Dr Taniyaa Bakshhi, Brand Lead of Sunny Herbals Middle East and Managing Director of Bakson Group, contributes her expert insights to the Opinion Makers page of EmiratesReporter.com
Dubai, UAE- We spend a lot of time preparing children for the new school year. New shoes, labelled water bottles, backpacks packed and uniforms somehow already threatening to disappear. But one thing that rarely makes the back-to-school checklist is skin. A typical UAE school day can involve a surprisingly demanding combination of cool air-conditioned classrooms, a hot playground, sweaty PE lessons, frequent handwashing, swimming, sunscreen and then another blast of AC on the journey home. All of this also affects our children’s skin and the best back-to-school skin kit is small, practical and built around products that children and parents will actually remember to use.
1. Think About the Places That Get Forgotten
When we think about moisturising, we tend to think about the face. For school-age children, however, it is often other areas that need attention also, due to hands washed repeatedly throughout the day, elbows rubbing against desks, knees after outdoor play and the skin around the nose when sniffles arrive. A simple, multipurpose moisturiser can therefore be far more useful than several different products. Look for gentle, uncomplicated formulas with ingredients such as aloe vera and calendula that provide hydration and everyday skin comfort. The Sunny Herbals Aloe Vera Calendula Cream, for example, is lightweight and non-sticky and can be used across the face and body, making it an easy option to keep at home as well as in backpacks for dry hands, elbows, knees and other areas that need a little extra moisture.
2. The 3pm Skin Check
When your child comes home, take 30 seconds to notice what the day has done. Are their cheeks feeling dry after hours of AC? Is there irritation around the nose? Are their hands dry from washing? Is there a patch that’s been rubbed by a shoe, sports kit or backpack? This isn’t about inspecting children for imperfections. It teaches them to notice what their skin is telling them and respond simply. For tweens in particular, this is a healthier introduction to skincare than immediately jumping into the complicated routines and active ingredients they may be seeing online. Dermatologists similarly recommend keeping tween routines simple, with gentle cleansing, moisturising and sun protection rather than unnecessary actives.
3. Make SPF Part of the Uniform
In the Middle East, sunscreen shouldn’t disappear from the routine when summer holidays end. Outdoor assemblies, break time, PE, sports practice and the walk to and from the car all add up. For children aged six months and older, look for a child-appropriate, broad-spectrum SPF 50+ sunscreen and make application part of getting dressed rather than treating it as something reserved for beach days. A useful trick is to keep sunscreen beside something you never forget in the morning, whether that’s the toothbrush or school shoes. Habits work better when they’re attached to another habit.
4. Don’t Forget the Post-Swim Reset
Swimming lessons can be one of the forgotten parts of children’s skincare. Rather than letting chlorine, sweat and sunscreen sit on the skin for hours afterwards, encourage children to rinse or shower when practical and change out of wet swimwear. Follow with a simple moisturiser if their skin feels dry. The objective is to simply rinse, dry, moisturise, move on.
5. Give Their Hands a Little More Attention
Between bathroom trips, art projects, lunch and whatever mysterious substance has been discovered in the playground, school means plenty of handwashing. That’s a good thing, but children who are prone to dry or sensitive skin may benefit from a simple moisturising step at home, particularly before bed. Instead of adding another product to the school bag, keep a moisturiser somewhere visible at home and turn it into part of the evening routine: wash hands, moisturise, bedtime.
6. Create a ‘Skin Drawer’, Not a Skincare Collection
Children are growing up surrounded by beauty content, and increasingly sophisticated routines can look incredibly appealing. But more products don’t necessarily mean healthier skin. I prefer creating a small family skin drawer containing the essentials everyone understands how to use, such as a sunscreen, a gentle cleanser, a simple moisturiser and any products specifically recommended for your child by their doctor or dermatologist. For children with eczema, allergies or diagnosed skin conditions, their existing treatment plan should always come first. School staff should also understand any known triggers and treatment requirements where appropriate.
Back-to-school season is really about rebuilding routines, and skincare can be one of the simplest. We don’t need children worrying about perfect skin or learning ten-step routines before they’ve learnt their times tables. What we can teach them is to protect their skin from the sun, keep it clean without overdoing it, moisturize when it feels dry and tell an adult when something doesn’t feel right. Those tiny habits may not be as exciting as the new pencil case, but they’re the ones children can carry with them long after the school year ends.
SOURCE: Media Release / Supplied Content and Image. Dr Taniyaa Bakshhi picture courtesy her instagram @drtaniyaabakshhi. Based on information shared with EmiratesReporter.com
