5 Reasons Why Teenagers Shouldn’t Use Adult Products

Teenagers go through a phase where they crave the need for independence and authority. They want to act “grown up” and may try to imitate the lifestyles of the adults around them.

This may include wanting to use adult skin care and hair care products.

While it may seem harmless, it can end up causing more harm than good. Think about it - Would an adult use a baby product?

No, because babies have very different skin and hair care needs compared to adults, and the same applies to teens. Teenagers have unique skin and hair care needs and require products that are more suited for them.

Here are five reasons why your teen shouldn’t use adult personal care products.

1. Leads to pH imbalance

As teenagers have delicate and sensitive skin, make sure the products you choose are gentler and have a pH close to the skin’s natural pH. Common signs of a pH imbalance are dry, sensitive, flaky, inflamed, and oily skin.

To keep the skin’s barrier strong and healthy, pick body washes with a slightly acidic pH (around 5.5) and follow it up with good moisturizing lotion. Double-check that the chosen products are free from harmful chemicals.

Similar to skin, problems like dry scalp, itchiness, and frizzy hair occur when the pH is imbalanced. Make sure you choose shampoos and conditioners with low pH to keep the cuticles closed and frizz-free.

Adult products contain ingredients that are not suitable for teens. Some of the ingredients to avoid are benzyl salicylate, resorcinol, parabens (methylparaben, propylparaben, ethylparaben, butylparaben, isobutylparaben), fragrance, butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), and triclosan.

Products that are catered to teenagers contain beneficial ingredients. These include:

• Salicylic acid which mimics skin’s natural exfoliation process.
• Niacinamide, a potent skin-restoring antioxidant.
• Azelaic Acid targets a variety of common skin care concerns in teens.

2. Contains harsh ingredients

Adult skin and hair care products may contain ingredients that are too harsh on your teen’s tender and sensitive skin.
Also read more on: What We Never Use?

One such ingredient is paraben. Parabens are used in a majority of adult personal care products. They are the preservatives used to keep your skincare and makeup fresh and germ-free.

Moreover, research shows that parabens increase the production of the hormone estrogen and interfere with reproductive and brain function.

3. Aggravates skin problems

There's no doubt that teen acne is different from adult acne, and adult products are not tailored to the age-specific skin problems and issues that teenagers face.

Adult acne is often caused due to cell turnover and clogged pores, whereas teen acne tends to be caused by active oil glands and excessive oil production.

A significant type of teen acne is “pomade” acne, and it is commonly caused by pomade in hair care products. Adult shampoos also include sulfates, parabens, and pore-clogging oils that instigate breakouts and aggravate acne.

4. Creates hormone imbalance

Maintaining skincare for teens and tweens when puberty hits is very important as the impact will be more during this stage due to hormonal changes.

Puberty also leads to increased androgen production, which results in more sebum. While sebum is necessary for optimal skin health, too much of it clogs pores and irritates the skin.

When teenagers use adult skin care products, they may unknowingly expose their skin to higher levels of cosmetic ingredients linked to potential health effects and chemical damage.

5. Increases skin irritation

Most teenagers participate in sports and other outdoor activities. This leads to increased sweat production, which means teens shower more often.

This is why teens need the right body care and hair care products specifically created for their active lifestyle. Rather than just cleaning their hair, the right shampoo and conditioner can help wash away the grimy sweat that clogs pores and causes breakouts.

At Tikitoro, we create teen-specific hair and body care products to combat all of these extra factors teens have to deal with! 

Our body-care and hair-care products are paraben-free, sulfate-free, silicon-free, endocrine disruptor-free, and free from all other nasties.

If you’re a teen, or have a teen at home, why not give Tikitoro a try? 

Visit our website for more!