Beauty Basics for Tweens

Source: Deborah Hernan

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Don't look now, but that little girl checking herself out in the mirror is your daughter. As part of developing their identity, it is typical for tweens to become more focused on their physical attributes. We all know that feeling good about yourself and who you are leads to good self-esteem. So, it makes sense to teach our daughters how to take care of their hair and skin. Knowing yet another way to take care of themselves is an important step in the path to independence.

Here are some tips to help your daughter develop good daily hygiene habits.

• Forgo the word hygiene and talk about taking care of yourself or beauty care.
• Show your daughter how to cleanse her face. Use whatever means you think is easy for her to stay with. Facial wipes or liquid soaps are probably easiest. If you choose a facial wipe, look for one specially formulated for young skin. Most tween girls don't need salicylic acid in their face wipes; it's too drying too soon. 
• Now the most important part of her beauty care: moisturize and protect. Invest in a combination moisturizer and sunscreen product that is not the heavy, goop type. Get her a product that is lightweight and dries down with no sticky or white residue. If she likes the tactile properties of a product, she will use it more frequently. Show her how to apply it (always upward) and how to gently dab it around her eye area. 
• In her tween years, she is probably starting to shower more than bathe just in the interest of time. Whatever her preference, she should do it every day. Whether she embraces this part of her beauty care or not, knowing she showers regularly adds to her self confidence. Night time is usually the best time for this activity because it is a great way for her to relax before bed. Find her a 2-in-1 shampoo and body wash product so the process is easy. 
• Short, long, curly or straight, she should use a good detangler and conditioner after every shampoo. It will enable her to manage her own hair. After a good comb-through, have her pull her hair off her face for bedtime. Use elastics without metal. A natural bristle brush and a wide tooth comb should be her beauty tools. Whether she makes a ponytail, a braid or a bun, getting her in the habit of pulling her hair off her face at night will be one of the best things she can do for her skin as she moves into her teen years. Leaving hair on her face while she is sleeping can make her skin oily and prone to blemishes.
• Encourage her to use a body lotion to moisturize her skin. Teach her to apply the lotion to her slightly damp (but not wet) skin. While you may not think this is very important now, it is an important part of her ongoing beauty care.
• Many girls are worried about body odor. Talk to her about applying powder to areas where she perspires--under her arms, and in her private areas. She doesn't need to use a deodorant, and definitely doesn't need an anti-perspirant at this age.
• No matter the season, all girls need lip balm because they can't stop from biting their lips, or the weather make their lips chapped. A fun lip balm is more likely to be used than one that looks medicinal. Be sure her lip balm has an SPF factor of at least 15.

Make beauty care and daily hygiene synonymous. Give her a healthy perspective of beauty care for the rest of her life.

Deborah Hernan is the founder of Ottilie & Lulu skin and hair care for tween girls. As the mother of a tween, and a former cosmetic executive, Deborah believes it is important for girls to have a healthy beauty perspective based on good hygiene with products that are specially formulated for young girl's skin and hair.