Dr Vanessa Lapiner voices her concerns about the impact social media trends are having on our tweens when it comes to skincare, and provides some top tips on how to make sure they’re on the right track with their routine.
Walking past my 11-year-old daughter’s room, I hear rising levels of excitement as one of her friends displays her haul from an overseas visit to Sephora featuring no fewer than six products, including toners, exfoliators, masks, and serums.
As a dermatologist mom of a tween, the amazement that these girls know their vitamin C from their retinoids swiftly turns to concern: this newfound passion for skincare could be turning into an unhealthy obsession.
The tipping point for me was when we took my daughter to Disneyland and the only thing her friends were interested in was whether she had been to Sephora or not.
When did the magic of Sephora eclipse Disneyland, and when did our tweens’ skincare regimens become more complicated than our own?
We need an intervention.
The elephant in the room
With the hashtag #KidsAtSephora amassing over five million views on TikTok, it’s evident that a significant shift is occurring. Gone are the days of young girls eagerly unboxing Barbie dolls; instead, they’re diving into the world of high-end skincare brands. But who’s driving this runaway skincare train? It seems that the brands themselves – coupled with the influence of young social media stars – are fuelling this surging trend. With parents increasingly willing to invest in skincare for their daughters, it’s become a profitable venture for brands to target this demographic.
The brand at the heart of this tween skincare storm has been Drunk Elephant, which has stormed onto the skincare scene with its chic, colourful, Instagrammable packaging, and cult following. But with price points that can make an adult skincare fundi’s eyes water and formulations packed with potent actives, it raises eyebrows when it comes to tween skincare.
Are tweens who are swept up in the stampede of this “skincare safari” going to get their skin barriers trampled in the process?
Yes! Gen Alpha beauty buffs may be far more knowledgeable than we were at their age, but they are still heavily influenced by trends – not all of them suitable for more sensitive tween skin. Ingredients such as alpha hydroxy acids and retinoids can disrupt their skin barrier and cause skin irritation, while rich, nourishing moisturisers aimed at replenishing hydration and lipids in more mature, dry, peri-menopausal skin can play havoc with preteen skin more prone to acne breakouts. The long-term effects of using anti-ageing functional actives such as peptides and growth factors in tween skin are simply not known.
The bottom line is that tween skin does not need their skin cell turnover cycle boosted or their fibroblasts stimulated, much in the same way that they don’t need their morning caffeine boost or Neurobion B12 injections! If your tween were begging you for a double-shot caffè latte with functional mushroom and CBD powder or a bottle of Patrón tequila, would you give in?
So how do we navigate tween skincare trends?
We need to make “basic” attractive again. Tweens can research online, watch tutorials and reviews, as well as learn how to read ingredient labels and what each ingredient does in the skin. Curiosity and the development of good habits are desirable.
Dial back your tween’s routine from obscene to “clean and lean”!
Just like when you were teaching your child how to read and write, go back to basics and start with the ABCs:
- A – Armour from the sun, blue light, and pollution: This is the most important step of any skincare regimen, regardless of age. Tweens need to protect their enviable collagen, elastin, and healthy skin DNA from aggressors like ultraviolet rays and free radicals. My top recommendation for a sunscreen is a non-nano zinc oxide or titanium dioxide mineral sunscreen. These physical filters boast the best safety profile and do not impact hormones. They have broad-spectrum protection, including defence against technology with its damaging dose of HEVL (high-energy visible light) or the blue light tweens are exposed to as they surf, watch TikToks, and check their phones a whopping 150 times a day! Acne-prone skin will benefit from an oil-free or non-comedogenic option. Bonus points if it contains added antioxidants to shield their skin from pollutants and boost the efficacy of their sunscreen.
- B – Barrier of the skin: Skin health equals a good skin barrier – healthy skin versus eczema, infections, inflammation, and dehydration. Essentially, it keeps the bad stuff like bacteria and pollution from getting in, while stopping the good stuff, like moisture, from escaping into the atmosphere. A compromised barrier means red, dry, flaky, sensitive, bumpy skin that is susceptible to the sun. Avoid skincare with actives and focus on maintaining and restoring the skin barrier with a simple moisturiser. Few ingredients are needed – i.e. ceramides, essential fatty acids, cholesterol, squalene, or glycerine. If your tween’s skin is starting to break out, look for added anti-acne actives such as niacinamide, zinc, salicylic acid, azelaic acid, or sulfur.
- C – Cleansing: The second most important habit is getting rid of the grime and excess oil of the day. For tween skin, choose a cleanser that is gentle and mild, and that won’t leave skin feeling “stripped” or “squeaky-clean”. Harsh surfactants can interact with the proteins and oils on their skin surface and mess with the barrier of the skin. Over-cleansing will cause skin to overcompensate by pushing out more oil, causing clogged pores and breakouts. For normal tween skin, look for a cleanser that is hydrating or with added prebiotics to support the “beauty bugs” on the skin. If your tween is starting to get blackheads or spots, look for salicylic-acid-based cleansers.
In closing
In a society breeding unhealthy beauty standards, let’s gently guide our tweens towards principles of simplicity and science rather than consumerism and trends. Good education is important. Let’s unite under #KidsatDischem, championing reliable pharma-cosmetics as the new stars of GRWM (Get Ready With Me) videos, where efficacy, affordability, and accessibility are the driving forces.
MBChB, MSc Med (Cell Biology), FC Derm (SA).
Dr Vanessa Lapineris a dermatologist based in Cape Town with key interests in integrative dermatology, mole mapping and dermo-cosmetology.Her research interests include pigmentation disorders, the gut: brain: skin axis, nutrition as a therapeutic tool in dermatologic disease management,healthy skin metabolomicsand cosmeceutical formulation technologies. She is the founder of TASH360, South Africa’s first integrative dermatology centre offering cutting-edge technologies and advanced diagnostic testing, as well as root4:high-performance, results-driven skincare and nutraceuticals marrying advanced science and safety. She is an active member of the DSSA, the SASDS,the VSSA and the Xeroderma Pigmentosum Society.
Click here to get an online consultation with Dr Vanessa Lapiner via the Dr. Derma Platform, Africa's LargestOnline Dermatology Provider.
- Dr Vanessa Lapinerhttps://www.aestheticappointment.co.za/author/dr-vanessa-lapiner
- Dr Vanessa Lapinerhttps://www.aestheticappointment.co.za/author/dr-vanessa-lapiner
- Dr Vanessa Lapinerhttps://www.aestheticappointment.co.za/author/dr-vanessa-lapiner
- Dr Vanessa Lapinerhttps://www.aestheticappointment.co.za/author/dr-vanessa-lapiner
