While taking care of your child’s skin at every stage of life is important, introducing a skincare routine too early isn’t necessarily great for developing healthy skin. Worse, it can leave a child self-conscious about their looks. However, there is an appropriate age when a child should start their own multi-step routine. Read on to learn what age children should start a skincare routine and how to help make that routine age-appropriate.

How Can I Help Encourage Healthy Skin Care Habits Early On?

Before your child is ready to start taking care of their skin, keeping their face clean while bathing them is enough, even if your little one has baby acne. It’s actually very helpful to get your baby used to water on their face to avoid sensory issues later in life. Once your child is starting to bathe on their own, usually around six with adult supervision, they can start washing their face with gentle body soap and a washcloth.

At What Age Should My Child Start Their Own Skincare Routine?

The best age for your child to start using their own multi-step skincare routine is around 10 to 12. This is the age when acne starts to occur due to preteen hormones, and starting at this age can help prevent future breakouts. It’s also the perfect age to start building lifelong healthy habits that your child will take with them to adulthood, especially if you’ve planted the seed early during bath time.

How Do I Help Make My Child’s Skincare Routine Age Appropriate?

At the age of 12, your child can start using the basics like a cleanser, a moisturizer, and SPF during the day (if they haven’t started already). Don’t start using acne control and spot treatments until they start developing acne. This is because, until then, it will likely be challenging to tell what skin type they have, and you may unwittingly dry out or damage their skin.

You’ll also want to continuously remind your child that having acne doesn’t make them dirty or ugly. It’s just a part of life! And you wash your face for the same reason you wash your body—to keep it clean and healthy. Making their skincare routine fun will help them associate skin care with good feelings and help them create a lifelong healthy habit.

Remember that children’s brains are like little sponges made to absorb knowledge. Knowing what age children should start a skincare routine will help you and your child build the right habits at the right time.