The basic teen skincare routine: 4 steps, under $60

When you start getting into skincare, TikTok makes it feel like you need ten steps, three serums and a mini fridge just for your creams. Spoiler: you don't. At 13, 15 or 17, your skin already does most of the work on its own, and what it needs most is for you not to stress it out. Four good products you actually use every day will do way more than a drawer full of stuff you tried once.

Step 1: Cleanse

CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser · CeraVe

It's developed with dermatologists, it's fragrance free and it won't clog your pores. It cleans with ceramides and hyaluronic acid, so your face feels clean but not tight, unlike those soaps that leave your skin squeaky. The big bottle lasts for months.

Approximate price: $16 USD (16 oz)

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Step 2: Moisturize

Slam Dunk Hydrating Moisturizer · Bubble Skincare

It's a super light lotion with vitamin E, aloe and avocado oil that sinks in fast, so no shiny face in class. It's made for normal to dry skin. And yes, even if your skin is oily you still need to moisturize: when your skin gets dry, it makes more oil. If that's you, a pea-sized amount is plenty.

Approximate price: $15 USD (50 ml)

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Step 3: Protect

Weightless Hydration SPF 50 · Hawaiian Tropic (it used to be called Silk Hydration)

This is the step most teens skip and the one that matters most. It's broad spectrum SPF 50 (UVA and UVB), water resistant and it feels light, no sticky face. It has the brand's classic tropical scent, so if your skin is sensitive, try it on a small spot first. If you'll be outside for a long time, put more on every 2 hours.

Approximate price: $12.50 USD (6 oz)

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Step 4: Treat

Mighty Patch Original · Hero Cosmetics

When a pimple shows up, the real challenge is not touching it. This hydrocolloid patch covers it all night, pulls out the gunk and takes away the urge to pop it. It works best on pimples with a white head. It comes with 36 patches, so it lasts a good while.

Approximate price: $13 USD (36 patches)

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The full routine

• 1. Cleanse (morning and night): CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser, about $16.
• 2. Moisturize (morning and night): Bubble Skincare Slam Dunk, about $15.
• 3. Protect (every morning, as your last step): Hawaiian Tropic Weightless Hydration SPF 50, about $12.50.
• 4. Treat (at night, only when a pimple pops up): Mighty Patch Original, about $13.

Total for the kit: about $56 USD. And since almost everything lasts for months, it works out super cheap per day.