For Teenage Skin we want to Clean, Feed, Correct, and Protect.

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Cleansers – (most gentle cleansers will work but here are a few I have recommended in the past)

If you want to go a little more fancy then some of my suggestions, this one would be a good one. It comes in a glass bottle (so be careful if it’s in a shower) and I think the color of it is beautiful. Although their website states that this is for adults, most teenagers can tolerate this formula well. It is vegan, and will remove a teen’s makeup and debris from the day, while moisturizing the skin (this does not mean you can skip the moisturizing step).

This is one of the most recommended facial cleansers out there both by dermatologists and even influencers. It is gentle, it will get the job done, and can be used as the second step in a double-cleanse if your child is interested. There are no harsh actives and for the price and low risk to your child’s skin, it really can’t be beat.

Gel Cleansers are great for teens with oily skin. While this product has ceramides in it (which is great for your teen’s skin), it also has anti-oxidant ingredients in it as well. I included it in this list, one because the packaging is cute for a teen, but because as a cleanser, theoretically, you’re going to wash off the anti-oxidants before they have a real chance to damage any young skin. Again, make sure your teenager is monitoring their skin for tightness or any irritation, and change this product out if this becomes a problem. There are other gel cleansers on the market, but most teens like Byoma and I like to give recommendations not only to the parents but for the teens as well.

There are a couple of ways to double-cleanse if you are a teenager. One of them is by using a oil cleanser, such as this one, followed up by a water cleanser (if the first ingredient in the cleanser is water, it is most likely a water cleanser). Oil cleansers will take of your teen’s makeup and sunscreen off more effectively then just the foaming cleaners. Plus, it isn’t a bad idea to get your teen used to double-cleaning from the jump. This cleanser has squalane oil, hyaluronic acid, and ceramides – all of which are good for your teen’s skin.

This cleanser is great for teenagers struggling with mild acne. It is recommended for teen skin because the active ingredients here are not only washed off immediately, but are in a cleansing form and therefore, at a less percentage. This product has two ingredients that are not on the approved teen skincare list – niacinamide and salicylic acid; but again, this is a cleanser and not a serum. I will say that your teen does not need to wash their face both in the morning and the night with this product (once a day will do). This cleanser may dry your teen’s skin out so make sure you are following it up with a moisturizer.

PanOxyl is another great cleanser for teens struggling with mild acne. It comes in two strengths – 4% and 10%. I would always start with the lower percentage and then move to the higher percentage if needed. This product will dry out your teen’s skin, so always follow up with a moisturizer. PanOxyl should not be used daily until you know if your teen’s young skin can handle it; I would recommend starting out with two to three nights a week. My own teenager did not listen to this advice, and ended up with angry, red irritation all over her face pretty quickly. Once she switched to only a couple of times a week, things improved. Do not use both a salicylic acid cleanser and a benzoyl peroxide cleanser; even if you are switching them day to day. It is too much for a teen’s skin. Just pick one.

This is what helped my teenage son’s skin the most. He has pretty bad acne, and while we tried tretinoin, he did not like the product or the results. Once we put him on this, everything got better. It did not cure his acne, but it does lessen the severity and the duration. Micellar water can be used as a first cleanser in a double-cleanse or on it’s own. It is safe, effective, and does not have any harsh ingredients. There are many micellar waters on the market, and I haven’t found any that would be harmful for teenage skin, this is just the brand that has worked for my family.

This spray is a hypochlorous acid spray which is safe for teens with red, itchy, or mildly irritated skin; it can also help breakouts. However, that does not mean anyone should be spraying this on their face fifteen times a day (stick to once or twice). I use hypochlorous acid spray before reapplying my sunscreen, after a long workout, or even when my skin just isn’t happy with me. This is a cult favorite, and although there are generic brands on the market that are cheaper and just as effective, this is the one that keeps popping up on your teen’s feed.

This product is designed to sooth your teen’s skin and also (with the help of ceramides) boost their skin barrier. Many of The Ordinary products are simple formulas that help us moms make sure we are not buying our kids products with hidden ingredients that might be detrimental to their skin health. Plus, this product is pink, which can always be a big hit.

This is a product I use in my own routine when I need to bump up the moisture in my skin. Most teens don’t need an extra boost of hydration to their skin, unless they are using products that are designed to treat their acne. Although it is still smart to use a basic moisturizer everyday no matter their skin type, hyaluronic acid is safe to use as well. (When you see a baby and they have the most plump, rosy skin it is due, in part, to the hyaluronic acid that the body already produces. You’re teen is still producing hyaluronic acid at a great rate.) However, this is safe, effective, and will not harm your teen’s delicate skin. Never put hyaluronic acid on dry or wet skin; the skin needs to be damp and the next product will help with that.

This is another product I use in my routine, and I can’t say enough about it. The only ingredients in this rosewater is damask rose oil and some “charged” water. There is nothing active in here, but still, the spray leaves your skin refreshed and hydrated. You can spray this on skin that has other skincare products on it, when your teen has a full face of makeup on, or use it as a way to dampen your skin for products such as hyaluronic acid or moisturizer. You can use this spray as many times as you want during the day, and it won’t cause additional problems. I tend to use this spray in both my hairline and on my skin after sweating, and at least two times a day at random times (and of course, when I am using a product that needs to damp skin before to apply it on).

This product should only be used on teens that are 16+ years old or older. Even if you are tempted, wait until your teen is over the recommended age before allowing them to use this product. This discoloration correcting serum is a mild and gentle product designed to help with acne scars and other hyperpigmentation spots that may be left on your teens skin after their acne flare-ups. I will say, because this serum is so gentle, you have to consistently use it for at least a month before you can see actual results; and that is exactly what we want for our teens; nothing too harsh and something that works but slowly and carefully. It has both tranexamic acid and niacinamide in it, but once again at lower percentages which makes it more tolerable for your teen. Your teen should start by applying this every night after they cleanse their skin, and then they can build up to using it twice a day if their skin seems to tolerate the tranexamic acid. (Tranexamic acid is your brightening ingredient and niacinamide smooths your teen’s skin, helping with large pores, and overall helping with dull skin.)

This is another serum that you will find all over social media; and it is perfectly safe for your teen’s skin. I will point out that if you are using something like The Ordinary’s Barrier Support Serum, you don’t need this product as well. Pick one and don’t overload either your skin or your teen’s skin with so many products. It simply isn’t necessary. But I included this one in the list because of it’s popularity and it is a great product. The serum has squalene and beta gluten to help with hydration, multiple ceramides, and lactic acid in it. Although I don’t believe that teenage skin needs lactic acid, and actually would encourage you to steer away from it for your teen, in this case the lactic acid can act as a sort of mechanism to get the ceramides more deeply into your skin. (It is similar to using lactic acid to help Vitamin C get deeper into your skin – although Vitamin C is still not necessary for your teen’s skin, I thought this was a good example.) Again, there are a lot of barrier support serums out there with ceramides that are good for your teen’s skin; but there is no reason to buy multiple ones (or even two of different ones).

This is another product I don’t think teen’s actually need, but it is also extremely popular. This product is designed to hydrate the skin, and it does a wonderful job of that. But it also has a small amount of glycolic acid that will gently exfoliate the skin (something that is not widely known). It will help with acne, mostly because of the gentle exfoliate and the hydration but again this is not a permanent cure. The product promises to also help with the look of dark spots but you have to use the product pretty consistently in order to see even the smallest difference. Overall, this product shouldn’t hurt your teen’s skin and since it’s so popular, why not give it a try? It should be noted, like hyaluronic acid you have to apply this product on damp skin, and you do need to rub it into your hands for a couple of seconds before applying.

I put this in here because your teen might want a toner and this is a good example of a safe one to use. When it comes to toner, teens again should look for hydrating toners, not ones with actives, like the variety of acids, or even those with any with fragrance or alcohol in them. There are many milky toners on the market and even more hydrating ones that refresh the skin, like Kiehl’s Calendula Herbal Extract Alcohol-Free Tone. K-Beauty has some excellent toners to look into, but again, make sure you are looking at all the active ingredients. The one I recommended here does have peptides in it, but they shouldn’t harm your teen’s young skin.

I want to be transparent here and state that despite the name and the word Adapalene, this is, in fact, a retinol product. But for teens that are intimidated by Tretinoin, or simply don’t need that strength of product for their acne, this can be a great alternative (and you can get it at a drugstore). Please be aware, that like all retinols this product can easily dry out your teen’s skin, and can cause what we call a “purge”, which is when your skin breaks out with more than normal acne before it gets better. There are ways to avoid this, mostly by starting with applying it only once or twice a week and building up from there, and using a good moisturizer or an occlusive moisturizer after it. If you teen gets the product and immediately starts applying it to their face every day, or even twice a day, they will not like the results; I promise. Read and research all the information out there about putting retinols on your child’s skin before buying this product or any retinol product.

As I have stated previously, your child doesn’t need an eye serum. And it should be noted that all eye serums should be used on the upper part of the cheek bone, not directly under the eye. No one wants to get an serums or other products in the eye; plus by putting it just above the cheek bone you will be getting the best results. Normally, I would say that if your teen is concerned about their eye area, they should simply use their serums and moisturizers on that area. However, some teens just want an eye cream and this is a relatively safe one. Caffeine, especially under the eyes has been shown to reduce puffiness and help brighten the eye area. Teens can apply this daily if they so wish, or on the days when they wake up and feel they need it. Under eyes creams or serums with caffeine, unless you are using a retinol there, typically don’t perform any different if the cream is used daily or when needed (there are always exceptions).

This is another cult favorite, as every teen seems to want all the Drunk Elephant products. The problem is most of their products, despite their packaging and what social media wants you to think, are not safe for young skin. This product has both anti-oxidants and peptides which young skin doesn’t need, but compared to other Drunk Elephant products (including the Goldi Drops) this is a an ok product. Most people use this product as a bronzer to add color to the skin and define its contours. Some influencers will use this product on “no makeup days” because of its other ingredients which often gives the impression that it is safe.

Again, I include this product because of the popularity of Drunk Elephant with teens. This is a moisturizer, but again, the other moisturizers in Drunk Elephant’s line should be avoided when looking for safe products for your teen’s skin. This product claims to deliver 24-hour moisture, and I’ll admit it comes in a cute package. Again, I’m not a fan of Drunk Elephant for teens (and it is expensive) but this one is probably safe for daily use on young skin.

Rather than fancy and expensive, most teens just need a moisturizer like CeraVe’s. CeraVe actually has many facial moisturizers (which are good for teen skin); some for the AM with sunscreen and some for the PM. Teenage skin needs moisturizer, it’s one of the staples, and this is a basic product with ceramides and hyaluronic acid. I don’t think you can wrong with this moisturizer, and if you want to get fancy, buy the same pumps that Drunk Elephant uses from Amazon, and just put this moisturizer in it. It will save you some money, and you won’t have to worry what you teen is using on their skin.