Dermatology experts reveal the common skincare mistakes made by teens and tweens – and what parents can do to help
Two dermatologists have shared their best skincare advice for teens and pre-teens. And it’s a lot simpler than you might think.
The advice was shared by an Arizona dermatologist Doctor Brooke Jeffy and Michigan-based pediatrician Dr. Lisa Klein.
Dr. Klein is also the founder of Turning Tween, a resource for parents and their children going through puberty.
The two have come together to share a Q+A series where they answer questions about skin care and health for teens and pre-teens.
In their latest clipshared on TikTok, they gave parents tips on how to care for their teens’ skin, a topic that has received a lot of attention in recent months.
Arizona-based dermatologist Dr. Brooke Jeffy and pediatrician Dr. Lisa Klein have revealed their tips for parents on their pre-teens’ skin care routines
Many teens love brightly colored skincare products from brands like Drunk Elephant and Bubble Skincare, sometimes even using very strong products all over their face.
They also went to Sephora to experiment with the products and created all sorts of different blends. Earlier this year they were dubbed the ‘Sephora Teens’.
Some even share their skincare routines on TikTok, like Penelope Disick, Kourtney Kardashian’s 12-year-old daughter.
The reality star’s daughter documented a 10-step makeup tutorial last fall that cost nearly $500 and featured products from popular brands like Dior and Charlotte Tilbury.
But according to Dr. Jeffy, teens and pre-teens don’t need that much care at all.
“I think the best advice I can give parents when thinking about their pre-teen or teen’s skin care is to think of their child’s skin more like a baby’s skin than their own,” Dr. Jeffy says in the Q+A clip.
“I think this is a good guideline when choosing products,” she continued.
The dermatologist went on to say that you don’t want to use harsh, aggressive products on a baby, so why would you want to use them on your teenager?
Some teens are even sharing their skincare routines on TikTok, like Kourtney Kardashian’s 12-year-old daughter, Penelope Disick
Many pre-teens are now into brightly colored skincare products from brands like Drunk Elephant and Bubble Skincare, and sometimes use very strong products all over their faces — but that’s not necessary, doctors say
“For a baby, you really want to focus on fragrance-free products and sun protection, which is exactly what you want to focus on for children with healthy skin,” she explains.
Pediatrician Dr. Klein agreed and gave the audience two simple tips for pre-teen skin care.
“Two tips we like to give, whether it’s in my practice or at Turning Teen, are keep your skin clean and wear sunscreen,” Dr. Klein says simply.
Their advice follows a new report that found some summer camps have gone so far as to ban fancy skin care products from their facilities.
At Somerset Camp for Girls in Maine, all Sephora products are strictly prohibited, while Camp Mataponi in Maine and Tyler Hill Camp in Pennsylvania have both sent out letters strongly advising campers not to bring their beauty products.
In January, Tiffany Masterson, the founder of Drunk Elephant, spoke with Advertising age about the popularity of their products with Generation Alpha. She explains that social media is partly to blame for this.
Matterson also stated that the brand “does not target children” and that they do not gift their products to influencers under the age of 18.