Skincare is one of the most important things in your everyday routine. With that being said, everyone should have a good skincare routine that matches their skin type, oily, dry, normal, or combination. Skincare should be taken seriously starting in preteen years. Your skin begins to change and mature and with that comes the dreaded acne. Some people have amazing, flawless skin, but if you're anything like me, it's been a battle for years now.

In middle school I made my first trip to the dermatologist, my acne was terrible, had a few chemical peels, then started my skincare regimen. Although it's changed some through the years, I still used the same base products: clindamycin phosphate gel (an antibacterial gel that stops the growth of bacteria) and tretinoin cream (a form of Retin-A that helps draw out acne that's hidden under the surface of the skin). Note: both of these topical ointments are prescribed by my dermatologist, but to clarify, a lot of dermatologists prescribe these to patients with acne, I know this because my brother also uses the same gel and cream.