Introducing 11 year old to skincare

[VenusClapTrap]

I think I probably need to introduce my scruffy urchin dd to skincare. She is quite young for her age and not remotely interested in clothes or beauty - that’s great, and I love that all she wants to do is muck about in the stream in wellies and make dens in trees with her friends, but her personal hygiene could do with improvement.

She’s still very much a child - no sign of puberty, but some of her friends are developing so I feel it’s round the corner, and I was very spotty myself so I fear she’s got that to come and needs to keep her face properly clean.

I want to sit her down and explain how to wash her face properly, but I can’t really remember when I started with the whole cleanse tone moisturise rigmarole. I think I was probably about her age; at least on the cleansing front if not the moisturising. At the moment dd’s face only gets washed when she has a bath or shower, and she doesn’t do that every day.

Any advice? I’m not really into beauty regimes and I’m sure I’m utterly out of touch with what young people do. Should I just buy her some basic facial wash and show her how to use it? What do other kids her age do? Did you have to teach your dc or did they get into it themselves, or through their friends?

School will be doing sex Ed lessons with them soon so it seems like a good time to talk about growing up and taking care of herself.

My dd is the same age (but has started her period recently, so is a bit further ahead in terms of puberty) and we’re not doing any form of skincare yet. I think that once you start it becomes a cycle - if you use a wash to cleanse, that strips the oils and you then need to moisturise. My dd does seem to be lucky with her skin though. When we do start I’ll probably try lush ultrabland with her first - it’s what I use and it doesn’t seem to dry skin out.

Creams etc don't really stop hormonal spots. Basic cleanser should do it, and SPF.

Do they need anything apart from maybe spf?

I'm not even sure about a face wash, would foaming face washes not massively dry out their skin? I'm not sure I washed my face with anything but water till I was 18, and I had perfect skin as a teen. If they're not wearing make up, and they have no spots I wouldn't be giving them anything tbh

(not so much now I'm an adult)

If she’s not even close to puberty then I think a whole ‘routine’ is a waste of time and money.

If you want her to take better care of her skin as in general she’s a bit grubby, then a gentle wash is fine. I like the Glossier milky jelly cleanser which is mild and the brand is popular at the moment.

But honestly I think you’re jumping the gun.

I got mine the face wash from spots and stripes along with the shampoo and conditioner - the face wash is actually what I use too if I’m not wearing makeup as it smells good and is pretty natural. I also got a whole pile of white flannels. I figured if she had her own products she might use them, still a bit hit and miss but she’s still at primary at the mo so we’ve time.