Help - Need advice for daughters first facial wash routine

[pixiesoap]

Hi everyone,

I have a 10 year old 5th grader who is now wanting to use Proactive. She has been asking about it because of course there are a few girls in her class who have started getting acne and in her girl scout troop.

She will be entering the middle school next year. (Im so sad!)

Anyone have any suggestions on some good products to introduce her to washing & moisturizing specifically her face? I was lucky as a teen and never got much acne. I generally get a pimple or 2 around that time of month, and usually around the chin due to facial touching etc.

What are your thoughts on proactive? Should I not really bother letting her use that until she actually shows some signs of breaking out or do you think it is ok to use even before any breakouts really start?

I was also thinking maybe some cleansing towel types. I thought those might be a bit easier seeing how young she is. Those and and a light moisturizer.

Any ideas or thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

 

[katana]

I don't think that she will need something as strong as proactive. Proactive is more of a medicinal wash for severe acne.

If you didn't really get bad acne when you were young, she isn't likely to either.

I would start her on a gentle cleanser instead. Neutrogena is very good.

They also make facial moisturizers and their products are gentle, oil free, fragrence free and meant to treat and prevent break outs. You don't want to start her on anything too strong as it may be to harsh for her skin and she is still very young.

Cleansing clothes are a good idea too, they are easy to use, good to travel with and can be kept in her bag/knapsack for easy access.

 

[Emaria]

I started out with a simple acne face wash once I hit 13. (Lol puberty snuck up on me like a ninja) I generally used the Equate Oil Free Acne Wash and that worked great for a couple of years, though I'm not sure she really needs something that strong as young as she is. 

A really good facewash that I LOVED and helped keep my skin clean and moisturized (I have dry patches and rosacia, though I'm not sure that's how you spell it...)  was the Burt's Bee's radiance cleanser. A pump is all you need and it doesn't irritate the skin. (The red patches on my face were gone by the time I finished the bottle, couldn't find it anywhere near me anymore though. I'm sure that bottle lasted me a good month, so for the price it's worth it. I know Ulta sells it and I think Walmart now carries Burts Bee's, although the selection may be limited.)  Cleansing towels tend to be abrasive for sensitive skin, so just keep an eye out for that.
I wouldn't get her started on proactive. Proactive is generally for severe acne and constant breakouts. BP cleansers would also really irritate her skin at that age.

Aveeno has really good moisturizers and they're really gentle and not heavy. Aveeno also makes a foam cleanser that is gentle too, so that might be something to look into. /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" /> I know my cousin used it with fantastic results, it made her face look very bright and it wasn't irritating at all.

Hope this helped and sorry for the rambling!

 

[myrmillonis]

When i was that age i tried harsh facial things and hated it. I would suggest using natural products like burt's bees, say yes to carrots (cucumbers, blueberry and any other fruits they use) or any other natural product. I always tried to stay away from harsh cleansers when i was young and still do (age 17). if they natural things are too expensive i would suggest making sure things are for sensitive skin or at the very least moisturizing since. I would strongly suggest staying away from proactive because anyone i've ever met who used it (including me) didn't like it and it was made our skin dry out.

Brands i would recommend are

http://yestocarrots.com/

http://www.burtsbees.com/

http://www.neutrogena.com/category/cleansers/neutrogena-+naturals.do?nType=1

http://www.thebodyshop-usa.com/

I currently use The Body Shop I really love their moisturizers, they cost a bit more then drugstore moisturizers (mine cost $18) but they go on sale a lot and are very good. I would suggest the seaweed ones or aloe ones because they are really gentle on your skin.

 

[pixiesoap]

Thank you ladies! I definitely did not want any harsh chemicals, hence my avoidance of ProActive, and I know her skin does not need it. I am amazed some of her friends are using it at such a young age, I did think it was for 12 & older.

I will be looking at many of the suggestions, and I think we will lean towards a wash cloth type for cleansing. Mainly because I told her I could get another brush for her if she wanted to use my clarisonic and she thought it took to long!! LOL. 1 minute is to long for her so I laughed out loud. So quick n easy is what will probably work good for her.

I know both myself and her dad didn't have much acne problems so I had told her proactive would not be good for her but if she was interested in a facial routine I would look for something just right for her and her skin. She is not one to conform to peer pressure or doing what they do so she was not sad in the least when I told her proactive wasn't for her but she said she still wanted to look into a skin routine "so she doesn't get break outs" she said. /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

Thanks again for all the ideas, I greatly appreciate it!

 

[divadoll]

You can get microfibre face cleansing cloths at dollarstores.  They work great in removing dirt and gently exfoliating without being harsh in any way.  I'd just get a gentle castile soap bar like Val's Veggie Bar as a cleanser.  They are all natural.  If you want some mom/daughter time, have a spa day and apply facial masks on the weekends for bonding and make it part of yours and her skin routine.  My daughter is 8 and she and I enjoy the time together.  I don't think she needs moisturizers at 10yrs old.  

You should also  to teach your daughter about the evils of touching her face.  If she doesn't want pimples, first thing is not to touch her face.  People subconsciously touch their face throughout the day.  People, on average, touch their face 600x a day.  Unless she has an irritation, the best prevention of pimples is not to touch your face. 

I didn't have acne problems as a teen either and all we used then was soap and water.  That'll is the skin care routine for my daughter since she could wash her own face and will continue til some kind of intervention is required.