By Leah Ringelstein & Maree Glading 

There's a moment every parent knows — the one where you realize the world wasn't built with your child in mind. The products, the platforms, the systems: they were designed for someone older, for someone else, for a different era. And you're left wondering: why isn't there something better? Why hasn't someone fixed this?

For us, that question didn't stay rhetorical. It became a blueprint.

We are both mothers. We are both entrepreneurs. And separately — though it turns out, in remarkably parallel ways — we looked at industries that touch the lives of tweens and teens every single day and decided to rebuild them from the ground up.

Maree's Story: Skincare That Actually Sees Her

When Maree watched her daughter grow curious about skincare, she felt the familiar mix of excitement followed by the hesitation that most moms feel. The beauty industry had plenty to offer, but almost none of it was made for a young girl's skin, or for her stage of development. The formulations, the messaging, the imagery: it was all designed for adults.

She knew her daughter was going to engage with these products one way or another. So she made a choice: she would be the one to create something she could trust. Something other families could trust, too and that tweens and teens would love.

That became Evre. skin care — a range formulated for younger skin that Moms felt good saying  yes to.

" Evre. is a skincare range that respects tween and teen biology and builds confidence along the way" - Maree 

I saw my daughter and her friends becoming increasingly aware of their appearance and influenced by social media, yet the products available were either too harsh, overly active, or filled with ingredients I didn’t feel comfortable putting on developing skin. At the same time, I could see the impact this pressure was having on confidence and self-esteem, and it became clear that something needed to change. The first product we developed was our Super Nice Manuka Honey Moisturizer, and it meant everything to me because it embodied what evre. was created for — gentle, natural, balancing, hormone friendly skincare parents could trust and teens could feel good using. It was proof that we could create something safe, effective, and genuinely supportive for this generation. 

But Maree didn't stop at the formulas. She knew that skincare is an essential part of self-care, a daily ritual, a quiet moment with yourself. And for a young woman still forming her sense of self, that moment matters. So she wove affirmations into evre.’s packaging. Because a girl caring for her skin should also be reminded to care for her well-being too.

Young girls are constantly exposed to pressure and comparison, so we wanted to include small reminders that encouraged confidence, kindness, and self-worth. We chose messages that felt simple, genuine, and uplifting. What’s been really special is hearing from parents and girls who’ve told us they keep the affirmations on their mirrors or that they’ve sparked meaningful conversations around confidence and well-being at home. 

Leah's Story: Social Media That Lifts Kids Up

When Leah — a mom and a former teacher — watched the next generation gravitating toward social media, she didn't panic. She paid attention.

She saw what was genuinely beautiful about it: the creativity, the connection, the sense of community and self-expression, a feeling for kids that their ideas could go somewhere and reach the world. She also saw the underbelly — the exposure to adult content, the unmoderated feedback, the architecture that was designed to maximize engagement rather than protect the humans using it. Especially the young ones.

So she and her husband asked themselves: what would it look like if we built this right? From scratch. Safety as the foundation, not an afterthought.

The result was Zigazoo — a peer-only platform built from the ground up with young users at its center. Content is moderated. Negative commenting is structurally prevented. The community is curated to lift kids up, not tear them down.

" Social media is central to how Gen Alpha communicates, creates, and connects. Building intentionally for them is essential to supporting healthy development—now and into the future." - Leah

But Zigazoo was never just about protection. It was about preparation. Because these kids will grow up and enter a digital world. Leah wanted them to arrive there with skills — an understanding of how to protect their privacy, how to show up as their authentic selves, how to be good digital citizens and expect the same from others.

So the platform was built with educational resources for families. Because a child navigating social media shouldn't be navigating it alone — and neither should their parents.

Our responsibility to families is to create a space that serves their kids’ right to safety and need for connection, to unlock creativity and lift their voices. But even in the safest room kids still need adults that guide them, teach them to be kind, to be authentic, hold them accountable and know how to support their mental health. We are constantly offering resources and experiences that compliment our safety net of features by equipping parents to walk this journey with their children. Because technology evolves at lightning speed, we are all always learning. We know that families need support with that too.

Where Our Paths Cross

We came to this work from different angles — beauty and technology, skincare and social media. But somewhere along the way, we both arrived at the same realization: the health of a young person is not just physical. It's emotional. It's social. It's the quiet voice in their head when they look in the mirror, and the noise of a comment section when they post something brave.

And the industries that shape those experiences — beauty and social tech — have enormous power over who our children believe themselves to be.

That's not something either of us could sit with passively.

I remember realizing that for many young girls, skincare wasn’t really about beauty — it was about belonging, confidence, and feeling okay about themselves. An adult might buy a moisturiser because they want results, but a young girl is often hoping it will help her feel accepted or less self-conscious. That really stayed with me. It taught me that the products we create and the messages around them carry emotional weight, especially for this generation, and that brands have a responsibility to support young people’s well-being, not just sell them a solution.

What We're Building — Together

As parents who want to serve kids with only the best, we're getting creative about how to build trust with families. We're thinking about what it looks like to say, clearly and credibly: this was made for your child. We thought about her. We thought about him. We thought about them.

Every affirmation on a skincare bottle. Every structural choice in an app's design. Every educational resource shared with a family at the start of a new digital chapter.

These are small decisions with long reach. And we believe that's exactly how change is made — not in a single sweeping gesture, but in thousands of thoughtful ones, made by people who care enough to keep asking: could this be better for kids?

We think the answer is almost always yes.

We'd love to hear from you.

If you're a parent who has navigated these questions — about skincare, about screen time, about how to raise a confident kid in a complicated world — we want to know your story. Because this community is the whole point.

Our children are watching. Let's make sure what they see is worth their attention.

— Leah & Maree

Maree’ Top Tips for Navigating Skincare With Your Tween/Teen

• Focus on self-care, not perfection. Skincare should be about feeling good, creating healthy habits, and taking a moment for yourself, not “fixing flaws.”

• Avoid negative language around skin. Try not to label skin as “bad,” “ugly,” or “problematic.” Instead, talk about skin as something we care for and support.

• Remind teens that skin changes are normal. Hormones, stress, and growing up all affect skin, it’s part of being human, not something to feel ashamed of.

• Keep routines simple. Younger skin usually needs gentle cleansing, hydration, and sun protection — not complicated 10-step routines.

• Be cautious of adult skincare trends. Many viral products on social media contain strong actives that can irritate or damage younger skin barriers.

• Look for gentle, supportive ingredients. Ingredients like manuka honey, niacinamide, aloe vera, oat extract, and hyaluronic acid can help support younger skin without overwhelming it.

• Avoid overly harsh ingredients where possible. High-strength acids, retinols, strong artificial fragrances, and aggressive exfoliants are often unnecessary for tween and teen skin.

• Encourage confidence beyond appearance. Compliment teens on their kindness, creativity, humor, resilience, and effort — not just how they look.

• Keep the conversation open. Ask teens how skincare content online makes them feel and remind them that social media is often filtered, edited, and unrealistic.

• Most importantly, remind them they don’t need perfect skin to be worthy, confident, or loved.

Leah’s Top Tips for Navigating Social Media and Well Being With Your Tween/Teen

Zigazoo Top Tips for Navigating Social Media With Your Tween/Teen

• Keep the conversation open and ongoing. Talk often—not just about the hard stuff. Casual, judgment-free conversations build trust so your child knows you’re the one to come to when it really matters.

• Be open about your own experiences. Teens are more likely to listen when they feel understood. Sharing your own challenges with technology helps build connection—no one wants to feel like they’re being lectured.

• Let them teach you, too. Kids often know more about the digital world than we do—and that’s okay. Invite them to share what they’re seeing while staying engaged enough to guide and support.

• Educate yourself so you can support them. Take time to understand the platforms and trends your child is engaging with. When kids feel like you “get it,” they’re more likely to feel safe and open with you.

• Set boundaries together. Be clear about when phones are used and when they’re turned off, where your child can go online, and for how long. Creating these boundaries together—and revisiting them regularly—builds trust and shared understanding.

• Remember that quiet doesn’t always mean okay. Just because a child is calm on a device doesn’t always mean they’re having a positive experience. Staying engaged helps you support them when it matters most.

• Talk about what to share—and what to keep private. Help your child think through what feels right to post and what might be better kept just for them. It’s important to explore the line between sharing and staying authentic.

• Discuss comparison and where confidence comes from. Social media is often a form of performance—you’re seeing what someone chooses to show, often edited or curated. Help kids focus on real sources of confidence like friendships, creativity, and effort.

• Make it fun and stay involved. Take an interest in your child’s ideas, their niche, and the content they enjoy creating. A collaborative, curious approach helps you guide from a place of connection and joy.

• Follow through with consistent consequences. Boundaries help keep kids safe—but they only work when they’re followed through. Clear, fair, and consistent consequences build trust over time.

• Choose platforms you trust. Not every app is designed with kids in mind. Look for spaces that prioritize safety and positive experiences so your child can create and connect confidently.