Mall brands are as good as ever — if not even better. So we’re devoting the entire month to Banana Republic linen, Bath & Body Works scents, and Pandora jewelry. Grab your Jamba Juice and join us.
Photo: Krista Bennett DeMaio
I’ve been a beauty editor and writer for 24 years, but I’ve never spent so much time in Sephora as I have since my oldest daughter, Aubrey, became a teenager. Now 15, I’ve watched her taste in beauty evolve over the last couple of years. She’s traded her Sol de Janeiro body mists in (my 8-year-old happily inherited them) for the more sophisticated Jo Malone and has gone from glitter sheet masks to Rhode Eye Patches.
As a beauty writer, I probably have a different perspective on her love for beauty products than other moms. For one, it’s common ground, and if you’ve ever had a teen (or been a teen), you know how important that is to find. We bond over the latest launches, and I get to flex my skin-care knowledge (that she really does listen to). It’s also a safe thrill. Beauty products aren’t a gateway drug. Plus she takes really good care of her skin — from cleansing nightly to applying sunscreen daily.
Still, there’s the obvious (drunk) elephant in the room: cost. I’ll buy products for birthdays and holidays, and will occasionally restock a within-reason everyday staple (love Inkey List for those). Otherwise, I encourage saving gift cards and babysitting money to fund her obsession.
I’ll also shop the store with her and talk her out of at least some of the things she has to have because they’re not age-appropriate or just too expensive.
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The best sunscreen is the one she’ll wear every day. So when Aubrey has an interest in a particular sunscreen (Supergoop! is another favorite brand), I will buy it to encourage smart sun behavior. This multitasking K-beauty product contains moisturizing ceramides, antioxidant protection via green tea, and broad-spectrum sun protection for a reasonable price. Win!
Photo: Krista Bennett DeMaio
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At 15 with clear skin, she doesn’t need foundation, but I understand the desire to get a more even tone. This is also a sneaky way to get in mineral-based sun protection. (Are you sensing a theme here?)
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As I mentioned, I love this brand for its high-performing products at inexpensive price points. This cleansing balm has hydrating oat-kernel oil and soothing colloidal oatmeal to gently melt away makeup and sunscreen. Aubrey uses this to remove makeup and follows with a regular cleanser.
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Does she need a $42 serum? Of course not, but if she’s going to wear one, I do approve of this one that contains powerhouse ingredient niacinamide, which helps regulate sebum production and brightens skin, plus hyaluronic acid for hydration. “It makes my skin look glowy and more alive,” says Aubrey.
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I love a cheek highlight, too, but she has a drawer of highlighting products. So while this luminous opal one is lovely, I told her to hold off until she runs out of her current stash.
Photo: Krista Bennett DeMaio
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When Aubrey was 12 and first getting into skin care, I overheard her on the phone with a friend saying, “My mom said peptides won’t hurt us, but we don’t need them.” I guess she forgot. Plus she already has the Merit Serum — and only one face — so she can hold off on this one for now.
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This is a great nonaerosol dry-shampoo powder, albeit a costly one. But we have no shortage of dry-shampoo products at home right now, so this can sit on the shelves a bit longer.
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I, too, am swayed by a beautiful palette. This blush compact from YSL is so chic, but my daughter has plenty of blushes in both powder and cream form to play with at home. It’s a fun purchase to buy with a gift card when she has one to use.
Photo: Krista Bennett DeMaio
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“Ooh, I want a red-light mask,” she said. This one also has InstaChill technology to tighten skin with cooling technology. The blue-light feature can be helpful for breakouts, but a 15-year-old doesn’t need to tighten sagging skin or promote collagen with red light, especially for $350.
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Mom is a fan of this brand and this moisturizer, but Mom is a grown-up who earns a living. It’s a great lightweight moisturizer, but the price tag is a bit out of budget for a teen.
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I tested this one when writing about spicules, tiny needle-like structures that create microchannels in skin so topical ingredients can absorb better. This two-step mask has a spicule serum and then the collagen mask. I liked it, but spicules feel prickly and in some cases uncomfortable. I don’t think her delicate teen skin needs them. The deeply hydrating mask is fine, but she can find one from Biodance without peptides and spicules.
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