Skincare for Kids and Teens
With mid term break around the corner, the beauty stores like Sephora will be jam- packed with tweens and teens exploring the latest skincare offerings from brands who are targeting their next generation of shoppers.
Which leads us to the very important question - as a caregiver, how are you controlling or deciding what skincare your children use? We get asked a lot about teen skin at Black Skin Directory and we also hear a lot of confusion from both teens and grown ups about what exactly they should be using.
Black children and teens are not always represented in research and advertising; and this can make it doubly difficult for them to find their place in the skincare and beauty aisles to work out what’s beneficial for darker skin which can suffer the effects of inflammation and hyperpigmentation very quickly.
There is a constant over exposure of skincare on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram and given easy access to the internet our children are front row to all the newest products and fads. They are attracted to the bright and colourful packaging and latch on to their favourite content creators who are hired as influencers by brands. Naturally, this fuels curiosity and demand but there isn’t a lot of nuance to what is actually suitable for young skin.
Many skincare practitioners are reporting an increase in skin complaints from tweens and teens brought on by use of harsh and potent skincare ingredients like retinoids and glycolic acid. The vast majority of products have ingredients that are formulated for more mature skin. Teens are not experienced enough to decipher whether or not they need that particular type of skin care, especially if they are also experiencing puberty related breakouts and skin concerns.
At Black Skin Directory we believe it’s very important that our young people have a skincare routine that encourages good grooming habits from a young age, but it’s even more important that we help them access the correct skincare and brands that are age appropriate.
Whatever you do, just remember this - your eleven year old doesn’t need retinol and they definitely don’t need a £50 moisturisers!
We spoke to top US Board Certified Dermatologist Dr Michelle Henry for her top tips for teen skin.
KEEP SKINCARE SIMPLE
As young people start developing an interest in skincare, it’s important to take care and caution them against using extensive and expansive routines full of multiple steps and products. The skin is a self balancing organ so overloading hinders it from performing its natural functions effectively.
CHOOSE SKINCARE CAREFULLY
Select products that are well tolerated as opposed to highly potent. Brands like Cerave are formulated for efficacy and results, so they look after skin health better over a longer term.
STAY THE COURSE
Consistency is key and this can be hard in the short term for young people when instant results are the order of the day. However, we have to encourage them to stick to their skincare plan and give it a chance.
DON’T CHASE TRENDS
This is very hard when we are bombarded with trends, fads and hacks daily on social media. Fundamentally, skincare is healthcare so it’s important to keep it tailored. What works for one person isn’t necessarily going to work for your teen.
BSD APPROVED BRANDS FOR TEEN SKIN
Most young people just need a routine of cleaning and moisturising, with a sunscreen for day time use.
The only time they need clarifying or detoxing products containing ingredients like salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide is if they are experiencing breakouts.
Gentle pigmentation fading products with ingredients such as alpha arbutin and Vitamin C are also a good shout because Black skin has a tendency to develop dark marks and hyperpigmentation.
La Roche-Posay
Cerave
Byoma
Bubble Skincare
Naturium
e.l.f. skincare
The Ordinary
The INKEY List
Starface
the superdots
Glossier
ZitSticka
Dermalogica Clear Start
Indu
Check out product options in our Teen Skin Hotlist!