The Best Skincare Routine for Teens and Tweens

Every generation has its aesthetic, and Gen Alpha is no exception. Theirs is a look that requires slouchy socks, a Stanley cup, and a Sephora basket full of high-end beauty products. While building a skincare routine can be beneficial for tweens and teens, many of these so-called “Sephora Kids” are inspired by influencers to purchase skincare that includes powerful active ingredients not meant for delicate young skin.

Protect your beauty-obsessed tween by steering them towards a simple, age-appropriate skincare routine.

Safe Skincare for Teens

Many teens and tweens aren’t just interested in creating a skincare routine, they’re emulating content creators who are speaking to an older audience.

“When you walk into Sephora, you can see elementary school kids testing skincare that’s meant for much older women,” says Biossance Global Education Director McKenzie Rose. “This is dangerous because kids are choosing corrective ingredients meant to address concerns they’re years away from experiencing.”

In general, teens and tweens should avoid ingredients made for maturing skin including retinoids and exfoliating acids such as glycolic acid.

The Best Skincare for Teens and Tweens

“Teens and tweens are riding a hormonal roller coaster that may influence their skin type and concerns,” says McKenzie. “It’s a good idea to keep their products as gentle as possible so that you’re helping skin adjust weather the storm instead of giving it one more thing to adjust to.”

Most teens and tweens only need to use three products regardless of skin type and concern:

1. Cleanse

Washing your face is a basic hygiene step that’s important for all adolescents to adopt to keep skin clean, clear, and calm.

“Our Amino Aloe Gentle Cleanser lathers into a satisfying foam to deep-clean pores without overstripping,” says McKenzie. “I also love that it contains calming aloe, so it’s extra-gentle on young skin.”

Squalane + Amino Aloe Gentle Cleanser 

$29.00

Jumbo 400ml

Full Size 200ml

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2. Moisturize

Applying moisturizer to clean skin is an essential skincare step that helps nourish and strengthen the skin’s natural protective barrier.

“Most teens and tweens gravitate towards lightweight texture,” says McKenzie. “Our Probiotic Gel Moisturizer is ideal for young skin because it not only weightlessly moisturizes with squalane, it also contains encapsulated probiotics to strengthen the skin’s microbiome and promote calmer, clearer skin.”

Squalane + Probiotic Gel Moisturizer

$54.00

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3. Sunscreen

“Using an SPF of at least 30 is the most important and impactful thing any young person can do for their skin,” says McKenzie. “The earlier your teenager starts using it the better.”