Essential Skincare Tips for Pre-Teens and Teens

Elizabeth Bernasconi, owner of Beauty and Training by Elizabeth, Blackburn-based beauty salon & UK wide training, as well as an L3 Senior Educator covering accredited beauty courses, shares with us her top tips for working with teens and pre-teens in the beaut industry.

There has been a lot of recent press coverage around pre-teen skincare and brands targeting younger generations, particularly on various popular social media channels. These platforms are promoting skincare products to young girls and boys. As adults, we understand that social media influencers are paid to promote these brands, and for them, more sales equals more income. It's not necessarily about what's best for people's skin.

As a skincare specialist, I firmly believe in taking care of your skin, especially from a young age. If some of us in my generation and older had known what we do now about skincare, SPF, and anti-aging products, we might have fewer wrinkles. Knowledge is power in any area; however, it is important that those imparting knowledge do so correctly and to the right target audience. Recent media coverage has reported that cosmetic and skincare companies have been doubling down on social media marketing directed at tweens and teens. While it's vital to educate young people about skincare, many "skinfluencers" on reputable social media platforms are promoting anti-aging products to teens, which can be damaging if used from a young age.

I have two young daughters who are obsessed with skincare, as many are nowadays. They often ask me for various products they see advertised or their friends have. When I look at these products, they are nearly all targeting anti-aging, something they shouldn't be using at their age. This is concerning because, without proper research or knowledge, parents could easily purchase these products for their children. There is definitely a global trend in pre-teen skincare marketing that doesn't seem to be going away soon. Therefore, I felt it important to cover the basic do's and don'ts of pre-teen skincare and product usage.

A common question I get asked is, "What age is best to start using skincare?" This is difficult to answer as every person is different, and hormone levels can vary widely in today's younger generation. Generally, when children become tweens and show an interest in skincare, it's better to support this interest positively, helping them find the best products for their young skin.

It's crucial to read labels and research products that your tweens and teens ask you to purchase. Avoid anti-aging products as they are too harsh for young skin and unnecessary at such a young age. Looking at ingredients can be daunting, but if you're unsure about something, look it up before adding it to your cart.

As basic as it sounds, water should be the number one ingredient in their skincare routine. Avoid products that incorporate acids, particularly retinol, as these can cause irritation and long-term damage to young skin.

The best advice for pre-teens and teens is to keep it simple. Minimal is best, and young skin does not need anti-aging products. Keep their routine simple with a gentle cleanser, toner, and an oil-free SPF moisturizer. There are apps available that can tell you how "clean" certain skincare products are and how many toxins and chemicals they contain. These apps are useful for quickly assessing whether a particular product is suitable for your pre-teens or teens. Simply search the brand or scan the barcode, and the app will provide the ingredients, a scale factor from 1 to 10, and whether it is "clean." Products with a high score are filled with toxins and chemicals, which can be surprising for supposedly "toxin-free" brands.

Working within the beauty industry, I've seen a rise in the pre-teen skincare trend, prompting me to create a certified pre-teen skincare course. As a qualified educator, I saw a gap that needed to be filled. We have a responsibility to ensure that our younger generation doesn't make choices now that will harm their skin later. This one-day course covers everything they need to know about skin in a fun and educational way. The morning session covers facials, skincare, and the steps to a facial, followed by a practical session in the afternoon. During the practical, I teach them how to perform a professional facial on themselves safely. This program helps educate the younger generation and warns them about the detrimental effects of using anti-aging products at a young age. I receive many messages from parents thanking me after the course, as many pre-teens were using the wrong kind of skincare, which comes at a high cost to parents.

A running theme throughout the course is that beauty starts from within. I aim to empower every pre-teen and teen attending, so they leave feeling confident in their skin, learning to embrace blemishes, pores, and spots as a natural part of life.

The best advice for parents, tweens, and teens is not to overdo it. Keep it basic, and ensure they take care of their skin with the correct products for their age range.