8 Things You Need To Know About Skincare As An Adult

Because you now have ageing concerns AND adult acne to contend with.

In high school, I was fortunate enough to be mostly spared from the wrath of the acne gods.

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Sure, I woke up with some juicy zits every now and then, but for the most part my teenage years were unmarred by pimply struggles.

But oh, my sweet summer child, that all changed when I hit my twenties.

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It was honestly as if my skin thought, "Oh, you think you're safe? Well here's some painful cystic acne, you piece of shit."

Lifestyle factors* aside, the biggest change I made was adopting a strict AF skincare routine — which was both anti-ageing and anti-acne.

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*But those lifestyle factors are v important too — so chug that water, get those eight hours shut-eye and meditate the stress away.

For anyone suffering similar struggles, or if you're just in need of an ~adult worthy~ skincare routine, here's what you need to know:

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1. Reconsider the humble cleanser.

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You probably went through that stage of adolescence when you felt like cleansing your skin both morning and night was overkill — and that "just rinsing your face with water" was sufficient. Hear this now: water doesn't do shit.

When you wake up in the morning with that ~dewy glow~ all over your face, that's not nature's highlighter — it's eight hours worth of night-terror sweats. So please, cleanse your face.

2. And always, always double-cleanse in the evening.

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You have so much makeup, sunscreen and other sweaty gunk on your face at the end of the day, that double-cleansing is an absolutely essential step. The first wash will remove the build-up, while the second will work to penetrate your pores and properly cleanse your skin.

I do a first wash with Cetaphil Gentle Cleanser and follow it up with this Mario Badescu Acne Cleanser.

3. Chemical exfoliation > physical exfoliation.

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If you're still using that hyper-grainy St Ives apricot scrub (that practically every teenage girl had in her bathroom in the '00s) — you need to be stopped. Physical exfoliation can cause tiny micro-tears across the surface of your skin, which ultimately damage your skins ability to both release oil and absorb moisture.

On the other hand, chemical exfoliants work by gently sloughing off dead skin cells through powerful ingredients, such as glycolic acid, salicylic acid and lactic acid. This Paula's Choice 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant is a leave-on product that buffs away dead skin, smoothes out wrinkles and brightens skin tone.

4. Serums are your most powerful weapons.

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Serums are applied to your skin after cleansing, but before moisturising — with the aim of injecting a powerful dose of super-ingredients directly into your face. What these exact ingredients are change from product to product, depending on different skincare needs, but in general serums contain topical antioxidants like vitamin A, C and E.

For that overall ~good glow~, I swear by Hylamide's C25 Stabilised Vitamin C Booster which targets uneven skin tone, dark marks (like post-acne pigmentation) and premature ageing.

5. Embrace the power of retinol.

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If you've heard of retinol, but still have no idea what the hell it is, I'm here to help. In your teens and twenties, your skin cells turn over roughly every 28 days, revealing a fresh layer of GAWJUS skin. But into your thirties and beyond, this turnover rate decreases — which can make the skin look dull and increase the appearance of wrinkles.

Enter retinol, which sinks into your skin and helps hasten the cell turnover — making your body churn out younger, smoother skin again. Good for acne-fighting and anti-ageing, this powerhouse ingredient comes in a variety of forms, but I love to use it as a post-cleansing oil with The Ordinary's 2% Granactive Retnoid In Squalane.

6. Moisturiser is not your enemy.

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If you're a fellow oily gal like myself, you may have once considered moisturiser an unnecessary addition to your already super-slick face. But moisturiser is your friend — it will hydrate, soothe and nourish your pores, leading to less oil-production and therefore less angry revenge pimps.

If you're very oily and rich moisturisers disagree with your skin, opt for an oil-free product like this Neutrogena moisturiser. But don't be afraid of oils either — jojoba and squalane oil are both ultra-hydrating varieties that won't block your pores.

7. Slather on that SPF daily, unless you want to age like well-worn leather.

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The year is 2019 — you no longer have the excuse that previous generations did of "not knowing" about the risks of sun exposure.

In rain, hail or shine (particularly if you live in Oz!) you should be applying some form of sunscreen in the morning. I swear by the La Roche-Posay Facial Sunscreen SPF50+ because it has never made me breakout and it has the most heavenly texture.

8. And finally, please stop touching your fucking face.

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For anyone who truly cares about the quality of their skin: please stop picking, rubbing and just generally touching your face throughout the day. Risk of scarring aside, your hands are also covered in germs from touching everything from your mobile phone, to your keyboard, to that sweaty public transport handrail — which will all wreak havoc on your beautiful face. So do better. Your skin deserves it.

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It’s adulting week at BuzzFeed Oz! We’re celebrating everything it means to be an adult in 2019 — and discussing how to be a better one. Click here to check out more.