5 tips for building a healthy skin care routine for tweens and teens

Social media is pushing elaborate routines for young skin — and not always for the best

Pastel colorful cosmetics bottles on pink table with abstract geometric figures on turquoise mint green background
Long-term use of some products can put young skin barriers at risk
(Image credit: Aleksandra Konoplia / Getty Images)

Kids have a growing skin care obsession perpetuated by fresh-faced underage influencers hawking elaborate, expensive routines. Girls as young as 7 follow routines that do more harm than good, according to a new peer-reviewed study published in Pediatrics by researchers at Northwestern University. This confirms fears many parents have about introducing skin care to their children. But there are ways to do it safely, experts say.

Cut down on unnecessary active ingredients

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Theara Coleman, The Week US

Theara Coleman has worked as a staff writer at The Week since September 2022. She frequently writes about technology, education, literature and general news. She was previously a contributing writer and assistant editor at Honeysuckle Magazine, where she covered racial politics and cannabis industry news.