Parents in Skincare with Teenagers: A Cry for Help!

Alright, let’s be real—if you’re a parent working in skincare and have teenagers, you’ve probably had that moment. You look at your kid’s face and wonder: “Why on earth are you in the middle of a full-on acne meltdown, and you have access to the best skincare in the world?” Seriously, these kids have custom skincare routines designed by experts (hello, mom or dad!), and they still seem to be trying to ruin us. What gives?

Turns out, access isn’t the problem. The real issue? Compliance. It's like they think skincare is some sort of torture. You’ve got two types of kids: the ones who follow every step of their routine to a T, and then there’s my son (and probably yours, too). Classic.

But, here’s the good news, parents: as they get older, they do become a bit more proactive and, dare I say, compliant. So the real question is, how do we survive the in-between years when they’re still pretending skincare is optional?

Now, on to the real brain-buster: How do we help other parents choose skincare for their kids? I mean, we all know the goal is to get them using medical-grade skincare, right? But when I talk to other parents, they say things like, “I’m not spending money on that again—they didn’t even use it!” Sigh. It’s not the product, it’s the user, right? But we’ve got to crack the code on driving compliance. How do we make sure they actually use the stuff?

Speaking of that, let me tell you about an experiment I recently ran with boys aged 16-19. It was a little guerrilla marketing project, using my son and his friends as guinea pigs. Why? Because they were free labor, and I could be bossy without hearing any complaints. Success.

Study Outline:

I gave these boys a simple regimen: three products plus sunscreen (because, you know, the sun). It was a 6-week challenge, and they had to return the bottles so I could inspect their progress. Here’s what I learned:

The Texture Factor:

• Skin Better foam: All the boys used this one to the very last drop. Why? It foamed. The power of foam.

• Gel cleanser: They didn’t use as much. Maybe because it wasn’t as fun.

• Hyacin spray: Gone in 3 weeks. Why? They loved the spray.

The Product Breakdown:

• Serums: Low compliance. I’m guessing they don’t care for the “serum experience.”

• Creams: Higher compliance. They actually liked this one. Weird, right?

• Sunscreen: Zero. Zilch. Nada. They just wouldn’t do it.
  

So what’s the moral of this story? We need to educate these kids about sunscreen and maybe go easy on the product overload. Three products seem to be the sweet spot, and if it’s got a cool texture? They’re all in.

Here’s the takeaway for parents: When we talk to them about skincare, keep it simple. The more we can make the routine easy and fun (hello, foamy textures), the better the chances are they’ll stick with it. Simple = success. Trust me on this one.

So, what do you all think? How do you get your teens to take skincare seriously? Would love to hear your thoughts!