15 Skincare Tips For A Younger Self

It’s Sukin’s 15th birthday!

Luckily for the team at Sukin HQ, we’re not celebrating, in the same way, I was celebrating my 15th birthday. The year was 2006, the colour pink was everywhere, and Shakira’s hips didn’t lie. I’m a January baby, so I had just picked out my neoprene Roxy pencil case for the school year and was trawling Dolly magazine for posters to stick on my walls. I was ready to go forth and be the all-knowing, all-wise teenager that we all remember being...

Now, if you’re new to Sukin blogs, the above has probably given it away, but I am not 15 years old - shocker! Flash forward 16 years... I’m now 31, have a 3-year-old son, and run the education program at Sukin HQ.

In celebration of our 15th birthday, I’ve written some tips for that all-knowing 15-year-old younger self (that must have slipped her mind back then 😉). Enjoy the journey, and please, laugh along at my learnings.


1. Be KIND! Yes, to others, but most importantly to yourself. As Dr Seuss said, “There is no one alive who is you-er than you”, and you, my dear, are magical, so don’t be so hard on yourself.


2. Do you often hear the word “normal” skin and see pictures of smooth (photoshopped) faces? Guess what? All skin is normal, and your skin is normal and beautiful.

3. Following on from tip #2, those actors with flawless skin on the O.C? ... They’re actually 30, not the teenagers they’re acting out to be. So please stop comparing your skin to theirs.


4. Your favourite foundation that’s 3 shades too dark for you? Not a vibe! Soon, someone at school will ask you if you’ve just spray tan your face, to which you won’t respond well.


5. If you take only one tip from the list, it’s this. Re apply your sunscreen! One application at 8am followed by a full day in the pool means that 31-year-old you will be besties with the mole-check doctor. 

6. Wash your pillowcase. Ok, this one may be a stretch, but at least swap it over and put it with the rest of your washing each week. Teen skin thrives with a good routine and clean bedding. (Your dad may bleach and ruin your clothes with his chef whites, but that’s a separate issue).


7. Moisturiser is your friend, not the enemy! I didn’t learn this until my 20s at beauty school, but the more dehydrated your skin becomes, the more oil your skin will produce to make up for any moisture loss. So, keep your skin happy with a light moisturiser each day.

8. A good cleanser should not strip your face. After cleansing, your skin should feel soft and clean. If your face feels super tight, like you’ve just had a facelift, your cleanser is too harsh for your skin type.


9. Please apply more than that cute little strip of coloured zinc across your nose at swimming sports. Your 31-year-old skin is crying.


10. Oh, and speaking of harsh skin care products, if your toner is 14% alcohol? THROW. IT. IN. THE. BIN! Your body does not need alcohol at 15, nor does your skin. Not only does it dry out your skin, but it can also make it sensitised (no thanks!)


11. Eat the extra piece of birthday cake. Life’s for living.

12. Please put that coarse body scrub down and away from your face. Now! If I scared you about sensitised skin before, this is a whole new world of pain.

13. Please wash your hands after applying a fake tan. Otherwise, you will have to explain to everyone why your palms are orange on the first day back at school. (Dirty river water does not fool anyone!)

14. When your mum tells you not to straighten your best friend’s hair, listen to her. You end up burning said best friend’s ear. (Luckily, you stay best friends).

15. This last one is tough, and I apologise for what I must tell you: one day, you may become the person responsible for catching the spiders in your household, and no, your arachnophobia does not go away–prepare yourself.


If you are trying a product or ingredient for the first time, we always recommend a patch test first.

That’s it, Sukin family! I hope you enjoyed the wild learnings of little Myk. I would love to hear about your life advice and tips to your younger self, or even how you celebrated your 15th birthday. Please share your stories with us at @sukinskincare. And if you want to celebrate our 15th birthday, check out our NEW Limited Edition Vanilla Birthday Cake Body Wash!