My daughter is in seventh grade , has keep an eye on close to 1.2 million TikTok beauty tutorials , and is what I now touch to as my in - house aesthetician . … I ’m the nightly customer , and I can honestly state you that it has changed me in elbow room that go beyond skin - deep .
I’ve spent more time (and money) on skincare than on most major life decisions. In the ’90s, I was a Noxzema warrior, drying my acne into submission with alcohol-soaked pads and slathering on drugstore foundation so thick I practically needed a putty knife to apply it.
Fast-forward to my 40s: I’ve earned my Sephora Rouge status like a badge of honor and have tried every serum, tool, and buzzy skincare device that promises to reverse aging and erase the evidence of my 20s and 30s (okay, also my early 40s). My bathroom cabinet is the skincare equivalent of an Ulta and a mad scientist’s love child.
And then my 12-year-old daughter took over.
She’s in seventh grade, has watched approximately 1.2 million TikTok beauty tutorials, and is what I now refer to as my in-house esthetician. Her obsession with skincare began innocently enough. One gua sha stone and a YouTube rabbit hole later, and she’s now running a full-service spa out of her bedroom. I’m the nightly client, and I can honestly tell you that it has changed me in ways that go beyond skin-deep.
Every evening, she invites me in, turns on soothing spa music (courtesy of Spotify’s “Zen Vibes” playlist), and gets to work. She lines up her serums and rollers like a tiny, very determined cosmetologist. My face is massaged with a jade roller she convinced her dad to buy “for optimal product absorption,” which has been chilling in the mini-fridge.
And yes, her dad is also a devoted client. He practically handed her his credit card and said, “Get whatever you need, doc.” He sees it like this: there are only so many connection points a father can make with his tween daughter. Besides their dry sense of humor and unnaturally long eyelashes (I’m not in the least bit jealous), they don’t have a whole lot in common at this stage in life. But bonding over nightly skincare rituals has become an opportunity for both of us to connect with her.
Here’s what I didn’t expect: letting my daughter take the skincare reins has taught me more than all the dermatologists and beauty influencers combined. Here are a few things I’ve learned along this skincare journey with my tween:
Skincare is a form of self-respect.
The TikTok skincare academy is no joke.
Bonding with a tween is a rare and precious gift — even if it involves being lectured on hyaluronic acid.
We’re building confidence, one jade roller stroke at a time.
Trends come and go, but sunscreen is eternal.
Playfulness is a powerful anti-aging tool.
Taking care of yourself doesn’t have to be a solo project.
These days, my skin glows not just because of the serums, but because of the hands that apply them. I get to lie back and be cared for by someone I once taught how to hold a spoon. Now she’s teaching me how to love the face I have.
If you had told 17-year-old me that one day my middle school daughter would be the skincare guru I never knew I needed, I would’ve laughed you out of the drugstore aisle. But here we are, and honestly, I’ve never felt more radiant.
( Also , if anyone at Sephora corporate is take this , she merit her own affiliate codification . )
