STYLE WEDNESDAY: Spot on tips for teenage skincare

If you’re getting accustomed to the sounds of angsty sighs and whinges from behind the bathroom door, chances are you have a teenager dealing with changing skin.

A bout of angry spots can feel like the end of the world for young girls and getting to know the inside of mum’s beauty cabinet (without perm-ission, naturally) as well conflicting advice from friends and magazines can make for a wobbly initiation into the world of skincare.

Beauty journalist Alice Hart-Davis became aware of the minefield facing teens when her daughter suddenly started asking questions about her looks and routines.

“When Molly was 12, she became mad keen to shave her legs and wouldn’t let the matter drop,” Alice said.

“I said she didn’t need to, the hairs were invisible, but clearly it was something that bothered her and I realised I had to take her seriously.

“Then she started asking what she should use to wash her face and whether she could wear a bit of make-up.” Molly and her mum co-authored Be Beautiful, a book offering need-to-know practical advice for teens.

Many of the tips are handy for debunking beauty myths for big kids, too.

So sit back and swot up. You may not be able to help your daughter with that maths equation or ease her boyfriend woes, but you can boost her confidence in beauty.

THE ‘S’ WORD

Alice says: Spots are basically a side-effect of the hormones that are rampaging around teenagers’ bodies. Everyone will tell you a different way to control or get rid of them.

“If they can keep them under control with tea tree oil or over-the-counter anti-spot products from the chemist, great. But if they are a real problem, go and see your GP.”

TRY: Clean & Clear Advantage Spot Control Kit, £12.99 (Boots); Murad Blemish Complex Kit, £29.95 (www.murad.co.uk); Clearasil Ultra Spot Blocker Pen, £6.82(www.clearasil.co.uk).

COVERT OPERATION

Make-up may be new or unknown territory to your daughter, but a small amount of blemish cover can make pesky spots virtually vanish.

Many teens mistakenly think wearing make-up to cover spots and pimples make them worse, but the right products and methods can help make them disappear, according to Alice.

“If make-up is powder-based and made from minerals it should be fine, she says.

“Powdery make-up helps soak up excess oil. Try not to smother the whole face in make-up. See if she can get by using a medicated blemish-cover stick.”

Blemish sticks contain antiseptic and bacterial ingredients to help dry out the spots and reduce inflammation.

TRY: Green People Oy! Cover & Clear Spot It, £6.99 (01403 740350/www.greenpeople.co.uk); 17 Hide Away Concealer Stick, £3.49 (Boots); Witch Targeting Concealer, £4.99 (Boots).

POCKET MONEY PRODUCTS

What should teens be investing in to kick off a good basic routine?

“A cleanser that won’t dry your skin out, so a soap-free cream or lotion that you can massage on, then remove with a flannel that has been wrung out in hot water,” Alice recommends.

“In the morning, a moisturiser with a built-in SPF of 15. If her skin is on the oily side, a gel moisturiser is more suitable than a creamy one. At night she should only use a moisturiser if skin feels dry after cleansing.

“Tesco has a young-skin brand called My Skin and Dermalogica (Fresh Start) and Neal’s Yard (Power Berry) have both developed teen-specific products.”

Be Beautiful: Every Girl’s Guide to Hair, Skin & Make-up by Alice Hart-Davis & Molly Hindhaugh is published by Walker Books, priced £9.99.

Tried and Tested

LACURA WRINKLE STOP, £6.99 (ALDI) 5/5

This supermarket wonder contains an ingredient called syn-ake that mimics snake venom. Instantly smoothed away frown lines.

L’OREAL PARIS YOUTH CODE REJUVENATING ANTI-WRINKLE CONCENTRATE, £15.99. 2/5

I can’t vouch for the long-term effects of this concentrate containing Biolysate but if you’re seeking instant results this disappoints.

RODIAL GLAMOXY SNAKE SERUM, £125 (www.rodial.co.uk) 3/5

This is another serum that contains syn-ake. It had an immediate freezing effect and my forehead looked tighter but the price is enough to cause frown lines.