Tween Skincare
What a top derm said, what to tell your kids and what to BUY.
A little while back, I posted a Substack about the tween/teen skincare epidemic. Christmas was a time when every girl between the ages of 8 and 13 were asking for Drunk Elephant and mini fridges. For some parents, it seemed harmless - and no one can blame them. But for people like me, who spends a lot of time talking to doctors and experts (and is also skincare obsessed), I knew that this was not only a problem now, but would cause many a problem for young girls during a key point in their lives when their skin and bodies go through enough change without adding an additional burden to it.
On this week’s episode of “Lipstick on the Rim”, we had board certified and top NYC dermatologist, Dr. Marnie Nussbaum on to talk about this very topic. Here is a cliffs notes of all that she said and what is important for us to share with our kids, and our community of fellow moms and dads.
NO ACTIVE INGREDIENTS
The most important takeaway - kids that are between these ages should never have an active ingredient on their skin. Young, pre-puberty skin is perfect and balanced. There are no gnarly hormones messing with oil production, causing acne, etc. or enlarging pores. Active ingredients (like hyaluronic acid, retinol, alpha hydroxy, etc) mess with your skins barrier. What is your skin barrier? It is the outermost layer of your skin that protects your body against environmental threats, it also protects your skins natural water balance (hydration). You mess with this, you are causing problems WAY earlier than you need to. Repeat this over and over to your kids to scare them.
THEY WANT TO USE SKINCARE…SO NOW WHAT?
Personally, I just say no to a daily regimen at this point. My 9 year old isn’t earning money from a job, it’s my husband or I that are ultimately buying it. And if she has a gift card, she’s not going to Sephora without one of us, so the old fashion “No, you just can’t” is not something we are afraid of. But I do believe in finding ways around it to make them feel like you hear them. IF they want to do something - Dr. Nussbaum suggests a light cleanser (I like Cetaphil, Ceravé or if they are dying for Drunk Elephant then their Jelly Cleanser). I don’t mind letting my oldest use a cleanser because frankly she plays a lot of sports and sometimes her skin is just dirty. Half the time she forgets. I also bought her face wipes from Sephora that are just easy for her to use and she still feels like she got something out of it. And if they want to use an oil-free moisturizer or an SPF, go for it. But keep it simple. Clean.
WHAT TO DO WHEN THEY ARE READY
Once your kids hit puberty, problems can arise. Many get acne. Hormones are raging. Nothing is worse than feeling bad about your skin - I know that feeling as a 45 year old woman who is much more emotionally equipped to handle things than a teen. So at this point, they do need to start a system and get into the habit of taking care of their skin. A gentle cleanser - if they have acne it can include salicylic acid, glycolic. Using an acne moisturizer. They can use pads if they need to (if they have acne!). SPF is important to engrain at an early age. These simple steps can help with any acne they have. You can also take them to a dermatologist who can help put them on a regimen - or a more intense regimen if necessary.
WHAT CAN WE BUY THAT WON’T CAUSE PROBLEMS
Like I said earlier, I have found ways around this madness. Perfume (clean fragrances), body lotion, cleanser, wipes, lip balms. All these are “things” that make them feel older and cooler, but aren’t going to have any repercussions as they get older. My Maeve wanted to get Rare Beauty products because all her friends were talking about it, so I got her this and this that are actually amazing (I steal the one lotion all the time). For lip balm, they love this (though I’m not convinced it works). There are amazing brands that can give kids a “system” that won’t mess with them like Ever + Eden. I also let them use sheet masks once in a while that are about hydration - nothing active.
The irony of it all is that when they get older, they don’t really want to do any of it. So there’s that. I wanted to share this with everyone - and make it a free post so you can share with anyone that needs it! If we can save them from their own skin we should lol. And if you have time, listen to the episode here. Working on some fun posts, especially for Valentine’s Day, so stay tuned! Hope everyone is having a lazy Sunday. xxEm