakouts. Oils are produced from two sources, the oil gland (which a cleanser balances) and the critical protective lipids formed within the skin cells, excreted to surround skin cells and lock water in our cells. If skin is stripped with a harsh cleanser or an astringent product and not protected with a moisturiser, the skin will overcompensate with higher oil production and a feeling of tightness.

How do breakouts form and why do I get a dark spot after?
Imagine a pore is like a balloon. It fills with oil, sweat, pollution and breakout causing bacteria which begins to multiply due to the lack of oxygen. The pressure of this blockage bursts the pore, just like a balloon with that extra breath of air. What comes next is the formation of a red and painful blind pimple, which then evolves into a white pussy pimple, due to the immune system acting upon the infection. Hand in hand with the development of the breakout is the development of the dark spot. The dark spot is pigment that is sent to and calm down the inflammation and promote healing. This means the more severe the breakout the more pigment will be produced. This pigment is also known as post inflammatory hyperpigmentation or PIH.

Can’t I just squeeze the spots and they will go away?
Definitely not! As tempting as it is the challenge the skin faces is the formation of more breakouts and darker marks. Let’s go back to the balloon analogy and the bursting of the pore which is still healing. To squeeze the breakout will push the infection back out into the surrounding skin which can cause new breakouts to form in the neighbouring pores. More inflammation reactivates the pigment cells to make more melanin which causes further PIH. Another point to consider is when the immune cells are clearing the infection in the surrounding skin, they dissolve collagen and elastin found here which over time can cause crater scarring. This will be a permanent reminder of the breakouts.

What is the solution to a clear skin?
Dermalogica has you covered! Our team of doctors and chemists in the Dermalogica laboratories developed Clear Start, custom made for younger, breakout-prone skin. Clear Start brings the best of high-tech breakout fighting ingredient technology, along with the best of nature to support young skin with a clear healthy-looking skin that is fun and easy to use.

Step 1 – CLEANSE
Wash your face twice a day with Breakout Clearing Foaming Wash, to deep clean and purify the skin. This gentle wash with Salicylic Acid washes away dead skin cells, dirt and excess oils, for fewer breakouts. It clears and soothes skin with botanicals and can be used all over face and body to treat and help prevent future breakouts.

Step 2 – TREAT
To target active, inflamed breakouts, apply Breakout Clearing Booster directly to breakouts AM and PM. This treatment product kills breakout causing bacteria in just 15 minutes! It stimulates natural exfoliation, helping to unclog pores and clear breakouts and unlike many drying spot treatments, soothes breakout-irritated skin.
To tackle post-breakout marks from healing spots, apply Post-Breakout Fix directly to post-breakout spots and repeat daily until marks fade. Actives including Hexylresorcinol and Salicylic Acid , to help fade the marks and improve skin tone.

Step 3 – MOISTURISE AND PROTECT
To hydrate and refresh with none of the shine, apply Cooling Aqua Jelly daily pm. This skin refining, gel moisturiser helps reduce excess oil and refine skin texture, hydrates and cools skin for a refreshed feeling and calms and soothes while brightening the skin’s appearance.

To shield and defend against damaging UV, apply Clearing Defense spf30. This shine-reducing feather light SPF will help prevent UV darkening the marks and prevent destruction to skin’s collagen stores which can prematurely age the skin in the future.

Call into one of our 11 Pure Indulgence locations today and speak to a Qualified Skin Therapist to get yourself or your young person on the road to a healthier clearer skin.

Clear start. clear conscience. clear skin. cleaner planet. recycled plastic + forest-certified paper

In 2020, we began incorporating recycled plastic into our Clear Start packaging materials. All our cartons use Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified paper and several of our products are sold without cartons to reduce waste.
cruelty-free + certified vegan

We are recognized as cruelty free by PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) and Leaping Bunny. Plus, all of the Clear Start products are certified as vegan. no artificial colours or fragrances.

Dermalogica has been clean since 1986. Our formulas are free of artificial colours and fragrances, mineral oil, lanolin, S.D. alcohol, parabens and microplastics.