Skin Care Basics for Teens - The Find by Zulily

With so many celebrities launching their own lines, makeup and skin care products are having a moment–again. And chances are your teenager has noticed. As children grow older, it is also natural for parents to begin asking, “Is it OK for my teen to wear makeup?” or “What should a skin care routine for teens look like?” With so many external – some of them potentially negative ((hello, Euphoria makeup) — factors likely influencing your teen’s interest in beauty, it’s helpful to be proactive and start the conversation to encourage a healthy, safe skin care routine for your teen that keeps their skin healty and highlights their natural beauty.

Here is everything you need to know before you introduce your child to the basics of skincare routines, and how to encourage them to embrace and highlight their natural beauty in a safe, healthy, fun way.

Start with the Skin Care Basics

Skin care has become increasingly popular lately, and for good reason. Taking care of one’s skin in the teenage years can make a huge difference when it comes to curbing common issues like acne, excessive oil. And it will pay off later in life in regards to avoiding wrinkles and fine lines, skin cancer, and other risks. But remember, their skin is at a delicate stage. They do not need any treatments for wrinkles at this age.

To begin the discussion about a skin care routine with your child, I suggest incorporating skin care into their daily routine. Help your child understand the purpose behind the products.

Children and teens could be suffering from things like hormonal acne, hyperpigmentation, or sensitive skin, so it is important to be sensitive to these concerns. If your teen is struggling with acne or other skincare issues, set up an appointment with a dermatologist to discuss options so that any additional skincare products work well with any prescribed treatments.

Woman washes face her daudther in bathroom at home

Cleansing & Hydrating

The ritual of cleansing and hydrating skin every morning and night may seem like a tedious task for a child, but remind them of the benefits. It’s the first step to avoiding things like breakouts, discoloration, puffiness, etc. I suggest starting with easy solutions like hydrating cleansing wipes (2-in-1) or cleansing balms. Some teens will feel their face is more “clean” with three steps of cleansing, toning and hydrating. Try a few different producs to test and see what works.

Sun Protection

Perhaps the most important step in any skin care routine is sun protection. While you have likely been applying SPF to your child from a young age, take this opportunity to explain the importance of protecting their skin from the sun and the consequences if they don’t. Not only can overexposure to the sun results in things like skin cancer (most serious skin damage occurs during childhood), it can also speed up the aging process, resulting in fine lines and wrinkles. SPF should be applied to the face (and other exposed skin) year-round, even on the cloudiest of days. You can find a variety of sunscreens for all sorts of skin types, but most experts recommend a waterproof, broad-spectrum sunsxreen with at least 30 SPF or higher.

Letterboard with text reading My Workout Plan This Summer Is To Apply Sunscreen On My Kids Everyday

Introducing Your Teen To Makeup

Seeing your child grow up and show interest in more “adult” things can fun and a little scary for any parent. Makeup can have a stigma of being too “mature” or “risqué” for younger people, but with the constant media exposure children are experiencing today, times have changed. It is likely that your child might show interest in beauty products or routines because of something they saw on the internet, social media, or even through other children they know. Instead of discouraging the interest because you believe they aren’t old enough yet, try using the following steps to encourage a healthy, fun relationship with makeup.

Little afro girl doing makeup with her mom in bedroom

1. Remind Your Child They Are Beautiful No Matter What

Be sure to tell your child that they are beautiful (inside and out) already. They don’t need makeup to fit in or look beautiful, but that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t try it out if they are interested.

2. Ask What Piqued Their Interest in Makeup?

Was it a social media personality they saw on Tik Tok? Was it a YouTube makeup tutorial? Or maybe a reality TV show star? Understanding their influences and what they are interested in specifically will help you understand their interest and create a routine that aligns with that.

3. Create a Shopping List of “The Basics”

Before hitting the drugstore or beauty supply store, make a list. Start with just a few products—I suggest concealer, blush, and mascara. Having a list beforehand narrows down the shopping process, making it easier on both you (and your wallet) and the child – and manages expectations. I also suggest doing some research on brands before heading to the store. Consider brands that make organic or natural makeup, explaining to your child that these products are not only safer for them, but for the environment.

4. Discuss Each Product and Its Purpose

Before opening your child’s new makeup, talk to your child about each product and its purpose. Explain that concealer is like a Band-Aid for blemishes (if needed), blush highlights the cheeks, and mascara highlights the eyes. Be sure to note that none of these products are a “solution” to make the child more beautiful, but simply highlighting their already naturally beautiful features.

5. Sit at the Mirror with Them

Sit down at the mirror with your child when they first experiment with their products. Instead of applying their makeup yourself, show them how you might apply it to your own face, so they can mirror you. This encourages them to feel confident that this is their own journey, and they can experiment however they’d like. If you don’t wear makeup, consider watching a tutorial video with your child and recreating some basic looks.

6. Celebrate!

Hooray! Your child’s skincare and beauty journey should be a fun one, filled with exploration and expression.

If your child or teen has expressed interest in skincare or makeup, following these steps will encourage them to highlight their natural beauty in a safe, healthy, fun way.