The 5 ingredients to keep off kids’ skin

Summary

Podcast Summary: "The 5 Ingredients to Keep Off Kids’ Skin"

Podcast: This Is So Awkward
Hosts: Dr. Cara Natterson & Vanessa Kroll Bennett
Date: June 9, 2026
Theme: Guiding parents and kids through the booming skincare trends targeting tweens and teens, with science-backed advice on which ingredients to avoid and which to embrace for healthy, developing skin.

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Episode Overview

This episode tackles the "so awkward" yet now nearly unavoidable topic of tweens and teens obsessed with skincare. Cara and Vanessa examine ingredient lists, industry trends, and emotional pitfalls from the perspective of both adolescent biology and cultural pressure. Relying heavily on the expertise of Dr. Angela Casey, a dermatologist and founder of Bright Girl Beauty, they aim to empower parents and kids to make safe, informed choices: which ingredients to steer far from, which are scientifically beneficial, and how to handle the tricky conversations in a sea of influencer marketing.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Skincare Craze and Cultural Pressures (03:10–06:10)

• Kids, regardless of gender, are the targets of aggressive marketing for beauty products—this isn’t just a "girl problem".
• The hosts cite investigations like Italy’s probe into Sephora's covert marketing—a signal this is becoming a societal and even a public health concern.
• Terms like "cosmetic correctia" (an unhealthy obsession with skin/cosmetics) reflect how new and overwhelming this landscape is for families.

Memorable Quote:
"These children are not the bad actors here and also you're not a bad parent if you've allowed your kid to participate. It's really hard to push back on tsunamis of cultural trends as a parent.”
— Vanessa (05:04)

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2. Why Kids' Skin is Different (07:34–12:30)

• Skin barrier in children is immature, evolves during puberty, and is more fragile in tweens and teens.
• Hormonal shifts bring increased oil production and thin out the skin barrier, especially in the “T-zone," chest, and back—areas prone to acne.
• There’s no universal “safe age” for introducing certain products because development is highly individual.

Memorable Quotes:
"The immune barrier of the skin also evolves and changes and matures through the adolescent years. This kind of explains why sometimes one product might work really well for a while, and then suddenly it's like, what is happening?”
— Cara (00:30 & 09:52)

"The conversations can and should start before nine because once they hit that tween stride, they're kind of grooving on their own. Right. You know what they don't need by the time they're nine, Vanessa? They don't need anti-aging products."
— Cara (12:04)

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3. The Five Ingredients to Avoid

(Deep focus: 13:05–41:37)

1. Retinols & Retinoids (Vitamin A Derivatives)

Why avoid:

• Overstimulate thin, immature skin; can cause irritation, sensitivity, and sunburn.
• Often found in anti-aging products; best left for adult or dermatologist-supervised use for specific skin issues (like severe acne).
• Kids are unlikely to adhere to the strict sunscreen routine needed if using these.

Memorable Quotes:
"When you put retinol on top of the skin or a retinoid...it can actually exacerbate that sensitivity. When dermatologists prescribe Retin A to kids, they talk to them about this...do not put this on in the morning, put this on at night. And you must wear sunscreen.”
— Cara (18:56)

2. Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs) – Glycolic, Lactic, Mandelic Acids

Why avoid:

• Can be irritating, break down skin barrier, and lack sufficient safety data for kids.
• Story shared: Vanessa’s child had a bad reaction with redness and dryness after using a parent’s glycolic acid face wash.

Quote:
"What worked totally great on my skin was a disaster for their skin.”
— Vanessa (24:23)

3. Chemical Sunscreens (Oxybenzone, Avobenzone, Octinoxate, etc.)

Why avoid:

• Absorbed into the bloodstream; chemicals show up in urine after use.
• Possible endocrine disruption, irritation, and unknown long-term safety.
• Healthier alternatives exist (see “yes” list).

Quote:
"If it says oxybenzone on the ingredient list, put it back on the shelf and do not buy it.”
— Cara (26:31)

4. Physical Exfoliants (Scrubs & Microbeads)

Why avoid:

• Cause microtears and long-term skin barrier damage.
• Especially harmful for kids with acne; may worsen inflammation and hyperpigmentation.

Quote:
"These kids also get pretty aggressive with scrubs. They often have abrasions and tears in the skin...Some people who have tears...end up getting hyperpigmentation...especially people who have darker skin.”
— Cara (31:45)

5. Drying Alcohols (Astringents & Toners)

Why avoid:

• Initially reduce oil but trigger rebound oil production and more acne.
• Lead to irritation and inflammation, not lasting clarity.

Quote:
"You can use a drying alcohol. And 12 hours later, your skin looks amazing...But what happens another day or two after that? The oil glands start going into hyperdrive to produce more oil that you just removed. And actually it can make acne or zits even worse.”
— Cara & Vanessa (40:28)

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4. The Five Ingredients that Are Okay (and Good) for Kids

(41:37–55:43)

1. Mineral Sunscreens (Zinc Oxide, Titanium Dioxide)

• Physical barrier that sits on the skin, not absorbed.
• Modern formulas are less pasty-white than old versions, some are tinted for extra UV protection.
• Best for cancer and wrinkle prevention, with no endocrine disruption.

Quote:
"The active ingredients in mineral sunscreens...are either zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. In the old days...mineral sunscreens [meant] a big white face. But now there are so many versions that go on that do not look quite as white.”
— Cara (41:54)

2. Hyaluronic Acid

• A "humectant": draws and locks in moisture (holds 1,000x its weight in water).
• Safe, soothing, non-comedogenic; supports healthy barrier and healing.

3. Ceramides

• These natural skin lipids support and replenish the barrier.
• Great for sensitive, dry, or acne-prone skin.
• Frequently found in brands like CeraVe, a pediatrician and dermatologist favorite.

Quote:
"Ceramides are wonderful. And if it feels like a sophisticated ingredient that a tween wants to get into, great, fine. Totally you do you.”
— Cara (49:23)

4. Niacinamide (Vitamin B3)

• Helps regulate oil, reduce inflammation, and shrink the visible size of pores.
• Found in many moisturizers, serums, and cleansers.

5. Salicylic Acid

• Especially useful for acne-prone skin; helps unclog pores and reduce inflammation.
• Should be used in low concentrations (0.5–2%) and slowly introduced to avoid irritation.

Recommended approach: Test on a small patch; just because it works for one kid, doesn’t mean it works for all (55:43).

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5. Tactics for Parent-Kid Communication (51:43–57:14)

• Empower kids to research and share their findings, even creating presentations on their preferred products' ingredient lists.
• Foster media literacy: help them see influencers’ and advertisers’ motives.
• Build science-based routines and self-care habits that are about health, not beauty culture.

Quote:
"We get to talk to kids. They love learning the science. They love science that helps them understand their bodies, understand what they should be doing for and with their bodies."
— Vanessa (56:10)

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6. Empowering, Not Shaming, Kids (35:25, 53:14, 55:43)

• Emphasize empathy for the emotional struggle of skin issues.
• Approach “no’s” and limits with kindness—kids aren’t at fault for cultural trends.
• Celebrate “boring” but effective habits: cleaning with a fresh washcloth, simple gentle cleansers, and focusing on health over hype.

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• On setting boundaries:
  "If you have a teen...this is a really important part of the conversation…we can get you a prescription to treat your acne, but you gotta know what the other responsibilities are if you’re using this…” — Vanessa (20:50)

• On skin sensitivity and trends:
  “I gave it to one of my kids…within two days, their skin was like fire…really uncomfortable. What worked for me was a disaster for them.” — Vanessa (24:23)

• On the power of marketing:
  “This is a way for them to gain agency...They want to use products that will have an effect that goes in a positive direction, not in a negative direction." — Cara (52:35)

• On empathy:
  “It’s easy to get annoyed and frustrated with kids about this stuff, and I think we cannot forget that this is a really big emotional issue for them, and we have to figure out ways to be supportive while also setting limits.” — Vanessa (34:17)

• On essential tools:
  “If there’s one piece of advice you take away from this episode, it is…the clean washcloth.” — Cara (35:52)

• On parent priorities:
  “If you’re spending all this money on your kids skincare and you’re not taking care of your own skin…I think there’s a rejiggering in the offing here. This is me giving it to you [a boost of confidence].” — Vanessa (58:14)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• 03:10–06:10 — Cultural & marketing landscape for kids’ skincare
• 07:34–12:30 — Why and how kids’ skin is different
• 13:05–41:37 — The five ingredients to avoid (detailed breakdowns and stories)
  • 13:05 — Retinols and Retinoids
  • 22:28 — Alpha Hydroxy Acids
  • 26:24 — Chemical Sunscreens
  • 31:00 — Physical Exfoliants
  • 39:12 — Drying Alcohols
• 41:37–55:43 — The five ingredients that are good for kids
  • 41:37 — Mineral Sunscreens
  • 44:41 — Hyaluronic Acid
  • 46:07 — Ceramides
  • 49:32 — Niacinamide
  • 54:03 — Salicylic Acid
• 51:43–57:14 — Tactics for kids' engagement, emotional support, and science-based boundaries
• 58:14 — Final empowering thoughts for parents (self-care and shifting priorities)

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Summary Table: NO & YES Ingredient List

| Avoid for Kids/Teens | Why | OK for Kids/Teens | Why | |------------------------|----------------------------------------|----------------------|----------------------------------------------| | Retinols/Retinoids | Sensitize/irritate, sun risk, exec. function demands | Mineral Sunscreens | Block UV, not absorbed, no hormone effect | | Alpha Hydroxy Acids | Barrier breakdown, irritation, data gaps | Hyaluronic Acid | Hydrating, safe, non-comedogenic | | Chemical Sunscreens | Hormonal, irritant, absorbed in body | Ceramides | Barrier-repair, gentle, non-comedogenic | | Physical Exfoliants | Microtears, inflammation, infection risk | Niacinamide | Oil balance, anti-inflammatory, pore minimization | | Drying Alcohols | Over-drying, rebound oil, irritation | Salicylic Acid | Acne-fighting, anti-inflammatory (patch test & slow intro) |

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Final Takeaways

• Kids’ and teens’ skin is uniquely sensitive to both social and chemical influences—protect it with simple, gentle, evidence-based products.
• Ingredient savvy is key: teach children (and yourself!) to read beyond the hype.
• Empathy, humor, and facts—plus the “clean washcloth”—are your best tools in navigating awkward, ever-shifting skincare trends.

"Some things are just for later—not never. And mineral sunscreen? Every day. You’ll hate us now, you’ll thank us later." — Cara (57:14)

Transcript

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Kids and their parents need to understand that the immune barrier of the skin also evolves and changes and matures through the adolescent years. So this kind of explains why sometimes one product might work really well for a while, and then suddenly it's like, what is happening? Hi, Vaness.

[A]

Hi, Cara.

[B]

Your skin looks great today.

[A]

Oh, why, thank you. So does yours.

[B]

It's very on brand on topic for today's conversation. Vanessa, you know, you and I have talked about the topic of the beauty industry with respect to kids, tweens and teens. We've talked about a little bit around health and safety. But this episode is dedicated to the issue with all those skin care products that are not just being purchased by kids, but are actually now being sold to them. And the questions that we're going to answer, like, does it matter if kids use them? Right. There's all this noise, like, could they do harm? Right. Could they possibly do anything, any good? It's another question. So let's, like, go there with a conversation that people have been asking us to have for a very long time, right?

[A]

I mean, we first covered this a couple of years ago. We talked about it with Rachel Simmons. We covered it on social about the way our culture demonizes, particularly like, tween and teen girls and how, you know, oh, nobody wants to go to Sephora anymore because the girls are, you know, clogging up the aisles. And our position early on was really about, like, hey, these kids are being marketed to. And we're not demonizing children for responding marketing that was designed to suck them into this product. But the trend hasn't gone away. And let's be honest, it's not just about girls. Kids of all genders have been sucked into the powerful marketing campaigns selling beauty and cosmetic and hair care products to them. So we want to level set, first of all on that. And there's even, like, deeper thinking and work going into this topic. I mean, Italy, the government of Italy is investigating Sephora and benefit from for covertly marketing to children and furthering what they call cosmetic correctia, which is, they describe as an unhealthy skin care obsession. So they see it as a way of negatively affecting, in this case in the Italian investigation, teen girls mental health. I mean we are seeing like this is now sort of being pathologized actually in certain cultures.

[B]

Yes. Although I'm sort of, I'm stuck on that word a little bit because it almost sounds like you consume less in the way of cosmetics, not more if you go with the right.

[A]

I think it's along the terms of orthorexia, which is like an obsession as opposed to a restriction of.

[B]

But it's, it is like how crazy that we are living in a world where there is actually a faux diagnostic term being shared out there that fairly describes a real phenomenon among kids. This obsession with the stuff, the serums, the cleansers, the moisturizers, peptides. Right. All the things that people are putting into and onto their skin, many of which are aimed at beauty as people age, but are directly targeting younger kids who like, I mean, they consume these products in stunning numbers. Vanessa Stunning Wrinkle Cream. I don't. It's fascinating. It's fascinating.

[A]

Right. So it all goes back to what these kids are being told is valuable about them, what they should value about themselves. It also, you know, is social for them. These children are not the bad actors here and also you're not a bad parent if you've allowed your kid to participate. Like, it's really hard to push back on tsunamis of cultural trends as a parent. But what we want to do today is give you really good information, much of which of the science comes from Dr. Angela Casey, who's a dermatologist and a founder of Bright Girl Beauty, which is, she created a line of skincare products for tween and teen girls specifically in response to what's happening out in the world. I use her products, I use her products, kids, my kids use her products. And she's just a wealth of information and really science based guidance. So we're going to rely on some of her in depth dermatology expertise and then use that as a jumping off point to a broader conversation.

[B]

Yeah. Angela's line is called Bright Girl. And the only issue I have with what she makes is that she gendered it in the naming. I think she's regretting it too because it is fabulous for all kids. And. But we went to her and we said, Angela, help us understand. We want to know the five worst actors. We want to know the five ingredients to stay away from and we want to know the five ingredients that you should actually look for on the label because they might help skin. They might be healthy and beneficial in the long run. And Angela, boy, did she ace the assignment. She sent us a book. Basically, she sent us such a detailed analysis of the ingredient list. So we will get into that. This is a great episode to listen to with tweens and teens. If you have a kid who is curious to understand what they should and shouldn't put on their skin, press pause, go get them, and then listen to the rest of this episode.

[A]

And if you're struggling to set limits with them about what they can and can't buy, this is really helpful so they understand the science as to why you're set saying no to certain things and why you're willing to say yes to other things.

[B]

That's right. That's right. And I want to frame things from the start. So the way Angela approached her homework with us was she said, okay, let's ask the question, what changes in the skin or in the body makes a particular ingredient move from the no list when they're younger to the yes list when they're older? Which is such a great framing, because the first question kids have is, well, why can't I use it? If you can use it, why can't I use it? And Angela's like, okay, let's start here. When you are younger, you have an immature skin barrier, right? And that skin barrier shifts and changes. It matures as you go through childhood, through the tween and teen years, and into adulthood during puberty in particular. And adrenarche, which we know tend to happen at the same time, but not always in all people. But through puberty and adrenarche, you have these hormonal shifts, and you have changes in the oil production in the skin. And the increased oil production in the skin changes the skin's natural chemical barrier. And what happens during the tween and teen years is there is actually a thinner skin barrier in specific affected areas. So my favorite is the T zone, Right? It's across the forehead and down the nose. That is a naming convention we've had at least since I was a teenager.

[A]

Brings me back to the Noxzema days.

[B]

100%. But also you get thinner skin in the other places, places you see acne, chest and upper back. Vanessa. Which is amazing. And the other thing Angela said to us is kids and their parents need to understand that the immune barrier of the skin, the way the skin defends itself, also evolves and changes and matures through the adolescent years. So this kind of explains why sometimes one product might work really well for a while and then suddenly it's like

[A]

what is happening also with kids entering puberty and adrenarchy at different ages across like a fairly wide age range. Right. Like anywhere between 8 and 14 is considered, quote, normal. That means that there's not really a hard and fast rule in terms of the age at which it's okay. Because everybody's body is developing at different times at different speeds. And so this is where the it depends language will come in and you know, seeing where your kid is on their development and how long hormones have been running around their bodies and brains affecting their skin and other parts of their development.

[B]

So running them up.

[A]

Yes, exactly. So unfortunately we can't say to you, okay, not before X age or definitely after Y age because it's really kid dependent. Like all of this physical development, it really depends.

[B]

And also their emotional development. Right. So like you've got eight year olds who are starting to be independent, they're starting to be self aware, they want to focus on their personal hygiene. I know plenty of 8 year olds who don't by the way. And that's fine.

[A]

But they all lived in my house.

[B]

Exactly. Come sit by me. But you've got that starting to emerge, emerge in the tween years. You've got this desire for consistency. Routines in this age demo. Why? Because routines are associated with a feeling of security, of regularity and agency. If I know what I'm supposed to do, then I can do it myself. So that's what starts to emerge in the early tween years. And there's research that actually shows that habits and routines are pretty solidified by age 9, which is fascinating to me and explains everything about flossing. I'm like, oh God, if you can't

[A]

floss, I'm really hoping, I'm assuming my children are the outliers in that because there were great strides in consistency much later than the age of nine, let's just put it that way.

[B]

Yes. And we all have evolved past our nine year old selves. But it's pretty interesting when you talk about sort of what is the age readiness for all of this. I think the conversations can and should start before nine because once they hit that tween stride, they're kind of grooving on their own. Right. You know what they don't need by the time they're nine, Vanessa? They don't need anti aging products.

[A]

That's what they don't need even though some of them are using them. So let's start out, Cara, with that promised list of bad actors, many of which are sitting in our medicine cabinets for the purposes of anti aging. But let's talk about those and really give people a sense of what they are, how they work and why it's concerning for younger skin and not so concerning for our aged elephant textured skin.

[B]

Oh, that's such a beautiful visual for those who are not looking at us on YouTube. Okay, well, let's start with bad actor number one. And it deserves its top rank on the list. I'm not going to go number five to number one. I'm going to start right at number one. And number one is retinols and retinoids. These are the ingredients that I think I would suggest, I know Angela would suggest you steer clear of the most in the tween and teen years. So just so you understand what these terms mean, if you're not cosmetic literate, a retinoid is something that's in the family of vitamin A. So it's vitamin A derivatives. A retinol is one type of retinoid. Okay, so retinol is sort of like squares and rectangles, right? A retinol is a type of retinoid. Retinoids in general go into or onto the body and then they have to be converted into their active form. But a retinol goes onto the body in its active form, which is what makes it A, so effective and B, a prescription. In most cases, you can get some retinol sometimes without prescriptions, but they tend to be lower potent. Okay, what do they do? This whole class increases skin cell turnover. So why does that matter? Because our skin is constantly renewing itself. Our skin cells are appearing, they're aging and they're dying and sloughing off. Right. We have dead skin cells slough off every single day. If that process happens a little bit faster, you have these plumper, juicier skin cells that are close to the top of the surface. And your skin looks younger, right? It looks plumper and more moist. When you increase your skin cell turnover, pores will unplug because it's dead skin cells that so often cover the opening of the pore. And pigment, which also accumulates in inside the skin cell pigment, will disperse a little bit more. You won't get these especially like blackheads and stuff that's pigmented material in the pore. And finally, when you increase your cell turnover, you build more collagen. So this is why a lot of People our age, Vanessa, think of retinols and retinoids as magical serums. But for younger kids, they are really not recommended. We'll be right back. But first, a word from our sponsors.

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[B]

I mean, not everything on the no list, but a lot of the things on the no list are going to be things where you're going to ask that same question. Like, wait a second. But this is part of a routine prescription path for kids. When they go to a dermatologist, they might get this thing. The thing is about retinols in general is that you've got this skin barrier in tweens and teens that is immature, right? You've got hormones circulating, you've got oils coming to the surface. You've got increased sensitivity on the skin as a result. Sometimes your skin barrier is compromised because you either get really dried out or you get a lot of acne and inflammation as a result of all these shifts. And all of this can ladder up to a lot of irritation and a lot of sensitivity. Now, when you put retinol on top of the skin or a retinoid on top of the skin, it can actually exacerbate that sensitivity. And in fact, when dermatologists prescribe Retin A to kids, they talk to them about this. They explain the issues around sensitivity, particularly sun sensitivity. So a dermatologist will say 25 times, do not put this on in the morning, put this on at night. And you must wear sunscreen in the morning. Right? So, Vanessa, that's the difference. It's like if I'm a kid walking into Fill in the Blank Superstore makeup and cosmetic Superstore and I want to grab one of these products and I don't understand what's going on with my skin. And I put it on in the morning and I walk out into the sun and I don't put on my sunscreen and I don't wear my hat and all of that. You know what happens to my face, right? It turns bright red.

[A]

This gets back to your comment earlier, Cara, about executive functioning and routine and kind of establishing good habits. Because this is an area where it's really dangerous if kids are using it and not following the advice of using sunscreen as well. So it's all tied in not just to the medical reality, but also to the social, emotional reality and maturity of kids. And are they capable of handling it. So if you have a teen who, you know, you're going to the dermatologist and you're thinking about it, this is a really important part of the conversation to have. Like, hey, we can get you a prescription to treat your acne, but you gotta know what the other responsibilities are if you're using this. So.

[B]

And then there's the really annoying part where you, Vanessa, or me, Cara, can tell my own kids exactly the same information that the dermatologist is going to tell them. And, you know, how does that story end?

[A]

Hopefully more often they listen to the dermatologist than they listen to us. And most often they will listen to their friends, their older cousins, older siblings, older camp counselors, more than they would listen to any adult who's giving them advice. So again, use that hack to get them to listen to someone about the sunscreen. Carl, let's move on to the alpha hydroxy acids, which again, it like, brings me back to the TV commercials of our youth. But this has become an even more widespread part of cosmetic and skin care products. What are they? What do they do, why do we use them? And why are they not great for young skin?

[B]

Okay, so ingredient number two, to avoid alpha hydroxy acids, glycolic acid, lactic acid, mandelic acid. There are others. These remove dead skin cells. They also will deal with aging, fine lines and wrinkles through collagen production, stimulation of collagen production. Similar sounds, very similar story, right, to the retinols. As a result of removing the dead skin cells and stimulating collagen, the surface texture looks smoother. And also you've got the pigmentation benefits. So it's a very, very similar outcome to the group of serums that we just talked about. Interestingly, alpha hydroxy acids can be very helpful with acne. Okay. And they can really help hydrate the skin. But Angela had, you know, three asterisks around this. Same issues as with the retinol. So the skin barrier breaks down, there's irritation. And this one lacks clinical studies on safety in teens.

[A]

And I will say I use a, I don't know, over the counter face wash that has glycolic acid. And I must have given it to one of my kids. I don't know, they ran out of face wash or something. And I sort of wasn't thinking and didn't look at. I also recently had to double check that it doesn't have the Micro beads in it because it has like a little bit. Oh, we're gonna talk about conversation. But I gave it to one of my kids. I was like, oh, I have an extra use this. And within two days, their skin was like fire breaking out a fire engine. It was like bright red, super dry, like really uncomfortable. And I felt terrible because I just was like, trying to be helpful. And instead, what worked totally great on my skin was a disaster for their skin.

[B]

Right? And here's the great conversation to have. When you're in a cosmetic aisle of any kind of store, including online shopping, if you can say to the kid who is with you, I don't know what the outcome will be on your skin. Your face might look great and it might turn fire engine red. Usually that is enough to stop them from consuming that product. Because it's one thing to have a rash on your torso that you can cover up with a T shirt. It is really hard when your face turns beet red or gets flaky or it breaks out with all sorts of hives, inflammation, acne. It's not hideable. And for all of the wonder of the sticker applications over zits that sort of say, hey, I'm comfortable with my pimples, that is one thing. This is sort of a different thing. This is from forehead to chin and down the neck, you turn a different color and it feels very vulnerable. And kids don't want that. So that is, I mean, if, if they're asking for a product with alpha hydroxy acids in it, that is sort of what I would tell them is I, I just don't know what your skin response is going to be. And I don't know about long term safety. So I'd rather you choose something that doesn't have it.

[A]

Cara. Now let's talk about the endlessly challenging topic of sunscreen, which is like, on some level, I'm just grateful if my kids ever want to put sunscreen on, ever actually do it, even though I asked them over and over again. But let's talk specifically about chemical sunscreens, because these were on Angela's list of no fly zones.

[B]

Yes. Chemical sunscreens made number three on the list. And I'm going to do my best to pronounce some of the ingredients that you should look for. The one that I tell everybody, everyone to look for. I've been saying this literally since I wrote Dangerous or safe in 2010. I've been like yelling from the rafters. If it says oxybenzone on the ingredient list, put it Back on the shelf and do not buy it. Avobenzone, Oxybenzone, Octinoxate, octocrylene. Octocrylene. I think that's how you say Vanessa Camsul. There are all these products that are chemicals in. This is the bummer of it all. In the cheap sunscreens that you buy, okay? These are the affordable ones. When you're like, I don't want to spend $45 on a tiny tube. When I can spend 4.99, I'm gonna get 4.99. It's got SPF and it's like, yeah, but it's got Oxybenzone. And why does it matter that it's got Oxybenzone? Because the way chemical sunscreens work is that they absorb into your skin and then they act like a sponge. They absorb the UV rays. Mineral sunscreens, which we're going to talk about in a little bit. Spoiler alert. On the good list, mineral sunscreens sit on top of the skin. But chemical sunscreens must be absorbed by the body in order to work. And there are amazing studies that show that when people put chemical sunscreen on their body and then they pee in a cup, those chemicals are in their urine. Like, we know the absorption is complete. And there is not great data about long term health outcomes with these chemical sunscreen ingredients. So that to me, is one great example of where I once heard this lecture. And the name of the woman who gave the lecture is escaping me, but it'll come back by the end of this episode. And she basically said, you either pay for it at the grocery store or you pay for it it at the hospital. And this is a great example of that. You either pay for your healthy sunscreen at the checkout counter or you may pay for it in long term health issues. Chemical sunscreens, on top of like 10, 20, 30 years down the road causing problems can be very irritating. Skin eyes, when kids rub them in their eyes. By the way, PSA here for when you use sunscreen, please, please, please use sunscreen that you put on manually, whether that's lotion or a roll on or using a wipe. But the sprays, the aerosol eye sprays, you inhale a lot of that sunscreen and it's really, really not good for the lungs. So it causes irritation. Chemical sunscreen can also cause endocrine disruption. Vanessa, which you and I both know, and we're going to get into this in a second, can change the path through puberty. And then in order for them to Work. You actually have to apply them in advance of going outside, like 30 minutes or more. So I want you to take the executive function skill of a tween and now convince that kid to A, actually put the sunscreen on And B, wait 30 minutes until they then go outside.

[A]

A lot of expectations there. So I'm actually going to go look at my list of. I'm going to go look in my medicine cabinet, actually and see what I bought for my kids. Because now I'm slightly concerned.

[B]

I mean, the good news, Vanessa, is these ingredients will be on the label as opposed to.

[A]

They'll actually be listed.

[B]

They will. As opposed to fragrance, which can also be endocrine disrupting, which does not have to be listed. So that's kind of a nice thing. I really like sunscreens that use a no list. Have you heard of these? Yeah. So they're like this sunscreen has no phthalates, parabens, oxybenzone, and it's a very easy way of going. Oh, okay. I like this list of things. When we talk about earlier puberty, the very specific endocrine disrupting claim with these ingredients is that girls have the archy breast development earlier than they would otherwise. There are not a ton of studies that document this, Vanessa. This is not like locked causal effect. I would say there's a high correlation and I hope there are more studies that can point to causation, but we're not quite there yet.

[A]

Okay, so let's move to physical exfoliants. Again, memories cropping up here. The apricot. The St. Ives apricot scrub. It was a real. Was a real favorite. Why are these concerning Cara? Why should we not have been using them in seventh grade? Why are they concern and like, how do we. I mean, we're going to get to what we replace it with, but, like, what's worrying about these products?

[B]

Yeah. So it's number four on Angela's list. These exfoliants are like the beads you were talking about earlier in that cleanser that you gave your kids.

[A]

They did not have micro beads, by the way. But I did check. I was feeling very, very virtu. That I check to make sure.

[B]

Proud of you. Excellent.

[A]

Yes, thank you.

[B]

What's incredible about the exfoliants is like the grittier the better is the claim. Right. Like literally. It's like if you have sandpaper that's supposed to be. Right. It's ridiculous. They're actually physical elements inside, usually a cleanser or scrub. They're often called scrubs. It could be stones. It can be seeds, it can be shells, walnut shells, like, I mean, rice flour is another example of a common exfoliant ingredient. And they're just abrasives. They just literally scrub away dead skin cells. Which I don't know about you, but I have this dry brush that I started using, I don't know, a year or two ago on my skin. Before I take a shower, I use this exfoliant that's just bristles and you just dry. Okay. But I'm in my 50s and my skin needs the help removing those dead skin cells. If 20 year olds, if 15 year olds, 10 year olds use those dry brushes, the likelihood that their skin gets really irritated in the moment. And the skin barrier that we talked about, that's shifting and changing, that the skin barrier is long term damaged, the likelihood of that is actually pretty high. Right. These kids also get pretty aggressive with scrubs. They often have a. Abrasions and tears in the skin. You know, because you're an honorary doctor, that if you have a tear in the skin, the bacteria that live on the skin, the microbiome can get underneath and can cause an infection under the skin. Some people who have tears in the skin end up getting hyperpigmentation as their skin heals. Especially. This is so interesting to me, the way pigment works, but especially people who have darker skin. At baseline, their skin tends to hyperpigment more with trauma and inflammation. And this is the group that I, my heart goes out to the most are the kids with terrible acne who are trying to do the thing that they're hearing about on social media, which is scrub away that top layer of dead cells and dirt and all this and your acne will get better. And instead their acne gets worse, they're producing more, more oil, they're getting more inflamed and they're getting infected because of all the skin trauma. So I've never met a dermatologist who is into physical exfoliants for tweens and teens. And if you are a kid listening to this, take their advice.

[A]

Yeah. And I just, I think it's a good moment just to recognize that having skin issues, right. So we talked about the sort of. It's in vogue and kids are sort of following these trends to kind of keep up with each other and with cultural trends and what they see on TikTok. But there's also kids who are struggling with acne or other skin conditions that make them feel really crummy emotionally. And so when we have these conversations with them, when we set limits and boundaries about what they can and can't use, what you're willing to pay for or not pay for. You know, remembering to have that empathy for what they're struggling with and being kind in the refusal either to buy it or in your advice that they shouldn't be using it if they have gone out and made that investment. It's easy to get annoyed and frustrated with kids about this stuff, and I think we cannot forget that this is a really big emotional issue for them, and we have to figure out ways to be supportive of them while also setting limits.

[B]

I want to shout out to one unsung hero, the washcloth. I do want to say, like, in our effort to get kids not to exfoliate, I think we've undersold the value of the washcloth.

[A]

So the clean washcloth.

[B]

Okay, so if there is one piece of advice that you take away from this episode, it is, Vanessa. The clean washcloth.

[A]

The clean washcloth. That's why I love staying in a hotel, because there's just a pile of clean washcloth I get to use.

[B]

And the reason I really, really think this deserves a spotlight and like its name and lights is when you wash your face at the end of the day and you just splash it with water and pat dry, you do not have the pleasure of actually seeing what is coming off your skin compared to when you wash your face with cleanser. Then use a moist washcloth or some sort of cloth, and you wipe away the dirt. And what you will notice is you see so much, except if you're using one of those black makeup towels, but you see so much on the washcloth that you're often inclined to kind of do another round. And you realize, oh, on that second round, there's even more coming off. And what would I have not removed from my face if I hadn't used washcloth? I'm also going to shout out, I don't remember what the brand name is, and if I find it, I will specify. But both of my kids have started using these disposable washcloths. They come in packs that look like diaper wipes, but they are dry and they feel like washcloths on your skin. They're dry and you wash your face, you use them like a towel, and then you throw them away. And for kids who are in situations where they are in charge of their laundry and they're not going to do their laundry regularly, it is not the most environmental way to manage the situation, but it is a really hygienic way. We'll Be right back. But first, a word from our sponsors. This Father's Day, when you ship UPS Air at the UPS store, your items arrive on time or your money back guaranteed at no extra cost. It's like the father of all shipping services. It shows up to the airport way too early. Early just to play it safe. It's overprotective about all the things that truly matter. And it's always prom, especially to be with family. Make it your first choice to celebrate your dad. Ship UPS Air with our money back guarantee exclusively at the UPS Store US retail locations. Visit the upsstore.com airshipping for full details. Terms and conditions apply. Some things work better together, like NARS

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Marvel Television's Daredevil Born Again now streaming only on Disney plus. Okay, let's go to number five on our list. And number five, Vanessa is going to take you down memory lane.

[A]

Oh my God.

[B]

Drying alcohols. Go.

[A]

So I mean, I can still picture the pale aqua bottle and the smell of it. And it's funny actually, because when I get a manicure, I feel like they're using the same stuff that we used to use on our skin. Now, I could be, I could be wrong about that, but it's like, it's like the smell of adolescence, actually. And it's is the astringent.

[B]

It's the astringent. And that's what you're smelling actually in those products. In a nail salon, they do use some astringents. The drying alcohols are also found in toners. So these are very similar products that are sold on two different shelves in stores. Toners are the beauty product version. Astringent are like the cleaning version. But both of them do the same thing. They strip your natural protective oils to dry out your skin. And we've talked about this on the Podcast before you can use a drying alcohol. And 12 hours later, your skin looks amazing. Not a pimple in sight. But what happens another day or two after that?

[A]

Yeah, the oil glands start going into hyperdrive to produce more oil that you just removed. And actually it can make acne or zits even worse.

[B]

Rebound oil production. You also, with alcohols, everyone knows this. You, when you get dry, you get irritated, right? When you get irritated, you get inflamed, you get those micro tears. All the same things that we just talked about with the physical exfoliants. So resist the temptation to use something that's drying. If you need to use something that's drying, my best advice is to spot treat. So Q tips are really not good for the ears, but they're great if you use just a little bit of drying alcohol and just do a little dot on one pimple and that little top of the pimple, and you just see if that helps dry up that one tiny little pimple in that one tiny little section. There's also the toothpaste trick that people have been using for generations, and that is putting some. Just a little bit of toothpaste on a pimple as well. It just works to dry it out. It can irritate some skin, but for other people, it works wonders. Vanessa, I'm excited to get to the part where we get to say the good stuff.

[A]

Right? So we've gotten through the five no no's. Let's get to the good stuff. Let's start with the ones that yet again, may. May not be so easy to convince our kids to use, which are mineral sunscreens. Like, talk us through why those are. Are good.

[B]

Yeah. So we talked a little bit about the bad part of chemical sunscreens. This is the opposite. Mineral sunscreens do not get absorbed into the skin like chemical sunscreens. They sit on top of the skin and they're like shields. They protect us from UV rays in that way. The active ingredients in mineral sunscreens that make them work so effectively are either zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. In the old days, Vanessa, these active ingredients were also what made mineral sunscreens a no way Jose situation for kids. Because when you put zinc oxide on your skin, what happens?

[A]

It just sits there. So you have a big white face or.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Fully white arms or whatever surface you're putting them on, and it.

[B]

It's not.

[A]

Doesn't look so hot.

[B]

Yeah, yeah. It's not the look most people are going for. But now there are so many versions of mineral sunscreen that go on that do not look quite as white. There are also tinted mineral sunscreens, and there are some data that the color product that tints the mineral sunscreen is in and of itself another layer of sun protection, which is really, really interesting. Here are the benefits. We talk about this all the time. If you can protect the skin against uv, you can protect the skin against cancer and wrinkles. If you can do it in a way that the product does not absorb into the blood and doesn't get peed out in, you know, sort of a la chemical sunscreens, you've done even better. If it sits on top of the skin instead of going into the skin, it's generally less irritating. And then none of those downstream consequences happen. I will say I have had a struggle in my life finding a mineral sunscreen that washes off easily. I think that's probably the biggest annoyance. So, hello, my friend. The washcloth.

[A]

Yeah, I mean, they don't always feel great on the skin, so finding one that feels good. One of my kids has eczema, and it's. But this has been an absolute lifesaver for him. When he was little, before we understood the poor thing, every time we put sunscreen on, he just broke out into a rash. So this is a total lifesaver. And I think this is an ongoing battle with kids to get them to wear sunscreen, but finding ones that are cool and are sort of trending, like, this is a place where you can kind of lean into the marketing because you really want them using sunscreen. So, okay, let's talk about a good acid. An acid, hyaluronic acid that we're actually okay with. Tweens and teens.

[B]

Yeah, I mean, hyaluronic acid. You guys are going to see this. Now that you're all going to get off this podcast and start looking at the shelves that you're passing in various stores, you're going to see that hyaluronic acid is a featured ingredient in a lot of these beauty stores. Fine, go for it. Have at it. Because these are safe and effective acids. They're humectants. And what that means is they draw water into the skin, they hydrate the skin, and hyaluronic acid in particular holds. This is so incredible. Up to a thousand times its own weight in water. It's unbelievable. So if you look at data about hyaluronic acids, there are studies that show this is a great skincare ingredient that is non comedogenic. It does not cause pimples. It soothes inflammation in the skin by Hydrating it. It supports a strong, healthy skin barrier. It is key for healing, whether it's healing from pimples, healing from eczema, all of it. So you probably, unbeknownst to you, Vanessa, you probably ended up gravitating towards products that had hyaluronic acid in them.

[A]

Right. And here's the next product on the yes list is one that's in products like in every bathroom in my house.

[B]

I can attest. Yes.

[A]

Which are ceramides. And it's so funny because, like we have survey. We have tubs and tubs of survey all over my house. And Sarave face wash and I don't know, carcetaphyl is that also have ceramides. And actually. Okay, I mean, one would imagine. And the reason is because it's so gentle on my kids skin. My kids and I all have really sensitive skin and it's so gentle. But I never understood what it was. I just knew which ingredient I was supposed to look for, but I didn't know why. Can you talk about. I mean, this non comedogenic is like, it's all over every single product in my house. But I never totally understood what it was. You just defined it. Thank you. So why are ceramides so great? And why. Why are they all over my house?

[B]

Yeah. So a comedone is a zit. So non comedogenic means not zit forming. There, that's your word of the day.

[A]

Word of the day. I am so excited. This is my new. My new vocab. You're going to be flexing comedone. I know. I'm going to throw it into conversation.

[B]

Ceramides are natural lipids. Okay. They are found inside the skin. Lipids repel water. They don't really like water. And so when lipids all gang up together, they form a barrier that can keep water either locked in or locked out. And that's why it's so effective. When you use a product that has a ceramide, you can help repair the skin barrier. And ceramides are products that most of us pediatricians start when kids are babies. I mean, zinc and ceramides are kind of the two things that I think of on an infant changing table. There is a very clear connection in data between ceramide replenishment in your skin and less acne. Yeah, it's really interesting and it makes sense, right? You know, you always talk about that vicious cycle of dry out the skin, make more oil, then plug the pore, then get more acne and more inflammation. So ceramides break that cycle. It's very interesting because when kids are being seen by dermatologists and they are prescribed retinoids or they're prescribed benzoyl peroxide, which is another acne treatment that we talk a lot about on our acne episode. The dermatologist will almost always prescribe the over the counter ceramide as well to help protect the skin. And a lot of dermatology offices have samples that they give away. And if, you know, sometimes it's like a sample basket. And the most common thing you find in the sample basket is ceramide. So it's really.

[A]

Don't think I don't have those tiny little bottles.

[B]

They're amazing.

[A]

They're amazing. I just go. It's like Halloween. I just go digging through the sample basket. I love it. My kids get so embarrassed and I'm like, what are you embarrassed for? Like, this is. Okay. This is why they put it here 110%.

[B]

So ceramides are wonderful. And if it feels like a sophisticated ingredient that a tween wants to get into, great, fine. Totally you do you.

[A]

Plus Michael Sarah did an amazing super bowl commercial for survey. It was so brilliant. So you can use that to, to market within your own.

[B]

It was brilliant. It was brilliant. So that's good. Ingredient number three. So we've done mineral sunscreens, we've done hyaluronic acid, we've done ceramides. Let's move on to niacinamide, vitamin B3. This is a good ingredient too. It helps regulate oil production in the skin, which helps prevent acne breakouts. It's just anti inflammatory, Vanessa. It helps just settle things out a little bit. And I found it fascinating. There's a lot, when I was reviewing for this episode, written about bigger, more visible pores versus smaller, less visible pores. And sort of the aesthetic goal is smaller, less visible pores. I've always wondered, and I would love dermatologists to weigh in on this, whether smaller pores get clogged more easily and bigger pores don't because they can release everything or vice versa. Bigger pores, more oil, more inflammation, more this, more that. So I would love to have a better understanding of that. But in general, niacin mind works to shrink the visibility of the pores and minimize oil production.

[A]

Carl, what is niacinamide in, by the way? I had no idea to pronounce it until you pronounce it. So those of you listening are like, huh? Like, I just learned how to pronounce it.

[B]

This is going to be all week. Next week you're going to be walking around pronouncing things. Niacinamide, it can be found in a bunch of different products. It can be in serums, it can be in moisturizers and creams, in cleansers. Okay. The exercise for kids and adults is to start looking at the ingredient list. I mean, really, truly, this is a great exercise. And you can say to your kids, if you see a niacinamide, show it to me. That's a good ingredient. But also, look, just because there's a good ingredient doesn't mean there isn't an irritating ingredient. So you want, you want them to become savvy consumers. They're not just looking to prove there's something good in there. They have to make sure they're also avoiding the things on the no list.

[A]

Right. And before we get to the final yes ingredient, like a suggestion, if you have a kid who really wants to buy a certain product or have you buy a certain product, like kids are really into making PowerPoints these days to convince parents of all sorts of things that they want that parents are resisting. And this is a great opportunity for them to do research. I mean, this is something we have in our, not on this topic, but we have in our curriculum, which is kids do PSAs. They do all sorts of presentations around different topics where it's kind of complicated and fraught. So let your kids sell you on why they should be allowed to have a product and make sure they go through every single ingredient and see if they can make a good case or not based on this particular episode.

[B]

And a side note, that they will become very aware that the advertising that is directed at them is advertising that the influencers who are telling them to use products that have ingredients that are going to cause long term harm or short term harm are influencers who are benefiting from selling those products. So this is a way for them to gain agency and also to have the outcome they want. Like they're not out there shopping just for the sake of shopping. They actually want to use products that will have an effect that goes in a positive direction, not in a negative direction. Right. So you're trying to help them to that end.

[A]

And that's why part of the reason we love Dr. Angela Casey and her products and the way she approaches this, because it's really about skin health in the short term and the long term, building good habits. It's about empowering them. It's about all sorts of evidence based skin care and self care practices. It's not about a beauty ideal, it's not about just giving over to different kind of cultural pressures and trends. It's really about agency and making good decisions for your own body. And we so appreciate the needle she threads in terms of approaching kids skin care in that way.

[B]

I mean, it's amazing.

[A]

So, okay, so let's close with the final yes on the list.

[B]

The final yes on the list is salicylic acid. And this is yes for acne prone skin. So salicylic acid helps clear clogged pores, it also regulates oil production. And so it sort of clears from the top and slows the refill at the bottom of the pore. It is anti inflammatory as part of its sort of suite of services that it provides. And so the trifecta is that ultimately if you're getting the dead skin cells off and you have less oil and you have less inflammation, your skin is going to look calmer and clearer. Now. Now there's a wide range of concentrations of salicylic acid in over the counter products. Usually it's somewhere around half a %, up to 2%. Different people are going to have different responses to different doses. So just because your best friend can use this product and it works wonders on their skin, it may not do the same for you. So this is something to be cautious. And in general with anything that we put into our, onto our bodies, the advice is start slowly, start with a small dose. I know the patience thing can be hard with this. Like if you get the thing in the mail and you're like so excited to try it, you don't want to do the little skin patch on your hand for 24 hours. But like really, truly do the thing where you start with a lower concentration, especially with salicylic acid and then you can work your way up.

[A]

And if you have different kids in your house, even if it worked for one kid, it doesn't mean it's going to work for another kid that all their skin types can be, can be very different. So make sure they're not sort of sneaky into each other's medicine cabinets trying out products without you knowing because you want to keep their, their beautiful, youthful skin safe. So I just want to close Cara with a comment about how hard it is when these big cultural trends seem to take over our family's lives and it becomes a battleground. And I just want to give people heart because we speak to tweens and teens all over the country and are they smart and insightful and inquisitive and boy, do they love learning this science. So if you think, ugh, my kids getting a C in chemistry, they're not going to be interested. I beg to differ because we get to talk to kids. They love learning the science. They love science that helps them understand their bodies, understand what they should be doing for and with their bodies. So use this episode and use the information that we're sharing to have like, really interesting, informed conversations with them so that you can make choices about their health and safety and habits in really informed, constructive ways.

[B]

And I'll land here in the same way that when we talk about drugs and alcohol, the conversation generally follows the it's not never, it's just not now while your brain is developing. We're using the same framing for this conversation. Some of these products that we put on the no list are not just perfectly fine. They're good for older skin. They have benefits for older skin. So it's not a never, it's just a not now where your skin is at now. These products will not be helpful. And the inverse is also true. Not everything is bad out there. There are good things available on the market. There are ways you can take care of your skin. And the very first thing you can do is get that mineral sunscreen on every single day. You will hate us now, you will thank us later.

[A]

That can be said of most topics. So let us know how it goes, how the conversations go, how the shifts go. And I will say, I'm just going to say this, like, if you're spending all this money on your kids skin care and you're not taking care of your own skin, if you're not committing the same resources to your own skin, like, I don't know about you guys, but my kids use up all my money and I don't spend nearly as much on myself as I do on them. And I kind of decided in the last couple of years as I watched myself age overnight, you know what, I'm going to like, invest in some stuff for myself and my kids can get the perfectly adequate and reasonably priced products. A big, big point. Trader Joe's has a lot of really good dupes for a lot of the brand name products. So. But again, look at the ingredients. So if you're like letting your kids spend all your money on their skin care and you're not really doing that for yourself, I think there's a rejiggering in the offing here. And if you need a little boost of confidence, this is me giving it, giving it to you.

[B]

I feel boosted.

[A]

Thanks Cara.

[B]

Bye Vanessa.

[A]

Thank you so much for listening. You can email us with questions, feedback or episode [e-mail] if you want to

[B]

learn more about what we do to make this whole stage of life less awkward for everyone involved. Our parent membership, our school health ed curriculum, our keynote talks, and more are all atlessawkward awkward.com and if you want

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