When I was a tween teen, all the products I was exposed to and thought were only available to me were full of ingredients that contained bleach or some sort of peroxide. This meant my skin dried out easily as it was stripping away my natural oils. These days, there are so many other products out there and it is up to us as adults to point them in the right direction.

Why is healthy skincare routine so important?

There life is bombarded with extra-curricular activities such as dance (which some have to wear make-up) and sports. Don’t forget the everyday stressors of school life such as exams and friend dramas. All of these activities will affect the skin, especially if they are out all day long under the sun. It takes many years for damage skin to show up and this is why it is important to start an early and healthy skincare routine. This also goes with good lifestyle activities such as avoiding the sun between 11am to 3pm and a good, healthy diet.

Be Gentle

Many people believe that the stronger the product, it is better for you. For tween teens, it is important to go gently. Look for natural ingredients that are mostly plant derived. If there are too many ingredients on the label, this is usually a bad sign. If you want to know the ingredient this database is great to begin with:

http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/

Simple Routine

Start your tween teen with a simple, skincare routine. All they need do for now is:

1. Cleanse
2. Tone
3. Moisturise
4. Slip, Slop and Slap (Sunscreen)

Make sure you choose products that are SLS free, paraben free and contain SPF in the moisturiser. Every morning after they wake up and before they go to bed is an ideal routine and they will definitely notice the difference. When they get use to this, they may want to exfoliate and apply a mask once a week.

Slip, Slop & Slap

Regardless of where they are, it is so crucial to always protect the skin with sunscreen! There are many natural SPF out there such as zinc oxide (make sure this is the active ingredient). Did you know raspberry seed oil, avocado & coconut oil and shea butter are all natural SPF as well? Look for these ingredients in your moisturiser! A good lifestyle and SPF routine will prevent future skin damages such as pre-mature aging and other sun damages.

Know Tween Teen Skin

Familiarise yourself with your tween teen’s skin problems. Are they oily, dry, and sensitive or acne prone? During this stage of development, there are many hormonal changes occurring, which tend to produce more oils, de-hydrate and even prone to acne. If acne is a big problem, it’s always great to seek a Dermatologist advice. Look for natural products that will balance out the skin’s PH level such as jojoba oil, soothe the skin such as shea butter and also calm the skin such as lavender and geranium essential oils.

It is also important to be a good role model for tween teens. If we as adults are aware of the damaging chemicals that are common in most skincare, then we can pass this knowledge on. As a teacher and soon mum to be, I do my best to model and  to show healthy skincare routine with natural products.

To begin your tween teen’s natural skincare journey, I have formulated a range that aim to balance the skin’s PH level. My cleanser won’t strip away natural oils but also remove excess oils, my moisturiser won’t clog pores (it contains natural SPF) and I also have an exfoliator and a mask to help with oily and acne prone skin.

Stay Natural,

What is your tween teen using on their skin now? Let me know your experiences!

Tween Teen Hydrating Moisturiser