by I was 14 years old when my mother, tired of my constant complaints about my spotty skin and secretly smearing concealer, took me to our family doctor. He nodded sympathetically and gave me a prescription for a topical cream called Quinoderm, which was so strong it turned my white pillowcases and school shirts a bold shade of yellow. That was 30 years ago. Thankfully, skin care has become much more sophisticated and nuanced, and skin education is easily accessible. We now know that young skin is more delicate, sensitive and reactive.
So why, then, are dermatologists reporting that children – some as young as 8 – are suffering the same skin complaints I had three decades ago, and are asking for luxury skin care products as a result ? I asked the experts: my daughters, Violet, 15 and Ivy, 12.
Both girls have developed expensive tastes for high-end skin care brands whose thin products are visually appealing, but filled with strong ingredients that are more suitable for my middle-aged skin than their own products. The prestige and social influence these products give them among their friends is what drives their interest the most.
This has more appeal than skin health, even if they vehemently deny it, it’s true. Both are also highly influenced by the content creators they follow on TikTok and other social media who showcase their skin care routines through GRWM (Be Ready With Me) videos.
When I was a teenager, there was no “routine” and I used basic, unscented, no-fuss creams from Simple and Nivea that my mother picked up at the supermarket in her weekly shop. It wasn’t until I started earning my own money that I used Clinique. Here’s the thing, though. Despite my daughters’ ability to easily pronounce complex ingredients like “niacinamide” – a form of vitamin B3 known for its extensive skin benefits – they lack a basic understanding of ingredient functions, the importance of concentration levels, and how he can interact with others. products in their skin care routine.
High-end skincare is today’s status symbol for teens and tweens, and this sudden teenage obsession is understandably having a knock-on effect on retailers. “We recognize that we are attracting a new young customer into our stores and online, which has largely driven the rise in popularity of our brands on social media,” a spokesperson from SpaceNK tells me. Type “Sephora Tween” into Google, and you’ll see pages of news stories that describe skin-care-obsessed tweens flooding the beauty aisles of Sephora and demanding make-up filling their baskets with high-priced skin care. Admittedly this is much more prevalent in America than in the UK, but I am noticing for myself how social media trends are filtering down to real life with my daughters and their friends.
As you would expect, using age-inappropriate products can cause damage and skin problems. It is very tempting that some young teenagers are looking for anti-aging products. Consultant dermatologist Dr Emma Craythorne tells me that “skin diseases are more problematic due to inappropriate use, so young teenagers using retinol or acids could be triggering their rosacea or inflaming their eczema.” Angela Taylor, Education Director of skincare brand Dermalogica, says that “children are being exposed to potentially harmful content and misinformation and often follow trends that are not simply related to their age or skin condition .”
I keep a close eye on what Violet and Ivy are putting on their faces because, as a parent, it’s my job to keep them safe, including their skin. We meticulously check the back of medicine bottles before giving them to our children, so we should approach skincare the same way.
“Young skin is sensitive. Skin care at this age should be about maintaining skin health with daily gentle cleansing and light moisturizing to maintain barrier health,” says Taylor. “Cellular turnover works at its best speed during youth, so we no longer need exfoliation and retinoids to speed that up. “Active” use can over-process the skin, causing skin barrier damage, dryness and irritation.”
Skin care can be a minefield for uninitiated parents, but the good news is that establishing a good basic skin care routine isn’t difficult. In fact, a consistent routine is important, says Dr. Craythorne, who suggests that a gentle cleanser, moisturiser, and SPF are all teenagers need. For oily skins, they can skip the moisturiser. It’s as simple as that.
The less they do to their skin with as few products as possible, containing the fewest ingredients, the better for their short and long term skin health. And if your child is even muttering under their breath about skin aging, tell them to wear SPF every day. It doesn’t get more restrictive than that. I wish I had known that 30 years ago.
What my kids use
Fun and functional
BYOMA Gel Moisturizer£15; Indu Universal Cream Cleanser£16
For breaking out
Starface Hydro Stars Stickers£11.99; Dermalogica Clear Start Breakout Clearing booster£25.00
