Building a Good Skincare Routine For Your Tween

It is vital to educate your kids on personal hygiene between the ages of ten and thirteen. These are the ages when kids just start to experience puberty, and with all the changes going on in their bodies, it’s important for them to know about what’s going on and how to look after themselves. Sometimes, pimples are inevitable and are a part of growing up, but in many cases, breakouts can be prevented by following a good skincare routine. 

Not all products are appropriate for your preteen, so it takes doing a little homework to figure out what is going to help your child and not harm their skin. Today, we’re going to talk about why it’s so important for you and your tween to build a good skincare routine and tips on how to go about doing just that. 

How will your tween skin change during puberty? 

Your child will experience different changes to their skin according to their age and what stage of puberty they are in. There are three key considerations that you need to keep in mind when your preteen starts going through puberty and how it will affect their skin: the microbiome, sebum production and barrier function. 

These three things are initially working in complete harmony, that is until the hormones kick in and they start going through puberty. During puberty, the androgen hormones (testosterone and androsterone) levels increase significantly, and this hormone imbalance increases the sebum production in your child’s skin. The abundance of sebum or “bad lipids” will combine with the “good” epidermal lipids and disrupt the skin’s barrier function and microbiome. This leads to clogged pores and bacteria growth and then (you guessed it) acne. 

Getting a solid skincare routine going for your tween will help to clean their skin and prevent their pores from clogging up and causing acne. Choosing the right products is an important task because you need to find ones that will be effective but gentle on their young, developing skin. 

What should your tween’s skincare routine look like?

There are so many different face washes on the market, and most will have ingredients that are effective for adult complexions but won’t be ideal for preteen skin. So yes, it can be confusing when you’re starting out. But let’s break it down and focus on the simple yet essential products. Every tween should be cleansing, moisturizing and applying sunscreen every day, so your child will need:

• A gentle cleanser - a good tween facewash will be gentle and non-stripping so as not to irritate their skin and cause redness and further inflammation

• A lightweight moisturizer - this will help to keep their skin hydrated and avoid dryness without causing further buildup or irritation

• A mineral sunscreen - choose a mineral sunscreen that is paraben-free as opposed to a chemical sunscreen, as it will be a physical layer between your child’s skin and the sun for optimal protection

Ideally, their skincare routine should be a cleanse in the morning and in the evening to clean out their pores and remove excess build-up and acne-causing bacteria. Once they’ve cleansed, they should apply at least an SPF30 mineral sunscreen, preferably a noncomedogenic (meaning it won’t clog pores). Then in the evening they can wash their face again, and apply a light-weight moisturiser. 

Can your tween use active ingredients?

Active ingredients like retinoids, antioxidants, and acids are everywhere nowadays and have massive benefits…for adult skin. This is not the case with your tween, and allowing them to use these ingredients can increase sensitivity and cause damage (especially vitamin C).  

Adults need active ingredients to help their skin act younger by exfoliating the skin to promote cellular regeneration and boost the production of collagen and elastin. Your tween’s skin is young and doesn’t need these active ingredients because it's already exfoliating at the optimum level – active ingredients will just send their skin into overdrive and disrupt the skin’s balance. 

 When it comes to skincare, all your preteen really needs is hydration. If you really want to get things with extra ingredients, some good ones to look for are niacinamide, hyaluronic acid and ceramides. These ingredients can help to maximize hydration and restore the skin barrier.

Final Thoughts

While acne is more common among teens, it’s important to start building a good skincare routine with your child in their tween years, as this can do a lot to prevent breakouts. That being said, not all acne can be prevented by good hygiene, and you’ll need to consult a doctor or dermatologist to treat it effectively, but it will help keep your child’s skin clean and healthy. Remember to opt for lightweight and gentle products that are appropriate for tween skin – generally, the simpler, the better.