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Buzz Feed
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
How My Child's Skincare Advice Changed Everything
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. During treatments, she'll gently scold her dad for skipping sunscreen and praise my "snatched jawline" with the confidence of a Real Housewife. She once told me I "give good face," and honestly, I'm not sure I've ever received a more affirming compliment. I'm not entirely sure what that means, but I'll take it. 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. When I was her age, I was trying to fix my face. I was applying the harshest ingredients the drugstore sold to dampen the embarrassment of showing up to school with pimples. My daughter is trying to honor her face. She applies her serums like they're sacred and takes pride in the process, not because she's trying to look different, but because she likes herself. She's not fighting her skin; she's celebrating it. Watching her approach to skincare has made me kinder to my own reflection. The TikTok skincare academy is no joke. My daughter can pronounce "niacinamide" and explain the difference between chemical and physical exfoliants better than I can explain how to use the camera on my phone. She's basically a licensed esthetician, minus the license and the overhead costs. I can only imagine what she'll be capable of once she discovers the baking side of TikTok. Bonding with a tween is a rare and precious gift — even if it involves being lectured on hyaluronic acid. Let's be real: middle schoolers aren't exactly known for being chatty with their parents. But during our nightly skincare sessions, she opens up. We talk about school, friends, the occasional boy drama, and which facial mist gives the most "main character energy." It's become our little ritual. One I treasure more than any anti-aging serum. We're building confidence, one jade roller stroke at a time. My daughter has taught me that skincare isn't just about looking good. It's about feeling good, taking time for yourself, and believing you're worth the effort. That lesson landed better coming from her soft, lotion-slicked hands than from a $300 cream promising the same thing. When I browse the aisles at Sephora these days, I think less about how a product will erase the age spots from my face and more about how good it will feel to spend a few minutes each day nurturing the skin that has weathered the decades with me. Trends come and go, but sunscreen is eternal. I once thought tanning was a rite of passage. My daughter, horrified, has made it her mission to undo decades of sun sins. She treats sunscreen like a sacred pact with the future, and now I do too. If youth is wasted on the young, at least she's doing her best to preserve hers, and maybe save what's left of mine. Playfulness is a powerful anti-aging tool. Nothing smooths fine lines like laughing through a face mask with your kid. Watching her smear green goo on her cheeks while telling me about who 'might be dating but it's not official' is better than any LED light therapy. Somewhere between the serums and silliness, I remembered how good it feels to play. Taking care of yourself doesn't have to be a solo project. I used to see skincare as a private pursuit — a late-night battle between me and my pores. But letting someone else in, literally and emotionally, shifted everything. In her hands, skincare became a shared ritual. A space where vulnerability and Vitamin C coexist. And that, more than any product, has made me glow. 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.
Forbes
04-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Sephora Spring Sale 2025: 24 Editor-Tested Products To Add To Your Cart
It's a good day to be a Sephora Rouge rewards member. As of this morning, Sephora's spring sale is officially open to Rouges (those who've spent $1,000 or more at the beauty store over the past year. If you're part of that membership tier, you can use code SAVEMORE to save 20% sitewide starting today. All other Beauty Insider members will have to wait until April 8 to get access to their respective discounts. Sephora's spring sale is live for Rouge members. Here are all the products our editors recommend ... More using your sitewide discount towards. Sephora Savings Events (previously known as Sephora VIB Sales) are often one of the only opportunities to get brand-wide discounts from big names like Charlotte Tilbury, Rare Beauty and Dyson. In other words, they're a great opportunity to restock on your favorites and try out a few new finds for less. With that in mind, we asked our fellow editors to share their Sephora must-haves. Here are the 24 products the Forbes Vetted team recommends buying during Sephora's spring sale—all based on firsthand use. Sephora Summer Fridays' ShadeDrops is by far the best face sunscreen I've tried. It goes on like a serum and sinks into your skin without leaving any hint of a white cast or feeling greasy. Sephora The Bora Barrier Repair Cream is Drunk Elephant's newest moisturizer, and users say it's a game-changer for dry, irritation-prone skin. 'The texture of this cream is much thicker than other options from the brand, but it melts effortlessly into my skin and doesn't feel greasy,' notes commerce editor Katherine Louie. Sephora For a natural-looking glow heading into summer, I highly recommend this Tan-Luxe self-tanner. It develops in just a few hours (so you don't have to sleep in it overnight), and rarely creates streaks. Sephora Supergoop Play is my favorite body sunscreen, so I'm planning on picking up this jumbo container while it's on sale. The formula blends in easily without leaving a trace and it isn't greasy or sticky like some other sunscreens. We also named it the best sunscreen overall in our Forbes Vetted Best Product Awards for the second year in a row, so you know it has to be good. Sephora Phlur is one of the most popular fragrance brands right now, and I wear this Amber Haze scent on a daily basis. It has notes of saffron, amber, jasmine, vanilla and musk which come together to create a warm, sexy scent. Amber Haze definitely skews sweet, so you might want to opt for another one of the brand's options if you're not into that. Sephora Audience development director Spencer Dukoff says that while this cleanser is technically his wife's, he also uses it daily. He notes that the citrus scent makes him feel energized yet calm, and leaves his skin feeling clean but not stripped. Sephora Packed with vitamin C, turmeric and evening primrose oil, this Sunday Riley face oil brightens, hydrates and combats signs of aging. Partnerships director Madeline Kaufman says that she's a fan of this product because in addition to being effective, it smells great—unlike many vitamin C serums. Sephora Managing editor Emmy Favilla can't praise this lightweight and hydrating serum enough. 'I apply it after my daily moisturizer, even if I'm not wearing any face makeup, because it provides a subtle luminous glow,' she says. Sephora Louie calls this exfoliating serum a game changer for her combination, acne-prone skin. 'I've noticed a huge difference since I incorporated it into my nightly skincare routine," she says. 'It gently exfoliates and brightens without causing irritation or dryness (two common side effects of many products targeting acne).' Sephora Over the past two years, I've noticed a massive uptick in compliments on my skin—and I'm convinced that this product is the reason why. The lightweight formula cancels out underlying redness and leaves me with a bright, glowy complexion. It's the perfect base for my daily no-makeup makeup look. Sephora Three of our editors swear by this Tower 28 concealer. After struggling to find a long-lasting concealer that didn't dry out her under eye area, Senior strategy editor Katie Simpson says this hydrating formula is her new go-to. "[It] lasts all day without creasing or separating, plus blends beautifully with the rest of my face products," she says. Sephora I ditched my favorite powder blush for this liquid option from Rare Beauty and I haven't looked back. The formula is ultra-pigmented, but as long as you apply it sparingly it creates a flattering, natural flush. I'll be using the Sephora sale as an excuse to pick this blush up in a couple more shades. Sephora Louie has been using this lip liner for years, and always picks up a backup during Sephora's Savings Events. 'It helps my lip products last all day and it's super easy to blend. I've even worn this liner by itself when I'm going for a more natural, clean look and it stays put—even after eating and sipping on matcha for several hours,' she says. Sephora This lightweight complexion stick is another one of my everyday makeup essentials. I typically use it as under eye concealer because it's very blendable and has great staying power. That said, it can also double as foundation if you'd like. Sephora If you're feeling a little pale coming out of winter, Louie recommends adding some of these bronzing drops to your favorite moisturizer. 'I was afraid they'd make me look orange, but I was pleasantly surprised by how flattering these bronzing drops are—I get compliments on how glowy my skin looks all the time now,' she says. Sephora If you're looking for a subtle highlighter that'll earn you compliments on your skin, beauty & fashion commerce writer Molly Calhoun recommends this Westman Atelier one. 'A little goes a long way with this, and it make me look glowy but not overly so. Every time I wear it people tell me my skin looks great,' she explains. Sephora This foundation is a new addition to executive strategy editor Lindsay Boyers' makeup kit. 'As my skin has matured, foundations have started to look cakey and flat," she says. 'This formula sits on the skin so nicely, offers buildable coverage and gives you a radiant glow.' Pro tip: A little goes a long way. Boyers says a single pump is enough to provide medium coverage for her whole face. Sephora I'd heard great things about this shampoo for years, but I wasn't convinced any shampoo could be worth $53 for a single bottle. Unfortunately for my wallet, I was wrong. I genuinely notice a difference when I wash my hair with this Oribe shampoo—it leaves my strands silkier and shinier than the drugstore alternative I was using before. Sephora If you're in need of a new hair dryer, the Dyson Supersonic is worth the hype. Our beauty team named it the best luxury hair dryer, and I can attest that it allows me to dry my hair a lot faster than a traditional blow dryer. Plus, it's lightweight and fairly quiet, which makes the whole process a bit more pleasant. The latest Nural edition from Dyson includes additional sensors that are supposed to help further protect your scalp and hair from heat damage. Sephora This K18 hair mask has been all over my TikTok For You Page, and executive director of commerce, business development and partnerships Alexis Caldwell says it's worth adding to your cart. Her stylist recommended the treatment because her blonde hair has been feeling extra damaged recently, and Caldwell says it's made all the difference. Just keep in mind that when it comes to application, less is more. Sephora Give your dry, itchy scalp a little TLC with this Briogeo hair oil. 'I just started using this product and I absolutely love it. The formula is soothing, moisturizing and easy to apply thanks to the pointed tip,' says Louie. Sephora This Ouai hair mask works so well, I've repurchased it at least eight times. Every few days, I apply it from my roots to my ends in place of conditioner and I find that it leaves me with softer, smoother strands. I used to struggle with tangle-prone hair and adding this product to my routine has made that a nonissue. Sephora Here's another hair mask worth checking out. Updates writer Claire Eptin says, "It really makes my hair feel so much smoother and silkier. It has a really yummy scent, and only takes around five minutes to work its magic.' Sephora Senior home and kitchen editor Amanda Arnold says she is hooked on this texturizing spray. 'Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray gives my fine, straight hair a much-needed boost," she says. Although it's more expensive than your average texturizing spray, Arnold says it only takes a few sprays to revitalize her strands—so one bottle should last a while. Sephora's spring Savings Event opens to Rouge rewards members today, April 4. All other rewards members can start shopping on April 8, and the sale will be live through April 14. If you're not a Sephora rewards member, you can still sign up for an Insider account to take advantage of the sale. Sephora's Spring Sale includes just about every brand carried on the beauty retailer's site. This year the only exclusion is MAC Cosmetics's Viva Glam products, which aren't eligible for the discount. Keep in mind: Shoppers are also only able to use their discount on one Dyson product, one Shark Beauty product, three Nutrafol products and three The Ordinary products during the course of the sale. Sephora's Beauty Insider program has three tiers: Rouge, VIB and Insider. Your status is dependent on how much you've spent at the beauty retailer over the past year. It's possible to save 20% sitewide at Sephora roughly three times per year—as long as you're a Rouge member. In that case, you can take advantage of 20% off during the spring and fall Savings Events, as well as the December Gifts For All event. During Sephora's final sale of the year, all shoppers are usually eligible to save 20% on one purchase, regardless of membership status. Forbes Vetted's supervising deals and coupons editor Kara Cuzzone has been covering Sephora sales for the past six years. She reports on the best sales and deals year-round, so she knows which offers are truly worth adding to your cart. Cuzzone also tests dozens of beauty products every year, and she regularly uses all of the items she recommends above. The other Forbes staff mentioned have extensively tested the products they recommend in this piece. Assistant deals editor Jordan Thomas, who assisted with updating this piece, has written about deals and consumer shopping since 2019. She tracks popular products, trends and major sale events all year long to bring readers the best offers.
