As we have said before, one thing you can rely on with tweens is change. Their bodies surely are changing and all sorts of new issues arise- their skin is one major problem area. I approached Neutrogena myself when I noticed my daughters were beginning to show signs of early acne. I wanted to be educated about their young skin, its needs and what products would be the best, and safest, for them at an early age. Since the brand is rooted in science and has been a personal favorite of mine for years- I figured it would be a good place to start.
Turns out the biggest issue tweens face with their skin actually is cleansing. At this age many tweens fight their parents regarding showers. Typically they find excuses to skip bathing or get it over with quickly. When I asked my girls if they were really washing their faces, turns out they weren’t doing much. Their skin is so young that I wanted to be very careful when applying chemicals. We started out with Neutrogena’s “Naturals” line which is free of harmful or over drying chemicals. By starting a dialog about a simple, daily cleaning routine, their skin already has improved. And for moms of boys- this is just as true for you! Getting boys to cleanse early can help prevent some of the major skin issues that can lie ahead for them as teens.
Here are some simple tips to starting your tween on a cleansing routine:
- Select a product that you feel is right for your child to try and place it right on the bathroom counter top in plain site
- Take the time to illustrate the circular motions for properly cleansing the face
- Ask each time they finish bathing or perhaps when they brush their teeth- ‘did you ‘cleanse’ your face?” (not just ‘wash’ as that doesn’t do it!)
- Mark your personal calendar to check if their skin is improving and discuss the results
- If the issues continue or worsen, see a dermatologist before their acne gets out of control and leaves scaring
Please do share your results or ideas- we want to learn more and help each other with our tweens.
Abrazos,
DISCLAIMER: Los Tweens received facial cleansing products from Neutrogena- all opinions certainly are our own.
As a mother of twin tweens in 2011 and an active Girl Scout Troop leader, Cristy realized there was a need to develop bilingual digital content and foster a community facing the challenges of raising kids after first grade. That year she founded and remains co-Publisher of Los Tweens & Teens, to support multicultural parents and mentors with content related to raising Gen Z- tweens & teens ages 7-18. Through the Los Tweens & Teens LIVE events such as Teens & Me – the growing team aims to provide our community with essential resources from chats with therapists to battle anxiety and bullying, to understanding social media and technology.