Troikin: A Doctor-Developed Skincare Range Made Just for Children

I spend a lot of time talking about looking after our own skin. The retinols, the SPF, the serums we layer on before bed. But if you have young children, there is a good argument that their skin deserves just as much thought as yours does, and possibly more. Their skin is still forming. The habits they pick up now, the moisturiser they reach for without thinking, the sun cream that becomes second nature, will follow them for decades.

That is the thinking behind Troikin, a children's skincare brand developed by our own Dr Amina Albeyatti alongside a UK-based team. It is a small, considered range built for the way children actually live: in and out of the pool, running around outside, off on a skiing trip or a sunny half-term holiday, and rarely inclined to stand still for a complicated routine. Dr Amina created it to be simple enough that a child can use it, and good enough that a parent can trust it.

With the Christmas holidays and half-term breaks bringing plenty of family travel to sunnier or higher-altitude spots, this feels like the right moment to talk properly about children's skin, why it needs protecting differently to ours, and how the three Troikin products fit into a fuss-free daily routine.

Why children's skin needs its own approach

It is tempting to assume that a mild adult product will do for a child. In reality, young skin behaves quite differently. It is thinner and more delicate, and the outer barrier that keeps moisture in and irritants out is still developing. That barrier is what protects against dryness, redness and reactions, and in children it simply does not work as efficiently yet.

There is also the question of sun. Children have less melanin than adults, and melanin is the pigment that gives skin some of its natural defence against ultraviolet rays. Less melanin means less built-in protection, so UV damage happens faster and burns more easily. The part that surprises many parents is how much of it adds up early. A large share of a person's lifetime sun exposure occurs during childhood and the teenage years, and that accumulated exposure is linked to skin ageing and skin cancer risk much later in life.

Dr Amina often points out to parents that protecting a child's skin is not about vanity. It is preventative health. Get the basics right in the early years, a good moisturiser and reliable sun protection used consistently, and you are setting up a barrier that is stronger, calmer and better equipped for everything from British winters to holidays in Dubai or the Alps. The children who grow up doing this tend to carry the habit into adulthood, which as any of us who came to skincare late can attest, saves a great deal of money and correction down the line.

The three Troikin products, and what each one does

Troikin keeps things deliberately narrow. Three products, each with a clear job, so there is no guessing and no cupboard full of half-used tubes. The names give a gentle nod to when they are used and what they are for.

Lightology: the morning shield

Lightology is the one to reach for first thing. It is a UV shield and moisture system, which is a way of saying it hydrates and protects in a single step so the morning stays quick. It carries SPF 50 for high sun protection, with a small dose of Vitamin C for added antioxidant support.

What makes it well suited to children is the balance of ingredients. Glycerin, aloe and Avena oat extract bring soothing hydration, which matters because sun cream on its own can feel drying or tight on delicate skin. Antioxidants from Vitamins C and E help defend against the day-to-day environmental stress that UV and pollution create. And rather than relying on one type of filter, it uses both chemical and mineral UV barriers, which broadens the protection. For a child heading out to school, the playground or a ski slope, one application in the morning covers hydration and sun defence together.

Skin-Esteem: the top-up

Skin-Esteem is the product for the middle of an active day. Any parent knows that sun protection applied at breakfast has long worn off by the time a child has been swimming, towelled down, reapplied factor to the trampoline and back again. Sun cream needs topping up, and this is the top-up.

It is a Vitamin C and SPF serum carrying SPF 40, so it gives another layer of protection when the morning application has faded. Alongside the sun filters it offers a boosted dose of Vitamin C and Vitamin E for antioxidant support and a touch of brightness, plus cucumber extract to calm and refresh. It comes into its own on holiday: the child climbs out of the pool, gets a quick reapplication, and heads back out with protection restored. Think of Lightology as the foundation and Skin-Esteem as the layer you add when the day is long and busy.

Nightology: the calming all-rounder

Nightology is used at the end of the day, and Dr Amina describes it as a bit of an all-rounder. After a day of sun, chlorine, wind or cold, young skin often needs settling rather than stimulating. This is a moisturiser designed to soothe and calm, support healthy barrier function overnight and lock in moisture while a child sleeps.

The formula leans on squalane and dimethicone to soften and seal in hydration, with Vitamin E to help reduce redness and irritation. The texture has clearly been thought through for real family life. It is not too thick and not too runny, so it does not drip everywhere or slide off small hands, and it dispenses with a simple flick rather than a fiddly lid that gets lost down the side of the bath. Small details, but they are the difference between a routine that sticks and one that gets abandoned by the second night of a holiday.

Building a simple routine children will actually keep to

The best routine for a child is the one that gets done every day without a fight. Troikin's three-step structure is designed around that. In the morning, Lightology goes on as a combined moisturiser and sun protection. During an active or sunny day, Skin-Esteem tops up the SPF so protection does not lapse in the afternoon. At night, Nightology soothes and rehydrates while they sleep.

There is real value in keeping it that simple. Children learn by repetition, and a two-or-three-step habit is something a seven-year-old can start doing largely by themselves, with a bit of supervision on the sun cream to make sure the ears, the back of the neck and the tops of the feet do not get missed. Those are the spots most often forgotten, and on a ski trip the reflection off snow means faces and ears take a real hammering even when it does not feel hot.

A few practical habits help the products do their job. Apply the morning SPF generously and a little ahead of going out rather than at the front door. Reapply after swimming, heavy sweating or towelling down, roughly every couple of hours in strong sun. And remember that sun protection is only one part of the picture: hats, shade in the middle of the day and UV-protective swimwear all matter too, particularly for very young children and at altitude or near water where UV bounces back up.

Common questions about Troikin and children's skincare

At what age can children start using Troikin?

Troikin is formulated for children's skin with gentle, soothing ingredients, and it suits the toddler-and-up years through to older children building their own habits. For babies under six months, dermatologists generally advise keeping them out of direct sun and using shade and clothing rather than relying on sun cream, so it is worth speaking to us or your GP about the very youngest ages. If your child has particularly sensitive or reactive skin, or a condition such as eczema, patch test a small area first and check with a professional.

Is SPF really necessary for children in winter and on holiday?

Yes, and winter is exactly when people forget it. UV is present all year round, not only in summer heat, and it is intensified at altitude and by reflection off snow and water. A skiing holiday can deliver a surprising amount of sun exposure to a child's face even on a cold, overcast day. High-factor protection like the SPF 50 in Lightology, topped up with Skin-Esteem, is genuinely useful for winter breaks as well as summer ones.

How is a children's product different from a mild adult one?

It comes down to formulation and texture. Children's skin is thinner, more reactive and less able to hold moisture, so the ingredients are chosen to hydrate and calm without overloading. Troikin leaves out the actives adults chase, the strong retinoids and acids, and focuses instead on protection, hydration and barrier support, which is what young skin actually needs. The textures are also designed to be easy for children to use and comfortable to wear.

Can adults use Troikin too?

The range is designed with children in mind, but the ingredients are gentle and well tolerated, so parents with sensitive skin often get on well with them, particularly Nightology as a calming night moisturiser. If you are looking for a more targeted regime for your own concerns, we can build something specific for you during a skin consultation. Troikin's real purpose, though, is giving children a solid, trustworthy start.

Where can I buy Troikin?

We stock the Troikin range at Wellface. If you would like to know more about the individual products or how to build a routine for your child, get in touch with the clinic and the team will be happy to help.

Come and talk to me about your family's skin

Good skin habits are one of the kindest things you can pass on to a child, and they cost far less to build early than to repair later. If you would like advice on protecting your child's skin through the holiday season, or you simply want to see and feel the Troikin products before you choose, I would be glad to help.

You can find Wellface in Cobham, Esher and Wimbledon. Book a consultation with me at whichever clinic is easiest for you, bring your questions, and I will talk you through a routine that fits your family and keeps young skin healthy, protected and calm all year round.