What age to start beauty regime?

[TurnaroundSue]

My dd is coming up 11 and as all children has lovely skin. My mum never ever had a beauty regime (no cleansing, toning and mosturising) so consequently at the age of 42 I started to use mosturiser on a daily basis), but feel that it is too little, too late. I have the skin of an woman in her 50s and really don't want my dd to be like me.

So my question is how soon did you start a beauty regime and is 11 too young?:confused:

[bailey]

If she uses a light moisteriser I can't see that being much harm. Most teenage girls will need a good beauty routine to get rid of the make up which can cause spots.

Realistically though I think somewhere in your 20's is a good place to start. There are creams aimed at 20's, 30's 40's etc. Just go into Boots or Superdrug, ask friends or look at Avon.

Don't make a big deal of it and let her experiment.

I tend to just wash my face with a soap free wash and put on night cream. In the morning I shower and put on day cream. Regime done, but I don't have time to faff. Maybe when the kids are older.

One things I've always done is moisterise my neck, I read that was important when I was teenager, people do their face and forgot their necks and then that area ages quicker!

[shirlgirl2004]

I believe 11 is too young because it is giving the impression it is of vital importance to "keep your looks". I'd say wait until she's late teens and then talk to her about looking after her skin. I guess when she wears make up advising how to remove it is OK but I wouldn't go further than that.

[La-Cara]

if her skin is fine then leave it for now. When/if she starts getting greasy or spotty skin, she can use a gentle cleanser and a light mosturiser. I would personally recommend Liz Earle light moisturiser for teenagers, I have been using it for years and it's not greasy or too heavy.

[iceicebaby]

As others have said, I'd wait until shes a little older and needs to start using products for spots / oily skin or starts to wear make up

[looby-loo]

Not started yet, just water all my life - i'm 50 something and no wrinkles either:j

[debtfreein4years]

get her into the habbit now of washing her face at night if she is not already in that routine.

once her skin does start changing then you are better off taking her to one of the beauty counters like clarins or elemis and getting them to go through a routine with your daughter. elemis has a funky photo taking thing that shows how many pores, spots, wrinkles etc that you have.

i would say a good cleanser and toner with a mosturiser will be all your daughter will need, some of the ranges that you can buy in boots, superdrug etc can be very harsh on young sensitive skin so it can be a bit costly in trying to determine what suits your daughter best.

[elkay115]

I remember reading somewhere (can't remember where though) that round about the age of 21 is the best time to start with a daily cleanser etc. Your skin starts to lose elasticity from around that age.

[Savvy_Sue]

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[suki1964]

Till she hits puberty I would leave well alone tbh.

Other then using a sunscreen that is

Once in puberty her skin will change and thats when a gentle easy routine is best introduce.

All a young girl needs is to cleanse and mosturise and I hate to sound like Im pimpimg for Liz Earle but her cleanse and polish would be ideal if your daughter is already used to using soap and water (as its washed off rather then wiped off with cotton wool) and Liz Earle has a great selection of moisturisers that cater for all skin types - the light is fantastic of young or oily skin

[dixie06]

When I was about 15 my Mum and Dad went away for the weekend and brought us all pressies back mine was Body Shop cleanser, toner and carrot moisturiser I was soooo chuffed with it so that when and how my regime started.

[Palice]

It's funny with everyone talking about wrinkles and elasticity etc. that only one person has mentioned sunscreen. That's the thing, the only thing that will prevent wrinkles! I'd strongly recommend getting her a light, daily spf15 moisturiser (even in winter as UVA rays are always present) and you'll be doing her skin the world of good.

By the way there's nothing wrong with younger children using cleanser. It's just washing your face, but using something better for it than soap. Avoid toner though, at any age, as most are full of alcohol and that's bad for your skin.

[Lalaladybird]

I think leave it a couple of years and then just let her use a nice light moisturiser once a day, probably at night. Please don't let her use a toner because they do strip the skin of their natural oils and teenagers often make the mistake of using a toner when they get oily/spotty skin thinking that will help but it makes the problem worse because their skin goes into overdrive and produced excess oil to compensate (it is just learning remember ;)). If she uses make up then a cream cleanser, rinsed off with water, would be the best thing IMHO. I started wearing mascara, clear nail polish and a little lip balm when I was 13, but they grow up earlier these days so maybe she would enjoy doing that now :confused:

Talking from experience and a lot of experimentation here :rolleyes: if she gets spots (in the future - I know you said she has lovely skin now), don't let her use clearasil products or similar...I found they worked for a few days then my skin would breakout in spots as it got used to them. Many years of trial and error and determination taught me that dove soap and water was the best thing for keeping my skin nice. I'm 29 now and have good skin despite having had acne as a teenager and I still use cream cleanser to take off my make up, wash with dove soap (or cheaper alternative;)) and water and I only moisturise at night with a nice rich night cream...I also just apply this round my eye area, then wipe the majority off with the back of my hand (A tip I picked up from my mum who at 60 still has great skin, her mum who never used moisturiser has awful wrinkles). I have rambled on at a tangent, sorry :o HTH xx

[Toothsmith]

A beauty regime can start at birth.

Healthy food, keep well hydrated, good exercise and lots of fresh air.

As for slapping chemicals all over her face - the younger you start them, the more you'll rely on them.

[Lilith1980]

I started cleansing, toning and moisturising when I was about 16 - the same time I started experimenting with make-up. Now, however I just cleanse and moisturise - can't really be bothered with toning and haven't done that for years. I'm not sure if it will make any difference as to how my skin is when I'm older.

I don't moisturise my neck though so will have to start doing that - I dont want a nice face and wrinkly looking neck lol

[foxxymynx]

She should be putting moisturiser on every time she wears make up anyway (makes the makeup look better too as well as stopping the makeup drying out her skin) but avoiding around the eye sockets (plumps up the skin which over time causes wrinkles).

I'd be inclined to say just advise her to use a SPF moisuriser, makeup remover after wearing makeup and a good facewash.

[maytaurus]

you're never too young

[lostinrates]

I'm 30 this year, and my skin is ok, but not as good as I'd like, mainly because the sun damag I exprienced as a child is starting to show. TBF I didn't gt this in uK ..I livd abroad as a child, but I wish my parnts had known to apply sun cream in the morning, and train me to do the same. If I had a child I think I'd introduce them to skin care this way, through sun protction, using a light spf in winter and a heavir one in summer.

[hethmar]

Sue, you can improve your skin, whatever age. For most of my life I was a soap and water girl and just assumed my skin was ok for my age. One day I went past a beauty shop, looked in as the door was open and instead of a group of 20 something footballer wives types, there were lots of women in their 40s, 50s and older! I steeled myself and went in and booked a facial for the first time ever.

My goodness, what a difference. I assumed the open pores and so on were just something you had to put up with as you got older - not so!

I now have a regime every day, cleansing, using pure and protect from Boots and then using an Olay moisturiser and at night I put on a Boots night creme. The number of people who have complimented me on my skin has been amazing. I also use a face pack occasionally now and also a dermabrasion creme (also Boots). My face feels silky soft for the first time since I was in my 20s! I have a deep professional facial perhaps every few months. (when my local beauty shop has half price offers :))

So dont give up on your own skin. Spend a bit of money on yourself.

[frivolous_fay]

I wouldn't start her before it seems necessary.

I look back fondly to the time when I had perfect skin and didn't need to worry. Too soon came the nightmare that was 'trying everything and anything to stop the zits'

I don't think there's any rush to get a young'un obsessing about their looks! Let them enjoy their peace of mind while it lasts!

[TurnaroundSue]

Many thanks to everyone who has responded. My dd doesn't wear make up at the moment (except very occasionally if she is going to a party and then only very little - no mascara/foundation, just lip gloss and eye shadow), so I don't need to worry about taking make up off etc at this stage.

I am pleased to see that I can wait a few years before starting on looking after her skin - but agree with everyone that I want her to enjoy the freedom of 'not worrying' and not being obsessed with how she looks etc.

Hethmar - you are right that it is never too old to start looking after your skin, and for the last 6 months I have been moisturising using Lush products and can notice a difference, but maybe a visit to the salon once in a while will help me along the way also. I do look at my mum and would like to avoid having as many wrinkles as she does:eek: , but there again maybe some of it is inherited and there is nothing I can do anyway - but it won't be for the lack of trying, I can tell you.:rotfl:

There have been some really good tips and hints and it is nice to see what is good and what isn't (I see toner is a complete no, no). Must admit used it a couple of times in my youth and didn't like it then so didn't use it again (but having said that used nothing else either).:mad:

Once again, many thanks to you all.:T

[frannyann]

My dd is also 11 but is clearly hitting puberty and getting a bit 'spotty'. So I have started her using clearasel light cleanser each morning and she doesn't wear any make up. Hopefully she will get into a routine and yes, I am introducing a light sun screen too, we are all too 'moley' to risk it ;)

[Penelope Penguin]

Not started yet, just water all my life - i'm 50 something and no wrinkles either:j

Me too :T I've never understood the need to remove natural grease from your face by cleansing, then putting back grease by moisturising :confused:

I'm now 45, have a good skin, and am often mistaken for someone 5-10 years younger :p

[beautyscientist]

Speaking as a cosmetic scientist, there isn't much you can do to improve young skin. If there was we would do it. Skin looks good when it is well moisturised and not damaged.

The best thing you can do is stay out of the sun. Using a sunscreen will help keep the skin looking as young as possible, but personally I wouldn't go for a high SPF and I would suggest using physical sunscreens like titanium dioxide and zinc oxide rather than chemical ones. SPF15 is a very strong sunscreen and it takes a lot to achieve that level of protection, and in my opinion this makes the formulations more likely to irritate sensitive skin.

I don't think it pays to be too paranoid. Light damages skin but the skin does have defenses and repair mechanisms that work pretty well when you are young so long as you don't overdo the sun bathing.

Other than that there is no need to start any regime now.

[nearlyrich]

I am late 40's too , never been a big wearer of make up and my skin is in good condition and I don't have wrinkles etc. I have bought various cleanser/toner etc ranges but I can never keep it up...too busy.

I just met a cousin who called me by by my younger sister's name ( she is 10 years younger) so I am not too worried,

[lessonlearned]

Hi Sue

Genetics also play a big part in how our skin ages.

I am very blessed - my mother who is in her eighties has the skin of a 50 year old, her mother before her was the same. Their big secret was to take great care in the sun. Granny was a market gardener and my mum was a keen amateur gardener. They always wore sun screen and hats. Neither of them smoked - a big no no if you want good skin after the age of 40. Smoking probably causes just as much skin damage as the sun. Sun beds don't help either. If you can teach your daughter to avoid the big three, sun, smoking and tanning beds, then she will have a great start.

My mother also swore by using a light moisturiser, every day. It does't need to be expesnive. When she was poor she used nivea or even a bit of olive oil.

As a trained beauty therapist I would go along with her advice. All children should wear sunscreen - boys and girls - (and hats and t shirts when the sun is really fierce at midday).

All skin should avoid harsh products (especially highly perfumed soaps) but even more so for young skin like your daughters. I would suggest good quality baby products would be perfect for her age. (I still use baby products and I'm 58). Also a good diet and exercise. Exercise is great for the skin because it helps stimulate blood flow to the surface of the skin, nourishing it and flushing out impurities.

Unfortunately, even the best diet can't always stave off teenage spots. They are inevitably the result of hormone imbalances. A good cleansing routine will help but again nothing harsh or abrasive: it will only make matters worse, stripping the skin of natural oils and only encouraging the production of even more oil (sebum to be technical).

Acne is of course another matter and usually needs medical help. These days GP's tend to be very sympathetic and can offer a great deal of help and advice.

Personally, I think 11 is too young for make-up. When she does start wearing it, try to teach her that less is more, a little lip gloss and the lightest touch of eye- up is plenty. There should be no need for foundations and blushers. Young healthy skin has a lovely dewy glow all of its own and doesn't really need a lot of cosmetics to enhance it.