Teenage skin has always been unpredictable. Breakouts can appear overnight and, with hormonal changes, confidence can rise and fall. Suddenly, a teenager who never gave skincare much thought is staring at a bathroom shelf, wondering what on earth to use.
For parents, it can be just as confusing.
What started as a simple question for Zanna founders Zarina and Adrian — why are there so few clean, effective and thoughtfully formulated options specifically for breakout-prone young skin? — has grown into something much bigger.
When Woman&Home first introduced Zanna, it was still a young South African brand finding its place in a crowded skincare world. Today, the mission hasn’t changed, but Zanna’s footprint certainly has.
Breakout-prone skin deserves its own category
One of the ideas behind Zanna has always been that teenage skin shouldn’t simply be treated like younger adult skin.
Hormonal changes, excess oil, breakouts, inflammation and post-breakout marks can all happen at once. Yet many teenagers still find themselves choosing between harsh acne treatments on one side and sophisticated adult skincare routines on the other.
Zanna set out to create another option: skincare for teenagers that is clean, uncomplicated and effective, with formulations developed specifically for young, changing and breakout-prone skin.
The AcnePro routine remains deliberately simple: cleanse, treat and moisturise.
The Foaming Wash cleanses without leaving the skin feeling stripped, the Radiance Serum addresses post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation — the darker marks that can remain after a breakout — and the Clarifying Moisturiser supports hydration while helping to manage oil and congestion.
It is a straightforward approach in a beauty world that can often make skincare feel unnecessarily complicated.
From online discovery to real-world shelves
Perhaps the clearest sign that the idea is resonating is where Zanna can now be found.
What began as a predominantly online South African skincare brand has steadily moved into physical retail.
Zanna is now available at selected Sorbet and Sorbet Man locations nationwide, giving teenagers and parents the opportunity to discover the range somewhere they already trust for beauty and personal care.
Sorbet Man has also proven to be a natural environment for the brand, particularly for customers looking for a simple, no-nonsense and effective skincare routine.
Zanna has also joined the beauty offering at Foschini’s new concept store at Gateway Theatre of Shopping in Durban.
For Zarina and Adrian, seeing the products move from an idea on a page to shelves around South Africa has been an important milestone.
But it also represents something bigger: teenage skincare is increasingly being recognised as a category in its own right.
Industry recognition
Zanna’s Clarifying Moisturiser was named a winner in the 2025 Woman&Home Beauty Awards as Best Clarifying Moisturiser and the Radiance Serum as 2026 Best Post-Acne Serum-a particularly meaningful acknowledgement for a young homegrown brand.
Customer feedback has continued to grow too. Again and again, the comments go beyond clearer-looking skin and speak about something equally important: confidence returning after the emotional strain that breakouts can bring.
That was part of Zanna’s original purpose, and it remains at the heart of the brand.
More than products
As Zanna has grown, so has the focus on education.
The brand is increasingly building resources around the questions teenagers, parents and those new to skincare actually ask: What skincare should a teenager use? Why do teenage breakouts happen? Which ingredients are appropriate for young skin? And when does a simple routine become too much?
Zanna’s approach is not about promising flawless skin.
It is about giving users a sensible place to start — with evidence-led ingredients, a manageable routine and a better understanding of what their skin actually needs.
That combination of education, simplicity and carefully considered formulations is helping Zanna carve out its own space in acne skincare in South Africa.
And perhaps that is the most interesting part of Zanna’s journey so far.
The brand may be growing up — but it hasn’t forgotten who it was created for.
Teenagers navigating one of the most changeable periods of their lives, and parents who simply want to help them feel comfortable in their own skin.
To discover Zanna and find your nearest stockist, visit Zannaskin.com.
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Featured Image: Supplied
