What age should DD start a skincare routine

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DD is only 8 so I’m probably thinking a bit far ahead but what age should I start teaching her to follow a skincare routine? At the moment she just rubs a flannel over her face after brushing her teeth but at what age do they need to start cleansing and moisturising? I have very dry skin and I’ve noticed she has started getting little dry patches hence my question.

Also when she does start is she better with something like micellar water or a gentle foaming cleanser?

What a depressing thread!

@AnyFucker

What ?

Ha, I love seeing your posts @Anyfucker, always concise, to the point, and real life. I wish you were my friend irl!

Is your dd drinking enough op? Without underlying medical problems, I don't think a pre-teens should suffer from anything other than occasional blips, certainly not requiring twice daily applications of creams, lotions and potions.

I am annoyingly never thirsty so drink little - my skin is so much better since a friend suggested I should at least try drinking more water.

Have you also thought about washing powder as the culprit for her dry itchy skin?

Good Lord, the sanctimony….

OP, I would recommend something like Cetaphil gentle skin cleanser, which is non-drying/non-stripping as doesn’t have SLS etc in it, then actually one of the moisturisers I like best for my similarly patchy dry skin is the bog standard green pump top Aveeno, both of which are widely available and hopefully medicinal and basic enough so as not to offend the ‘YoU mUsT nOT sUcCUMb tO tHE sKiNcArE CuLt’ brigade. If she’s really suffering with it, my holy grail is LRP Cicaplast Baum B5.

And both you and she should be able look after or neglect your own skin as much as you like, without it meaning a jot to anyone else!

As an aside, the Garnier facial sunscreens in the small cardboard boxes are universally excellent, just as good as the much more expensive LRP etc.

Great for all of you blessed with super skin, not all of us are.

I am nearly 50 and still have hormonal spots coming and going. I still can get oily patches and I have tried a variety of routines/no routines over the years until I found one which works for me.

DD is nearly 15 and has acne, she has several products, depending how bad it is (that depends on where she is in her cycle).

Normal SPF is absolutley awful for our faces we feel, most moisturisers have it built in and work a lot better for me and DD.

If I had a boy he would get the same products as DD gets. DH had acne as a teen and a shelf with products.

@Fuuuuuckit that’s a good point, she’s terrible with water so I’ll nag her even more.

For those concerned about my morals in that respect, we drink tap water that has been filtered. I then recycle the cartridge. I appreciate that tap water on its own would be better for the environment but I live in a hard water area and kidney stones seem to run in the family.

Or @reluctantbrit do we have super skin because we don't clog it up with products?

I've only ever used a facecloth and water and my skin is usually pretty clear. I had acne on my forehead as a teen but covered it with a fringe until it cleared up.

@Travelwiththree

Or *@reluctantbrit* do we have super skin because we don't clog it up with products?

Could be but DD and I tried that as well, in her case it actually got worse and we did it for a period of several weeks, in the hope the skin would adjust.

We are both fairly simple, facial wash and mosturiser. She has a peeling and mask, both absolutely gentle, to help when there is an outbreak a week before her period. I use it as well when I have a stressful time as it actually refreshes, not take layers off.

I think it is with everything else, bodies are different and react differentlly to treatments.

My 9 year old loves a cleanse, tone and moisturise! She uses a nivea set. Every morning and night!

Can't believe you're even thinking about this when she's only 8

It's all a marketing ploy! Except suncream, that's important. Such a shame that girls are drawn into this expensive pointless vain habit.

I really don't understand the outrage on this thread and can only assume that it's coming from those who have been lucky enough to have fairly decent skin.
As someone who has suffered with bad skin since my pre-teen years, skin care for my DC's regardless of their sex is something that I'm really conscious of.
My DC's use Cerave Micellar water twice a day. For moisturiser they use Cerave am moisturiser which has a built in SPF and then the pm moisturiser at night.
I've seen dermatologists about my skin and medication has only worked temporarily. Cerave is the only thing that has ever made a difference.
In terms of appearance I actually look about 10 years younger than I am. I've got very few lines and that's very little to do with a 'skin care routine' and much more to do with skin type.
And another aside my brother spends way more on skin care than I ever will and I very much doubt he's the only man like this.
I hope you find something that works for your daughter OP.

Be led by your daughter and if she expresses an interest then offer some simple suggestions like a cheap moisturiser. I have to say though, if an 8 year old was complaining about itchy skin I'd assume a touch of eczema and would think about using an emollient in the bath rather than soap as a first step.

I've got very few lines and that's very little to do with a 'skin care routine' and much more to do with skin type

This is true . I'm 40...I have no skincare routine. I don't even use moisturizer. I don't have a line on my face. My skin is thick and never gets dry. Conversely my friend has extremely thin, sensitive skin. She spends an absolute fortune on extremely expensive skincare.

My DS’s started when they were about 13, they used clean and clear products.

I use water and simple moisturiser, that's it.

@MissyCooperismyShero

FFS never! She should never be advised to start a skin care routine other than SPF. What have you all advised your sons to use?

I agree with this. As someone with dry skin, what’s been best is not using any product beyond prescribed eczema cream on my face.

😳
Surely simple Nivea for dry skin is good, but skin routine?
Ffs.

To add to my last post, no idea if it had made a difference (I expect not at its just genes) but I am 38 and have very few wrinkles.

@TwinklyBranch

I'm 43 and I still don't have a skincare "routine".

Snap. 49y and all I do is wash my face in the shower with water only and put simple moisturiser on my face afterwards. I can't remember the last time I used a cleanser or toner, or anything along those lines - as a teen perhaps.

I use a tinted sunscreen as my base for any form of make up - I don't wear make up every day but do wear the sunscreen. Most make up I wear most days though is that, some mascara, lipstick and a bit of loose powder perhaps. So possibly not the best to ask.

Mind, despite having psoriasis elsewhere I don't have any oily or dry skin on my face, so probably lucky not to really need to do much.

I think that OP is getti a hard time as most people understand Skin Routine as how companies can get you to spend £££ on unnecessary products which they have managed to convince women that that's the only way they have any worth is if they sit still and look pretty. Which is something you don't want inflicted on a young child.

The outrage! Both my kids look after their skin, why wouldn’t they? It’s not a beauty regime, it’s hygiene and self-care. It’s up there with brushing their teeth, washing their hair, using deodorant.

My DS started using Sam Farmer face wash and moisturiser at 11ish, adding in some Nip and Fab teen stuff in the last couple of years.

My DD likes Cerave and Dr Jart.

I'm 64, never had a skin care routine! I wash with soap and water and use sun cream in the summer if I'll be in the sun for more than an hour or so. My skin is fine, no more wrinkles than anyone else my age... Why spend so much more than you need?

8?!?! Good lord.