11 year old skin

[WeDontTalkAboutBrunoNoNoNo]

Dd is 11 (on Saturday) and has a bee in her bonnet about not being able to have a skincare routine like the one I use for my almost 40 year old skin (🙄)

That said, I'm not against her wanted to get into good habits with looking after herself. She currently uses a gentle cleanser from CeraVe and a moisturiser from boots (cucumber something). She wears sunscreen daily so introducing double cleansing with a light oil might be a good idea. No serums or actives or anything though, I think she's far too young for all of that.

Can anybody share what their 11 year olds are using on their skin? I've bought her a face roller thingy to give her the illusion that she's an esthetician in training, she would have half of Sephora in her bedroom if I allowed it!

DD is 12 and has a similar routine. She washes with Cerave cleanser with salacylic acid as she's quite spotty then uses Sali Hughes Gel Quench moisturiser. Once a week she uses my Paula's Choice BHA toner and occasionally uses a sheet mask when she has a sleep over.

Thanks for the reply, I won't show this post to DD or she'll be making a bee line for my Paula's Choice supply!

Is she brand mad or would high street do?

I had a routine at 10. Fair play to her wearing sunblock, baby oil gets it off. I use Sainsburys because it’s cruelty free.

A lot of it is from inside so she’ll need lots of leafy green foods & plenty of water.

Wow, I can't believe pre-teen girls think they need a skincare routine. I'm 48 in a few months and I didn't start until a couple years ago! Honestly, their skin haven't even reached full maturity yet let alone started deteriorating. Doing anything now will either be pointless or counterproductive, won't it?

Sorry, missed the boots cucumber bit. What about buying her the eye gel, the toner and the mask from the same range. There’s no actives in any of it & you can teach her the proper way to apply eye cream so she doesn’t get puffy.

Other things that should be ok are those silicone under eye patches in b&m, one of those microfibre hair turbans from the pound shop and some hand cream? No point having a nice face and craggy hands.

A skincare book? Satin hair bonnet for night time?

If you can get her using a mask once a week in her room listening to spa music it’s practically free childcare.

Because these days the average age for puberty is much lower than it was in previous generations with hormonal outbreaks etc that come with it.
I started my periods at 16. My daughter at 11.
@WeDontTalkAboutBrunoNoNoNo Effaclar Duo is very good. Completely changed my daughter's skin when at around 11-12 she started with oil and blemishes.

La Roche Posay in general is fabulous. Toleriane moisturizer etc. They do little gift sets.
Also look into Korean masks etc. Very gentle stuff.

Her routine sounds great. No facewashing in the morning, only evening.

My dd uses avene and then buys things she sees on utube. She's currently walking around with a little yellow star on a spot. I think a good face cleanser and spf should be used and then the rest is just for fun at that age

I see. I wasn't being critical just very surprised! I had my first period around my 13th birthday, similar to all my friends. Perhaps I'm doubly surprised because I never had any acne, like, nary a spot. My skin was so well behaved that I tend to assume all young people's skin is like that. I'm paying for it now, though, because my dry skin seems to be wrinkling at break neck speed! These days I think I'd rather have had teenage acne in return for less dry skin now.

Thanks for the suggestions! She's definitely started puberty before I did, I don't think it will be that long before periods start tbh. She's quite prone to breakouts on her forehead but I don't think it's full blown acne, more hormonal than anything.

She's not brand mad in the slightest and even if she was, she'd have to get what she's given and like it! 🤣 I was looking at high street stuff yesterday just thought I'd check to see what others recommend. I'm wary of sheet masks for her because the last time she used one she said it felt like it was burning her but maybe a different brand will do, that one was from Superdrug if I recall correctly.

What about a face mist?
Superdrug vitamin E is nice and cheap enough if she goes mad spraying it

Oh actually kao steam eye masks? They heat up so use before bed to relax
They do unscented but I have sensitive eyes and have been fine with them all

Self Heated Gentle Steam Eye Mask, Unscented, for Relaxation and Eye Strain, Pack of 5 amzn.eu/d/9r4SkUA

My 12 year old is a bit spotty. She was using Cerave stuff but she had a Florence by Millie face wash and moisturiser for her birthday and thinks they are the bees knees. She smells like a cucumber.

My DC, including DS use Liz Earle products.

Of course they do. If I left my skin until I was 48 I’d look like I’d smoked 50 fags a day.

Ouch. I guess I look I smoke 50 fags a day then.

Tbh it sounds like she already has a "routine".

My routine is face wash in the shower, then vitamin C serum, then facial sunscreen in the morning. Makeup if wearing. Then in the evening, micellar water, toner, moisturiser.

She could do that minus the serum.

For teenage skin I like the Clean & Clear range. The cream face wash with salycylic acid in it is great, as is the oil free moisturiser. The Simple range would also be good for young skin.

She absolutely doesn't need expensive brands. At her age it will make zero difference. If you can encourage the habit of taking care of her skin with a good routine using inexpensive products, that will be much better for her (and for your wallet) than getting her hooked on expensive brands.

Absolutely nothing at all.

My dd is nearly 15 and does nothing, never has. She washes her face when she showers and that is it. Her skin looks the same as the rest of the teenagers.

A skincare routine is an mega con designed to sell products IMO. I'm 44 and my skin looks like any other 44yo. I do nothing and use nothing, other than washing my face in the shower with mild soap. I just look ordinary.

Why set her up for a lifetime of buying products? None of it is necessary and I find it astonishing that millions of people buy this stuff. Fine if you are addressing a specific skin problem, but for most people, this is just money down the drain.

Micellar water wont shift sunblock though.

Doesn't it? My skin seems to be completely clean.

Wow are boys doing this too? or is this just the ultimate sexist teaching of our daughters that they must look perfect with glowing skin all their lives and boys and men can just look how they are?

Agree with @Btjdkfnn I use nothing and never have and look no different to all my friends. I do have Botox which I like.

I've often advised parents on here to help their sons who are embarrassed about hormonal breakouts to use salicylic products.
Nothing sexist about not wanting your child to go round mortified because they have a face full of spots when it doesn't need to be like that for them.

I don't think you get to judge people who happen to use skincare products containing scientifically proven active ingredients by saying "I don't use anything" and then say you have Botox.
Botox isn't anything. Remotely.