10 Best Skin Care Products for Teens, According to Dermatologists

Key ingredients: Sodium PCA, Niacinamide, willow bark extract
Sizes available: 1.8 oz.
Pros: This balancing spray is especially great for oily and acne-prone skin types
Cons: None to note

The toners of today are a far cry from the intense formulas of the past, and Bubble’s dome-shaped Bounce Back Balancing Toner Mist is a teen-friendly option that's ideal for young skin. Simply spritz it on to instantly hydrate and balance skin; because it’s small and portable, it easily fits in a backpack or locker for midday touchups. Sodium PCA and niacinamide help with brightening skin, and willow bark extract calms redness and helps reduce oil.

Key ingredients: Hyaluronic acid
Sizes available: 1.7 oz.
Pros: Because it’s a water gel, this daily moisturizer is super lightweight and easy to apply
Cons: The price point is high for a drugstore product

Back in the ’90s and 2000s, tweens and teens with oily skin were told to use harsh soaps and astringents to banish oil, essentially stripping their skin of all moisture. But even oily skin needs moisture to stay balanced and comfortable, and Dr. Shirazi recommends this watery formula for daily use. “This lightweight, oil-free moisturizer contains hyaluronic acid that hydrates the skin without clogging pores,” she says. It feels cooling and refreshing, not heavy or sticky.

Key ingredients: Ceramides, hyaluronic acid, niacinamide
Sizes available: 3 oz.
Pros: Moisturizers are lightweight and hydrate while protecting the skin barrier
Cons: Using two products may not be the best option for tweens who are just starting their skin-care routine

Skin care for tweens should be easy to incorporate into their existing routine, which means fewer steps throughout the day. CeraVe’s Facial Moisturizing Lotion comes in both AM and PM formulas, with the AM formula doing double duty as a daily SPF. “This moisturizer contains ceramides and hyaluronic acid to help support the skin barrier and draw moisture in,” explains Dr. Garshick. Both formulas are nourishing yet lightweight, so skin won’t feel heavy or greasy.

Key ingredients: Zinc oxide, raspberry seed extract
Sizes available: 1.7 oz.
Pros: Mineral sunscreen blends into the skin and can be worn under makeup
Cons: The price point is higher than that of other daily sunscreens

The tween and teen years are the best time to start stressing the importance of daily sunscreen use, and Bubble’s Solar Mate Daily Mineral SPF 40 is a great entry for those who want to get in the habit. (The cute yellow packaging helps too!)

“This lightweight mineral sunscreen is a great option for tweens as it is noncomedogenic and won’t clog the pores while effectively providing broad-spectrum SPF 40 coverage,” explains Dr. Garshick, who also praises its easy application and blendability. Solar Mate is formulated especially for acne-prone and sensitive skin and includes ingredients like raspberry seed, ginseng, and cocoa seed extract to protect, brighten, and hydrate.

In addition to using sunscreen every day, Dr. Campbell recommends teens practice “good sun safety” for anti-aging benefits and to prevent discoloration and skin cancer. This includes reducing time spent outdoors between the peak hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. and wearing sun-protective clothing.

Key ingredients: Adapalene
Sizes available: 0.5 oz., 1.6 oz.
Pros: This is the only dermatologist-developed retinoid available over the counter
Cons: It may be too much for sensitive skin types

Differin, a daily adapalene treatment, used to be available exclusively at the dermatologist’s office, but it’s more widely available today. This is one of the best skin-care products for teens with acne because it’s gentle but effective, helping to fight breakouts, blackheads, whiteheads, and clogged pores. “If you’re breaking out, you can use adapalene three times per week,” says Dr. Campbell. (Skip it if you’re not dealing with a breakout.) If your acne is getting worse, not better, or you’re seeing scars, she advises seeing a derm ASAP.

Dr. Garshick also recommends Differin for teens who are seeing pimples and breakouts pop up. “It helps to regulate the rate that the skin cells turn over, preventing clogged pores and breakouts, especially helping to treat blackheads and whiteheads,” she explains.

Key ingredients: Hydrocolloid
Sizes available: 24 patches
Pros: These stickers reduce the look of zits overnight and won’t slide off your face
Cons: Zit stickers don’t work as well for hormonal acne or blackheads

Hands off that zit, says Dr. Campbell, who notes one of the most important things teens should know about acne is not to pick or touch active spots. Zit stickers have exploded in popularity for this reason — and because they work! Hero’s are a best-in-class example, as they stick on, stay on, and shrink acne while you sleep — and help you remember not to touch that pimple. Opt for nonmedicated hydrocolloid patches, as the medicated ones may cause irritation.

Key ingredients: Colloidal oatmeal, shea butter
Sizes available: 2 oz.
Pros: This mask hydrates for up to 24 hours
Cons: It’s more expensive than other masks

Masks are a fun way to experiment with skin care, and there’s no harm in using sheet masks at sleepovers — just stay away from anything super-active or intense, such as a peeling mask. For teens, Dr. Garshick suggests First Aid Beauty’s Ultra Repair Mask, which she says is “especially good for those with dry skin.” It nourishes and calms with colloidal oatmeal and shea butter, and it's a smart choice for tweens and teensbecause it also strengthens the skin barrier. As a bonus, it’s also recommended for eczema.

Key ingredients: Salicylic acid, glycerin
Sizes available: 8.5 oz.
Pros: It fights acne without stripping skin and won’t clog pores
Cons: May not be the best choice for sensitive skin

An oldie but a goodie, Neutrogena’s Body Clear Body Wash has been a go-to for generations of tweens and teens who want to prevent or fight body acne. It’s formulated with 2% salicylic acid, which helps banish acne on the back, chest, and shoulders without over-drying skin. It also has a refreshing, invigorating sudsy lather that makes skin feel super-clean. Choose between the classic original scent or the zesty grapefruit.