Safe ingredients | Ingredients to avoid | What happens when they use the wrong products? | How to curate a tween-safe skin care routine | How we chose | Meet the experts
Has your tween recently expressed interest in skin care, potentially fueled by brands, influencers and "Get Ready With Me" routines flooding their social media feeds?
If they have, they're not alone. Kids between the ages of 10 and 12 — aka tweens — have recently taken to social media to share their daily routines that include viral skin care and beauty brands, which has left older generations with many opinions.
With millennials and gen Z chiming in on the products they were using at that age, these videos have opened up a wider conversation about what the "right" age is to start using skin care products.
Opinions aside, Shop TODAY consulted licensed esthetician Jordan Renner and board-certified dermatologist Dr. Steve Xu about gentle and safe ways tweens can start to implement skin care into their routine.
What ingredients are safe for 10-12 year olds to use?
"It’s good to start with ingredients that aren’t overly harsh because their skin types and tolerances are still changing and evolving so much as they go through puberty," says Xu.
These are the four ingredients that get the thumbs up from experts:
- Azelaic acid: Xu says products with azelaic acid are "gentle and effective" on premature skin.
- Niacinamide: A "proven antioxidant," according to Xu, niacinamide works to prevent acne and promote moisture during warmer months.
- Salicylic acid: A gentle anti-acne ingredient, salicylic acid unclogs pores and works away the top layer, to leave skin feeling clear and allow other products to be effective as well.
- Hyaluronic acid: Known for its hydrating qualities, Renner says this ingredient is safe to use on developing skin.
What ingredients should they be avoiding?
"The tween skin is much thinner and more sensitive," says Renner, who recommends steering clear of the following ingredients for 10-to-12-year-olds:
- Retinol: Typically used for anti-aging routines, this ingredient will prove to be too harsh for tweens. "I would recommend avoiding very aggressive and potent retinols right at the start, unless acne is appearing really early and severely," says Xu. If they are experiencing severe acne, then he suggests consulting a dermatologist.
- Vitamin C: Another ingredient that's perfect for anti-aging routines, it's also too mature for a tween's skin as it is too harsh for their skin barrier, according to Renner.
- Parabens: Xu recommends straying away from parabens, which is an ingredient that works to strip oils from the skin and hair.
What kind of reaction might they get from ingredients their skin isn't quite ready for?
Breakouts. Irritation. Redness. All symptoms the experts highlighted and warn will occur if tweens are using products with ingredients that don't agree with their skin or that their skin isn't ready for.
"This is the age where many see hormonal changes to their skin, so using products with pore-clogging ingredients or heavy fragrances can lead to irritation and cause breakouts," says Renner.
Xu points out that experiencing negative side effects and symptoms could even potentially "deter them from testing out new skin care solutions in the future."
What products should they implement into a beginner skin care routine?
Both Renner and Xu agree that less is more when it comes to building a routine that tweens (and their parents' wallets) will be satisfied with.
"This typically looks like a regimen with less components and less complexity, with clinically-proven ingredients and minimal steps," says Xu.
These three products can make up a simple, beginner-friendly skin care routine, yet still allow for some wiggle room to include their preferred brands.
Cleanser
"Make sure to use a gentle cleanser twice a day; once in the morning and once at night," Renner says, emphasizing the use of simple ingredients. Xu recommends a clarifying gel cleanser or one with salicylic acid.
Burt’s Bees Natural Acne Solutions Purifying Gel Cleanser
- "Never failed to disappoint"
- "Must-have" for "painful" acne
- Formula changed
Size: 5 oz | Safe ingredient(s): Salicylic acid
With salicylic acid as its most notable ingredient, this cleanser from Burt’s Bees works to combat pesky pimples and acne tweens might be struggling in the early stages of.
This cleanser strips away oils and bacteria, preventing more breakouts while resolving current ones.
CeraVe Acne Control Cleanser
- "Works well" for tweens
- Affordable
- "Overly" dried out some's skin
Size: 8-16 oz | Safe ingredient(s): Salicylic acid, niacinamide
Salicylic acid is the main ingredient in this cleanser, working to combat acne and improve pores. Recommended for those with especially oily skin, this cleanser absorbs natural oils and leaves users with a fresh, clean feeling after use.
Neutrogena Hydro Boost Fragrance-Free Gel Cleanser
- Gentle
- Made dry skin even drier
Size: 7.8-16 oz | Safe ingredient(s): Hyaluronic acid
Xu recommends starting off with a clarifying gel cleanser, and this option from Neutrogena includes hyaluronic acid, which works to keep the skin hydrated.
With no oils, parabens or fragrances to worry about, tweens (and their parents) can be confident it’ll be gentle on their ever-changing skin.
Moisturizer
Both experts recommend a moisturizer, and bonus points if it includes SPF. Renner recommends shopping for a fragrance-free, lightweight and non-comedogenic moisturizer. “Heavily fragranced/heavy cream products can often irritate the skin more and even clog pores,” she says.
CeraVe Moisturizing Cream
- One of these lasts a long time
- For face and body
- Not travel-friendly
Size: 12 oz | Safe ingredient(s): Hyaluronic acid
This option from CeraVe checks all of the boxes, providing tweens with a reliable moisturizer from a reputable brand that they can swipe on twice a day.
Its fragrance-free formula promises to be non-greasy, so those with already-oily skin have no reason to worry.
Cetaphil Daily Facial Moisturizer with SPF 35
- Long-lasting
- Lightweight
- Thick consistency
- Has a slight scent
Size: 3 oz | Safe ingredient(s): Niacinamide
For another moisturizer that meets the requirements mentioned by Renner, plus earning extra credit due to the included SPF 35, this moisturizer from Cetaphil promises to hydrate dry skin and protect it from the sun.
This “go-to” moisturizer is loved by reviewers because it keeps their face from feeling oily, and helps to prevent breakouts.
rhode Barrier Restore Cream
- Hydrating
- Long lasting
- Size is a bit small
Size: 1.7 oz | Safe ingredient(s): Niacinamide
This buzzy skin care brand founded by Hailey Bieber promises to do exactly what the name of the product says: restore the skin’s barrier. With niacinamide, shea butter and squalane as some of the key ingredients, a half-finger amount twice a day promises to improve the texture of their skin.
Repairing night cream
While Xu warns that large amounts of retinol can cause damage to tween skin, small, "gentle" doses of it in moderation and over time are safe. A repairing night cream can work overnight to tackle tween acne woes while they're sleeping. Xu advises tweens to avoid high-potency retinols, noting that they should be using it at a "graduated concentration." Dr. Lian Mack previously shared that a low, beginner-friendly concentration is 0.05% and a moderate amount is a pea-sized drop.
Sun Bum Restoring Night Cream
- Reviewers love the consistency
- A little goes a long way
- Some disliked the scent
Sizes: 1.5 oz. | Safe ingredient(s): Niacinamides, vitamin E
This night cream lacks retinol, and instead features ingredients that will improve the texture of their skin by locking in moisture and preventing acne, like niacinamides.
Sun Bum also has a recognizable scent: bananas. Multiple products of theirs feature the fruit, which plays a secret role in their skin care. Potassium is a natural ingredient in bananas, that plays a key role in helping skin glow and look vibrant.
Cerave Skin Renewing Night Cream
- Fragrance-free
- Hydrating ingredients
- Small container
Size: 1.7 oz | Safe ingredient(s): Niacinamide, hyaluronic acid
It’s no secret that Cerave is safe for young skin, as it’s beginner-friendly and dermatologist-recommended. Similar to their daily moisturizing cream, this nighttime version is also non-comedogenic, fragrance-free and has a lightweight formula.
Drunk Elephant Night Serum
- Skin feels smoother overnight
- Easy application; packaging
- More of a splurge pick
Size: 1-1.69 oz | Safe ingredient(s): Salicylic acid
We would be remiss if we didn’t include the brand that’s most likely already taken their social media platforms by storm: Drunk Elephant. Xu recommends a night serum to do the heavy lifting while they sleep and this one from Drunk Elephant contains one of the expert-recommended safe ingredients.
Sunscreen
“One thing I wish I was more educated on at that age is the importance of sunscreen. Despite people saying you only need it during the summer time, you should wear it all year round,” says Renner. “UVA Rays can penetrate through windows and are out all year round!”
Sun Bum SPF 50 Sunscreen Lotion
- "Not too heavy" consistency
- Cleans off well after use
- Goes on a little bit greasy
Size: 1 oz | Safe ingredient(s): Vitamin E, aloe
While this sunscreen isn't tinted and presents itself as a more practical, recreational option, it soothes young skin with ingredients such as aloe and vitamin E.
It's gluten- and paraben-free, and it's even TSA-friendly so they can take it with them on the go.
e.l.f. cosmetics Holy Hydration! Face Cream with SPF 30
- Helps with acne control
- Skin feels softer after use
- Felt greasy going on for some
Size: 1.8 oz. | Safe ingredient(s): Hyaluronic acid, niacinamides
A multi-purpose product that combines moisturizer with SPF makes this option one that's easy to implement into their routine. With a whole line of Holy Hydration! products to choose from, like moisturizer and makeup remover, they all employ the same hydrating, refreshing ingredients to ensure a hydrating feeling.
Supergoop! Glow Screen SPF 40
- Easy to apply; long-lasting
- Not sticky or greasy
- May sweat off
Size: 0.68-1.7 oz | Safe ingredient(s): Hyaluronic acid, niacinamides
Made for all skin types and available in four different shades, Supergoop! aims to provide a glowy look with this tinted sunscreen. Renner recommends adding SPF to a skin care routine, as mentioned above, even during the wintertime!
Hyaluronic acid and niacinamides work in tandem to help the skin look "supple," by diminishing pores and evening out skin tone, brought on by potential discoloration of the sun.
How we chose
We scoured the internet to find a combination of the trending products tweens love, paired with ingredients that are safe to use on their premature skin. Plus, we aimed to find a range of affordable to splurge-worthy products that fit every budget.
Meet the experts
- Jordan Renner is a licensed esthetician at Rise Skin Body, a salon in Iowa. Her services include facial treatments, brow and lash services, self tanning services, cryotherapy shock services.
- Dr. Steve Xu is a board-certified dermatologist and heads Geologies Medical Advisory Board. He believes in consumer advocacy for and transparency in the cosmetics industry. Xu is also Director of Medical Research at the Querrey Simpson Institute for Bioelectronics at Northwestern University.
