By Tonje Brennsaeter
With summer on its way, it’s even more important to treat your skin with the right sunscreen and skincare – and making sure that youngsters protect their delicate skin is equally important.
More and more young children use skincare products and makeup products that aren’t suitable for their young skin. The hype for expensive makeup and extreme skincare routines among children and teenagers have become so extreme that it has gotten its own term, Sephora kids.
Gen Alpha most passionate about skincare among the different generations
According to Cosmetics business Gen Alpha (people born from 2010-now) are even more passionate about skincare than any other generation. Sadly many young people use makeup products and skincare products that have more damaging effect than good ones.
According to Dr Andrew Kane, in an interview on ITV, using the wrong skincare can result in long-term sensitivities or allergies.
A high percentage of young teenagers face a lot of pressure when it comes to appearance. According to the Mental Health Foundation, in a survey by Be Real for 11-16-years olds in the UK, 79% said that their appearance is important to them and 52% of them worry about their appearance.
In a Guardian article, a mother said her nine-year-old daughter’s interest for skincare had become more about fixing trouble areas than enjoyment. The mum is one of many parents worried about the pressure among young children to use makeup and skincare,
Eline H, a 26-year-old psychology student who didn’t want to use her surname, said: “I think young children usually have such good skin from beforehand. I see they are concerned about it if they have acne problems and such but having such a hype on looks and the external, I don’t think that’s necessarily a good thing, like what direction we’re moving in.
“It seems to me that we are becoming a more individualistic society and that’s sort of reflected in the sort of hype with looks and looking your best and that’s not the best necessarily.”
“Having such a hype on looks and external, I don’t think that’s necessarily a good thing.”
-Eline
It’s vital to make sure that parents know what products their young children use, and what ingredients they contain.
“I think it’s important that parents are aware of it. They know what their children are using and notice it if they’re using something that might be harmful.
“They might use just SPF or just regular creams but if children start using like acids and stuff on their skin then of course that might be harmful, and it is important to prevent that. Just noticing and talking with them about it.”
Avoid products with active ingredients
Children should avoid using products with active ingredients such as retinols, peptides and salicylic acid. Using these ingredients on young skin can result in damage, irritated skin and in general have the opposite effect of what they want, according to Dr Carol Cheng at UCLA Health.
“Information is widely accessible, and so is misinformation. It’s overwhelming and confusing for teens and tweens who may not realize that even peer influencers may just be selling a product in their ‘instructional’ videos,” Dr Cheng said.
Many young children and teenagers use anti-age. According to Clarins, if you want to use anti-aging products you should start around the age of 30.
Infographic by Tonje Brennsaeter
By regularly using sunscreen you reduce the chance of skin cancer
According to Nationwide Children’s, protection from the sun and the use of sunscreen are extremely important for children and youths as skin cancer is becoming more frequent among young people. By protecting the skin as much as possible from the sun, it reduces the risks of skin cancer. A higher risk of getting skin cancer has been tightly linked with sunburnt skin during childhood.
According to Nationwide Children’s, you should apply sunscreen at least half an hour before you’re going out in the sun. It isn’t enough to only apply once, you should apply sunscreen again after you have been exposed to water or been sweating.
It is important to check the expiration date of your sunscreen, if there’s any difference in the consistency or coluor it’s time to invest in a new one. You could also protect yourself from the sun by using a hat, sunglasses and clothes that prevent the sun from coming through.
According to the NHS, children in the UK should wear at least SPF 30 from March to October. Many people apply too little sunscreen, if you are concerned you don’t apply much you could apply sunscreen with for example SPF 50.
Stick to the basics
Maria Brunet, 27, architect said: “We are too overly obsessed about it (skincare). We use too many products that we don’t need. I think it is important that we go back to the basics probably, how skin works and understanding the needs.
“It’s not about more things to use, it’s about using the essentials and what your skin needs and no more. A lot of brands look for themselves. I think it’s a matter of everyone, both the parents and the brands.”
“I think it is important that we go back to the basics probably, how skin works and understanding the needs.”
-Brunet
According to Dr Cheng, it’s best to stick to a simple and practical routine. You should cleanse one to two times a day with a cleanser that’s gentle. Apply SPF 30 or more every single morning. If your skin is dry in the night you can apply a moisturiser.
You can easily make a good skincare routine by keeping it simple. If you want your skin to stay healthy you should stick to a simple three steps-cleansing, moisturising and a good sunscreen, according to Boots.
It’s also important to understand your skin’s needs. You find out your skin’s needs by finding out if your skin type is oily, dry, sensitive etc. By knowing which skin type you have, it’s easier to find the right products.
Maintain a healthy relationship to skincare and avoid using products that can be damaging
Help your children to have a healthy relationship with skincare. Stay informed on which products they use and make sure they don’t use products that are more damaging than helping. It’s positive that they want to take care of their skin however it’s important to use products that are made for their young skin.
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