Teen & Tween Skincare
Teen skincare that's appropriate, accessible and affordable - here's the VMM Lowdown!
Have you seen them? Gaggles of teens & tweens in beauty halls, all fawning over brightly coloured, luxury skincare and expensive makeup. Is this just a phase, or are viral TikTok trends here to stay, with our kids now wanting to buy into beauty brands that are mostly unsuitable for them? Are we giving our teens the wrong beauty standards and could we be allowing them to damage their delicate, young skin?
This new teen skincare phenomenon seems to have crept up on us over the last year or so, and we’ve been surprised by some of the messages we've received from our followers and clients. One minute we were happily recommending brands such as La Roche Posay and Cerave to mums who'd get in touch for beauty advice, the next we were hearing that their children were only interested in premium brands such as Drunk Elephant and Glow Recipe. And when one of V's daughter's friends (she's just turned 12) excitedly announced that she had treated herself to a hyaluronic acid serum recently (not a ‘harmful’ ingredient per se, but absolutely not necessary at this age), we decided it was time to address this issue.
We’ve also been talking to some of the lovely beauty teams in stores such as SpaceNK and John Lewis, and they’re as surprised as we are and don’t encourage or advocate that youngsters use brands and/or ingredients that are not designed for their young skin.
We all know that the power of social media is nothing short of astounding, but there needs to be an amount of common beauty sense around this issue. As far as we're concerned, skincare that looks fab is not a reason to purchase it. And of course, there's also the question of the hefty price tag of some of these products!
We’re not here to be beauty killjoys! We love and celebrate great skincare and makeup…and whilst there's absolutely no judgement from us, we’re just observing a very obvious trend that could result in a generation of young people with sore, irritated skin (and depleted bank balances!). And that’s something we feel strongly about!
So, what do we suggest that these youngsters use on their faces? As you know by now, we firmly believe that ‘less is more’. The more products and active ingredients that are applied to young skin, the more the delicate skin barrier is compromised. For a teen, a simple routine of cleanser, moisturiser and a broad spectrum SPF is sufficient - with some targeted treatment style products if the teen is experiencing breakouts etc. Here's what we recommend:
CLEANSERS: We love Cerave cleansers - there's something for everyone and every skin type and the results speak for themselves. Or check out cleansers from French pharmacy brands such as Avene and Vichy. Or La Roche Posay - the Effaclar Cleansing Gel is great for oily skin, while the Toleriane Dermo Cleanser works wonders on sensitive skin. Oh, and Bioderma Micellar water is so quick and easy to use, and hard to beat - after all, Bioderma were the company that invented it! And if your teen simply won't let the idea of using Drunk Elephant go, then treat them to the Beste No9 Jelly Cleanser - that's the only product in the brand that we would recommend for young, delicate skin.
MOISTURISERS: Opt for lightweight moisturisers for teen skin - nothing too heavy or packed with too many active ingredients that could irritate and cause problems. We love Byoma Moisturising Gel Cream (luckily this brand gets the tween’s seal of approval as it's aesthetically packaged in a range of pretty pastels that they're drawn to) and Boots Glow Peach Jelly Moisturiser is also very good. MyClarins Reboost Mattifying Hydrating Cream is a great choice for oily and blemish-prone skin to keep it shine-free and in tip-top condition.
SPOT BUSTERS: when it comes to ‘treating’ teen skin and specifically breakouts, Bisous Clear Spot Treatment Gel (we love this brand that is specifically targeted for young skin) is one of the best spot busters we've found. We also love Starface HydroStar stickers which are brilliantly marketed - your kids will love them! - and work a treat. Cerave Blemish Control Gel is another impressive product, and we think that any household with teens should have a bottle of Clinisoothe Skin Purifier to hand. It's a beauty no-brainer.
SPFs: - again, choose lightweight formulas that won't clog the pores. We defy your teens not to love the brands Sun Bum (their tagline is “Trust The Bum” - don't be put off, the products are very good!), Bondi Sands, and Supergoop…a definite splurge, but let’s face it, if your teens are regularly shopping in store at Sephora & Space NK, that's the brand we'd direct them to!
When shopping online, remember to use our discount codes. And as always, please get in touch for personalised product recommendations. And have a watch of our Instagram reel, where we talk a little more about our thoughts on this subject.
Love & Great Skin (at every age!),
Vikki & Mala xx