Caroline Hirons on the skincare advice that every parent should share with their teens

If anything, it's a bit late to the game. You see it all going on, and I talk to so many parents, and there's only so much that I can do as one person, but if you write a book, you reach far more people. I thought, “How many DMs can I send? How many times can I say X, Y and Z?” Harper Collins had approached me [about a second book]. And I said that the one really worth doing was teen skincare. It went from there, and it was a really quick process over a couple of months. I know it inside out, so to be honest, I could have written it in a comma. I’m not trying to be flash. But it's what I've been saying on repeat for the last 30 years of my life.

What are the biggest skincare myths that are believed these days?

I think the biggest myths are along the lines of “more is better, stronger is better, higher percentage is better,” that kind of thing. And you can’t blame TikTok, because it's just an app. The control comes from who's keying into Tiktok. But certainly people on Tiktok who aren't qualified, and who teens - bless them - believe as verbatim because they say things with authority. Saying things with authority does not mean you have authority, or experience, or qualifications.

What would you say to parents whose kids are obsessing over their skin and wanting to spend frightening sums of money on skincare?

Well you've got two options. You either say, “no!” which is what I would do, and have done. But I'm Gen X. I was raised by post-war parents. I was an 80s latch-key kid. Not only did I let myself in after school, but I also had to wait for my brother to come home, and then make his dinner. So firstly, you say “no.” The end. My thing as a mum is, “I am not your best friend. I should not be your best friend, because I tell you now you are not my best friend. You are my child. I am your defender till death, and I love you more than anything in the world. But we are not best friends.”

Now, if they have their own money, let them spend it, they're only going to make the mistake once. No one is going to buy an £80 moisturiser and think “I love what that did to my skin,” when they're 15. Come on!

So I think it's great that they're getting into it. I'm very pro people being into skincare. It's health! It's wellbeing! They're taking care of themselves! So let's educate them, not scare them. So you say, “no,” and you offer alternatives, of which we have hundreds of in the book that are more affordable and gentler for their skin.

If - on the other hand - they are buying it from an unscrupulous retailer who's selling teens a retinoid, or an acid, then that's different. Tag me on Instagram, and I'll kick off. I'll take them to task.

Are there any brands that you feel get it consistently right for teen skins?

Well, there are brands that were launched specifically for that market, like Sam Farmer. He would be my number one choice, because his reason for starting the brand was that he went to buy his daughter a deodorant, and I mean, he paraphrased, but the boy’s ones were called “atomic” or “force.” And the girls were, you know, “flirt” or “twinkle.” And everything was pink or dark. And he was like, “What the f*ck is going on?” And he trained as a cosmetic scientist, and made his own completely unisex line that was suitable for all skins. So Sam Farmer is always my number one. I know I can recommend it to anyone.

If you could put only one product in every teen's bathroom what would it be?

It would be SPF, because if they learn to do that now, it will remain a habit for life. And I'm only talking about it on their face, neck and ears. I’m not talking about anything that would worry the anti-SPF movement [who say] “they won't get any vitamin D.” Of course, they will! They have a scalp, they have hands, they have arms, they have legs. But if they get into the habit of protecting their face, then they won't be buying retinoids in their 30s, because they won't have the signs of ageing that we have.

And what would you ban?

I wouldn't ban anything. I would educate them. I'm glad the act to ban selling anti-aging skincare didn't pass in California. The whole thing about banning selling to children is ridiculous. It's not cigarettes. It's not alcohol. Let's get a grip! We can't stop them ordering something online. They're going to do it anyway. I think parents thinking they can control teenagers is a laugh.

I would certainly discourage targeted marketing. If you think back to the brands that we all know did that - who I'm not going to give the air time - but look how they've dropped now, because they targeted the teen market. Of course, teens aren't going to be loyal! They're fickle. And they should be! Who still uses the same moisturiser they did when they were fifteen? If you targeted teens and your business was affected, then good. If you do it responsibly I’ll back you 100 per cent.

Is there anything that you think the beauty industry needs to do better when it comes to teens?

No, I think it's the big social media companies. For example, when a Facebook whistleblower came out and said that they have data ability such that when a teenage girl deletes a picture [they posted] quickly, they think she's insecure, and so bombard her with beauty ads. That we should legislate and should be outlawed.

But in terms of the beauty industry itself, it's no different to navigating fashion. My daughter used to leave the house, and I never criticised how she looked or what she wore in principle. Occasionally I would say, “I can see your vulva. Can you please put on something longer?” But I always made it clear to her that it was to protect her from external forces, it wasn't about her presenting herself.

I think teens are a lot smarter that we give them credit for, and if we talk to them like the adult they are trying to become, and not the child they were, your respect - as far as I am concerned - will go through the roof.

If parents could pass only five skincare commandments on to their teen, what should those be?

Don't spend a fortune. You know, my products are too expensive for them, I'm sure, but I think a lot of what happens with me is that teens pinch their mom's product and then end up liking it. But you don't have to spend a fortune. Wash your face every day, without fail in the evening. Wear SPF. Don't be led by trends. And buy this book.