Two dermatologists have shared their top tips for teen and tween skin care for parents—and it’s a lot simpler than you might think.
The advice was shared by Arizona-based dermatologist Dr. Brooke Jeffy and Michigan-based pediatrician Dr. Lisa Klein.
Dr. Klein is also the founder of Turning Tween, a resource for parents and children going through puberty.
The two have teamed up to share a series of Q&As that will answer questions about skin care and health for teens and tweens.
In their latest clip, which was shared on TikTok, they offered some tips for parents on how to approach skincare for tweens, a topic that has received a lot of attention in recent months.
Now many tweens are going crazy for brightly colored skincare products from brands like Drunk Elephant and Bubble Skincare, sometimes using very potent products all over their faces.
They’ve also been making trips to Sephora to play around with the products, creating tons of different mixes, as they were dubbed the “Sephora Teens” earlier this year.
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Some even share their skincare routines on TikTok, like Kourtney Kardashian’s 12-year-old daughter, Penelope Disick.
The reality star’s daughter documented a 10-step makeup tutorial that cost nearly $500 last fall and included products from popular brands like Dior and Charlotte Tilbury.
But according to Dr. Jeffy, teens and tweens don’t need too much on their skin.
“I would say the best advice I can give a parent when thinking about skin care for their teenager is to think of their child’s skin more like a baby’s skin than their own,” Dr. Jeffy said in the Q&A clip.
“I think this provides good guidance when choosing products,” he continued.
The dermatologist added that if you don’t want to apply harsh, aggressive products to a baby, why would you want to do the same to your pre-teen?
“For a baby, it’s best to focus on fragrance-free products and sun protection, and that’s really what you need to focus on for healthy skin in children,” she explained.
Pediatrician Dr. Klein agreed and offered the audience two easy tips to keep in mind for skin care for preteens.
“Two tips we like to say, whether in my office or at Turning Teen, are to keep your skin clean and wear sunscreen,” Dr. Klein said simply.
Her advice comes after a new report indicated that some summer camps had gone so far as to ban luxury skincare products from their facilities this summer.
At Somerset Camp for Girls in Maine, all Sephora products are strictly banned, while Camp Mataponi in Maine and Camp Tyler Hill in Pennsylvania sent out letters strongly discouraging campers from packing their beauty products.
In January, Drunk Elephant founder Tiffany Masterson spoke to Ad Age about the popularity of her products among Generation Alpha, explaining that she believes social media could be partly to blame.
Matterson also said the brand “does not target children” and noted that they do not give away their products to influencers under the age of 18.
