How Young Is Too Young For Anti-Aging Skin Care?

I’ve been quietly observing for quite some time, what looks to be an ever-growing push for really young kids to start worrying about the aging process….and it both baffles and worries me. So, I decided to do what I do best, and write about it!

As you may already know, I worked as a fashion model for over 15 years both nationally and internationally, represented by top agencies like Elite Model Management, Industry, and Karin Paris. Never once, during that time was I ever exposed to a push for anti-aging skin care routines, procedures or anything along those lines, even though the industry has always been youth-obsessed. All we ever really worried about was the odd break-out and trying our best to maintain clear skin (this was before life became completely filtered and retouched).

I can’t even begin to imagine having had the added burden of worrying about the aging process or carrying loads of skin care products with me since I was moving from country to country every 2-3 months to fulfill modeling contracts. It was soap, water, maybe some pimple cream and astringent, and a pot of Vaseline for dry lips…that’s it. The rest was left up to nature, genetics, and sometimes elusive luck!

So…having a teenaged daughter now, and being exposed through her to the message so many young influencers are delivering across mainly short-form video social media platforms, I find my blood starting to simmer…if not boil. Can we please leave these kids alone, and allow them to just be kids?!

If you don’t know what I’m talking about, I’ll give you a little peek into this mad new world of anti-aging skin care for kids. There are countless social media accounts catering to girls, brand new into their double digits (not even teenagers yet!), that teach them how to use intricate multi-step skin care routines in order to avoid skin damage and aging. Seriously. So, by the time these girls are 18 they have an anti-aging skin care product lineup that is more layered and detailed than anything I have ever used….and I’m 48!

Everything from retinoids, to peels, creams, serums, and any number of facial acids are touted as an important part of every young girl’s hygiene routines, both day and night. All in the name of anti-aging. I don’t think I even knew the term “anti-aging” when I was a teen, and it certainly didn’t cross my mind to do anything against the aging process until I turned 40! I am forever grateful that I grew up when I did, because having the added stress of “fighting wrinkles” during puberty would have surely done me in. Honestly, no kid needs to be worried about these things…..keep it simple, silly!

My good friend, another former model, who now works as a holistic nutritionist and clean beauty expert in Canada recently told me that she has to talk 13 year olds out of using retinol on a regular basis because they are convinced, thanks to 15 second influencer videos, that they need it! Unreal.

The thing is, that kids are really susceptible to what they see online because these Gen Z influencers are great at what they do. They are beautiful and have great camera presence. They know how to sell, and I commend them for being mini entrepreneurs…but we as parents really need to be wary of what our kids are taking in and what they are being sold. Being obsessed with your skin care and the aging process when you are (in my humble opinion) under 30 is not healthy. At all.

We need to remind our kids that these videos are basically advertisements, and that these influencers are not their friends. They are just “actors” and “models” selling a lifestyle or products, that in all honesty, none of them need either. Unfortunately, along with selling those serums and creams…they’re also selling a form of dysmorphia and that is what concerns me most.

Girls, in particular, are quickly falling prey to the idea that they have to not only have the “perfect” body, but that they can’t “look old” and all of the infantilized photo filters across most social media platforms is adding fuel to that fire making them perfect little consumers for all things anti-aging. We are so worried about our kids’ mental health (which has taken a hit over the past few years) and have to realize that a lot of it stems from the constant comparisons and unrealistic “norms” they are bombarded with on a daily basis.

….and yet what they are not being told to do is make healthy choices like go to bed at a decent hour, embrace active lifestyles and spend time outdoors, eat healthier, practice mindfulness, and run fast and far away from vapes and other substances. All they are hearing is “buy this, use this, get this” over and over and over again.

My daughter and I have a very open dialogue on the insanity constantly being packaged and delivers to our kids online. Things have gone insane, that she recently informed me that there’s a trend now among teens in which girls are practicing how to NOT make facial expressions in order to avoid wrinkles, and mimicking heavily Botoxed grown women when they talk . Hard to believe, but true….and disturbing. Facial expressions are one of the amazing things that make us both beautiful and unique…..so now we’re to sacrifice those to look “young”…..not even at 48 am I willing to give up my very (sometimes too) expressive face. Sorry, beauty industry…you won’t get me!!

The other thing that falls under this category is Baby Tox, or mini Botox injections, aimed at girls as young as 18 all in the name of “wrinkle prevention”. Just stop with this too, please. From a health perspective, there are no long term studies yet on how decades worth of these injections can affect your overall health, but there are studies showing that Botox and fillers may not fully exit the body and can accumulate and migrate in and to other areas of your face and body. I don’t think this is really a concern for older women in particular, but if you start at 18, 19, or 20 and go on to get injections every few months for the next 4 decades or so….then you should definitely be concerned. “Beauty” should not come with a hefty health-price tag.

Also, what’s so wrong about having some lines and wrinkles as you get older? Aging is a privilege, and the marks on our faces and bodies are just testament to the fact that we’ve been truly alive! I mean, at 48, I’m no stranger to skin care and the desire to maintain healthy and vibrant skin. I want to age gracefully and not slide fast and deep into decrepitude, but I have my eye crinkles and nose crinkles, and my cheeks aren’t full like they were when I was younger…but that is ok. I think my eyes are more soulful…because I’ve lived more…and those are the things that we need to embrace, because THAT is what makes us beautiful.

Under 30, you should be having the time of your life, laughing, living, loving, experiencing, growing….but certainly not obsessing about wrinkles, skin care regimes, or collagen loss. Youth is so fleeting…trust those of us who have somehow found ourselves thrust into middle age pondering the speed of light and wrinkles in time. Leave the “anti-aging” concerns to those of us who are actually in the throes of it. Be patient, kids….you’ll get there soon enough.

So, what should the tween, teen and 20’s demographic be doing for healthy skin instead of running to the esthetician or the nearest Ulta? I’ll break it down into a few simple and realistic steps:

-Work on making healthy lifestyle choices like eating clean, real foods and skipping the processed stuff as much as possible.

-Cut back on sugar. A lot.

-Drop the vapes, smokes, and alcohol. (For the over 21 crowd work on limiting yourself to a couple of drinks with friends, and avoid binging).

-Get sleep. They don’t call it beauty sleep for nothing! Going to bed by 11pm (when possible…I understand homework and sports, and studying for finals messes things up).

-Be active. Go for walks, a run, do a workout video, go the gym, stretch, whatever appeals to you…but just move your body! This helps improve circulation and just keeps you healthy overall which will always reflect on your skin. Dancing counts, by the way!

-Keep a simple skin care routine consisting of a gentle cleanser (add a cleansing balm if you have particularly oily skin, live in a densely populated area with air pollution, or wear full make-up), a toner to get any last bit of residue off of your face, and a gentle moisturizer.

-If you’re going to be out in the sun for more than 15 minutes, then add a natural, mineral based sunscreen before applying any makeup.

-Non petroleum based lip balm to keep lips from cracking and peeling.

-If you have particular skin concerns like acne, try a spot treatment made with tea tree oil, niacinamide, or salicylic acid. Dry skin can benefit from a non comedogenic face oil like Rosehip or Sea Buckthorn, just a few drops mixed in with your moisturizer (this will also help with eczema flares). Anything major should, of course, be addressed by a dermatologist.

….and that is really pretty much it!

My last piece of advice is….enjoy your youth. Experience moments away from those screens that tell you what you should look like and how you need to feel. There is magic everywhere if you take a moment to look….and you won’t find that magic at the bottom of a serum bottle. Trust me, I’ve looked. 😉

DISCLAIMER: As an affiliate, I may make a small percentage of some of the sales made via some of the links in my blog.

**header photo by Anna Sheets @pexels