How to Have a Clean Face for Girls

Pat your face dry with a towel before you apply a moisturizer.
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The teenage girls you see on television and in the movies have perfectly flawless skin. Unfortunately, you do not live in TV Land -- you live in the real world, and girls who live in the real world have a variety of real skin problems to choose from, such as constant oiliness, chronically dry skin and embarrassing zits. But take heart -- you don't need a team of skin experts to make your complexion glow. What your skin needs is the right kind of attention -- and the right kind of cleansing in the morning, at night and after any strenuous or athletic activity.

  • Mild cleanser
  • Cleanser with glycolic or salicylic acid
  • Clean, dry towel
  • Moisturizer with glycerin or dimethicone
  • Oil-free moisturizer

1 A Clean Face is a Happy Face

2 Wash your hands throughly with soap

Wash your hands throughly with soap, cleaning under the nails and between your fingers to remove all oils, dirt and bacteria before you begin. Wet your face with warm water until it is completely damp.

Squeeze a nickel-sized amount of mild cleanser into the palm of your hand. Use a cleanser with glycolic or salicylic acid if your skin tends to be oily.

Apply the cleanser directly to your face and work the soap into your skin with gentle, upwardly moving, circular motions to work up a lather. Continue to rub the soap over your entire face, up to your hairline and down below your jawbone.

Rinse your face with warm water to remove the cleanser from your skin. Pat your skin dry with a clean, dry towel. Never use a questionably clean towel to dry your skin as residual dirt and bacteria, which can cause breakouts, may be present in the fibers.

Apply a moisturizer that contains glycerin or dimethicone to your face if you have naturally dry skin, or an oil-free moisturizer if your skin tends to be oily. Gently massage the moisturizer over your skin to prevent dryness and to protect your skin throughout the day.

  • Never puncture your skin or attempt to pop a pimple -- doing so can lead to infection and scarring.
  • Avoid over-washing as it can strip the skin of its natural oils.
  • Scrubbing your face when you wash can damage your skin and lead to more breakouts. Gently massage cleansers into the skin when washing your face.

Chance Henson earned a B.A. in English literature and a writing minor from Lamar University. While interning at the "University Press" newspaper and "UP Beat" magazine he received an award for news feature writing from the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association. Henson went on to serve as content editor for "CUSH Magazine," eventually leaving to pursue the development of an online secular humanist educational publication.

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