Trends come and go but skin care is eternal. With the rise and fall of makeup trends throughout the decades, the one thing that always stays the same is skin care and making sure your skin is as healthy as can be. But specifically, in this generation, skin care has become more than just a trend, it’s essential. With makeup becoming such a big deal, skin care has also made a name for itself in the world of teens and young adults. Yet, how much do they really know about keeping your skin completely healthy and clean?

A common misconception about skin care is that you can simply wash your face and that is enough. Let me tell you, that is not the case. And no, only doing a face mask every night won’t make your skin clear either. Figuring out what type of skin you have is the first step to having healthy, clear skin. There are multiple skin types: oily, dry, combo, etc. Making a skin care routine centered around the type of skin you have is beneficial. Buying products that dry out your skin when your skin is already dry won’t do anything but damage your skin. Make sure you are aware of your skin and its needs. This step is super important and junior Bella Turlington has got it down to a science.

“My basic routine is wash, tone, and moisturize,” Turlington said. “For wash, I use Dr. Bronner’s castile soap, it’s my favorite. In the morning, I like to use rose or citrus washes, and at night I prefer tea tree or peppermint. For toner, I use rosewater. And for moisturizer, I use coconut oil and shea butter, it’s not the best combo for everyone but I have oily skin.” Turlington said.

Bella along with so many other girls, like junior Kaitlyn Cooper, have prioritized their skin first. To them it’s not just a trend, it’s become a part of their everyday life.

“I care about my skin because I want my face to look and feel nice and clean, and the way my skin looks later is based on how it’s treated now.” Cooper said.

The way you treat your skin now has a huge impact on what it looks later in your life. What is just a practice now can come routine later. Taking care of your skin and giving it the nutrients and care it needs will only help you in the long run.

“I 100% think the way I treat my skin now will influence it in the future,” Cooper said. “If you mistreat your skin and never take care of it, that could lead to wrinkles, scaring, dark spots, and so many more thing that could cause you to age more and it will cause your skin to look duller. How you treat your skin now is very important if you care about how it’s going to look later.”

More and more girls have realized not only the physical benefits of keeping your skin healthy but also the mental benefits. Keeping your skin healthy and potentially clear can boost your self esteem more than you’d realize.

“I’m happier with myself knowing I’m keeping my skin healthy,” Turlington said. Even if it’s not clear, I don’t let that cloud my love for it considering as a 16-year-old girl, hormones are everywhere and ‘perfect’ skin isn’t a necessity.”

Along with skin care coms makeup. A popular belief is that you must have good skin first before you can have good makeup. Not having blemishes or dark marks to cover up makes doing your make up well a whole lot easier. Makeup and skin care guru, senior Delia Beauvais makes sure to keep her makeup and her skin in check.

“The most important part is making sure I’m taking off all my makeup and washing my face before I go to sleep so it doesn’t create more skin problems,” Beauvais said. “I hate feeling all the gunk in my pores.”

Overall, taking care of your skin is a habit you might want to pick up. Not only is it a hot trend right now but it’s a practice that will really benefit you in the long run. Taking care of your skin is no joke and really should be taken seriously. Making sure you’re using the products best fit for your skin is essential to not damaging your skin even more. Healthy skin now means healthy skin later.