About 66% of girls polled in an NPD research say that their primary source of inspiration and learning about makeup are their friends or mothers. I don’t know about you, but I never turned to my mum for makeup advice when I was younger; I learned from the girls at school and the Clinique counters at shopping centres with friends. It’s troubling that most younger girls now wear more make-up, no? Especially considering that older women say they’re using less makeup. I assume it could be several reasons.

How old were you when you first used mascara? Eyeliner/lipstick? Did your mum have a role in teaching you to apply makeup, or did you mostly learn from friends at school? Did your parents permit you to start at a certain age, or did you kind of start doing it? Please Share!

Cosmetics & Young Teens

Shopping for skincare can seem complicated at any stage of a girl’s life; with so many options on the market, including the classics and TikTok trends, purchases across every platform are selling cleansers, moisturisers, serums, and every face tool. At the same time, multi-step routines online are the new trend! The best minimal skincare has also been embraced with open arms recently. Frankly, I’m relieved about saving both time and money.

Products are referenced by age and skin type, whether you’re addressing dryness, oiliness, or a combination of concerns. When it comes to perfecting an efficient routine, today’s teenagers and young adults are undoubtedly leading the way! Yes, it’s almost shameful they can do it better than some of the role models we grow up idealising.

In my honest opinion, simplicity is key nowadays. But what’s it like for young people? Complicated regimes or rich formulas are now added to their daily routines; from what I’ve seen, teens’ skin needs effective, result-driven products that offer a streamlined approach to young, sensitive, blemish-prone skin.

Starting with a simple cleanser, this will be followed by a lightweight moisturiser and additional skincare extras for soothing and blemish-busting, thrown in, too. Oh yes, it’s essential to incorporate a face wash that won’t strip the skin or feel harsh while helping to balance any redness or inflammation. Oh, our younger generation’s work has raised the bar high!

Anyway, given all that, what are the top teen buys that offer reliable skincare solutions in a world full of social media hype? I’ve turned to the next generation of testers and uncovered their favourite daily-use skincare finds.