A study of teens in 2016 showed levels of toxic chemical ingredients in their bodies plummeted after switching to safer products for just 3 days. This youth-led study had 100 teen participants (ages 14-17) agree to only use natural skin care, personal care, and makeup that they were provided for 3 days. Their urine was tested for potentially endocrine-disrupting chemicals such as phthalates, parabens, triclosan, and benzophenone-3 before and after the 3 day period and the results were astounding. The levels of each chemical decreased significantly and it showed just how much of these unwanted chemicals teens are being exposed to on the regular.
Teens use an average of 17 personal care products daily, compared to only around 12 products for the average adult woman. Source: EWG
Teens need safer options, especially while their bodies are developing. The thing is, not a lot of brands are creating or marketing natural skincare for teens and preteens. Most of the stuff specifically marketed to them is full of the exact kind of chemicals they were testing for in the study above. Not to mention, teens use far more products daily than any other demographic, which means even more exposure to these harmful substances. It may be no surprise that the average teen girl uses so many products, but studies show the average teen boy uses quite a few products, as well.
A blast from the not-so-distant past…
Below I’m sharing some of my top picks for natural skincare for teens and tweens. Most of the stuff traditionally marketed to them is cheap, so I did my best to provide affordable options. But it’s really hard to make dirt cheap products without the cheap, synthetic ingredients that you’d normally find in these types of products. Make a decision that fits your family best and if you have to pick and choose what to get, I’d start with the items that your teen uses the most. Also, less is more when it comes to their skin, so a simple routine is best, but I’m sharing options in every category so you can find a routine that works for your teen.
Natural Skincare For Teens & Tweens
Cleansers
Meow Meow Tweet Tea Tree Charcoal Facial Bar $7.99- Great for oily, combo, or breakout-prone skin.
BYBI Milk Melt Oat Milk Cleanser $16.99- Gently foams to cleanse but not strip skin.
Herbivore Pink Clay Cleansing Bar $12- This is good for sensitive, dry, or normal skin. It’s pink and has a slight floral scent, so it’s more on the feminine side.
Ursa Major Fantastic Face Wash $28- This foaming gel cleanser also exfoliates with AHA/BHA’s. Works best for normal, combo, oily, or acne-prone skin.
Kimberly Sayer Gentle Cleanser $25- A gentle cleanser for dry, sensitive, or normal skin that deep cleans pores without drying skin.
Nourish Organic Face Cleanser Under $11- Works for all skin types
Weleda Gentle Cleansing Foam Under $15- Great for most skin types, especially dry or sensitive.
Kaia Natural The Vitamin Cleanse Wipes $10 for a 10 pack- Perfect for on the go! If your teen has after-school sports or is shuffling to different activities certain days of the week, stash these biodegradable wipes in their bag.
Cocokind Cleansing Oil Under $14- For teens who wear a lot of makeup, using an oil cleanser first will dissolve makeup, and then they can follow with a regular cleanser above.
W3ll People Juice Cleanse Aloe Cleanser $17.99- Brand new! Gently cleanses without stripping.
Exfoliators
Acure Brightening Scrub $9.99- Acure is known for using what is regarded as “safe synthetics” and has kept prices low. Since many of their products have been reformulated over the past few years and even safe synthetics can be a slippery slope, I can’t vouch for all of their products, but their Brighten Scrub still holds firm as a safe alternative to traditional scrubs.
Upcircle Coffee Face Scrub Under $16- A nice gentle scrub with nourishing oils and ground coffee seeds.
Mist/Toners
Ursa Major 4-in-1 Essential Face Tonic $14+ – Witch hazel, Aloe, green tea and more make this a good pick for normal, combo, or oily skin. It helps to calm breakouts, too.
Cocokind Rosewater $14.99- A perfect face mist for dry, sensitive, or normal skin.
BYBI Mega Mist $18.99- Very hydrating with a boost of Hyaluronic Acid.
Moisturizers
Live Botanical Awaken Clearing Oil $28- For breakout-prone skin this works wonders! I know it may seem counter-intuitive to use oil on oily/breakout-prone skin, but this gets to work balancing their natural oils and calming breakouts. (Use code MAISONPUR to save)
Nourish Organic Face Lotion Under $20- A lightweight lotion that works well on dry, sensitive skin.
Weleda Sensitive Face Cream Under $24- Perfect for dry or sensitive skin types.
Ursa Major Fortifying Face Balm $36- A pricier one on the list but this is a very lightweight, matte lotion that does really well with normal to oily skin and it doesn’t clog pores, so it’s good for acne-prone skin too!
Cocokind Chia Facial Oil $16.99- Chia seed oil is so nourishing and absorbs nicely into your skin.
BYBI C-Caf Day Cream $24.99- A lightweight moisturizer with vitamin c and caffeine to help with morning puffiness.
Spot Treatments
Cocokind Turmeric Spot Treatment $8.99
Indie Lee Banish Stick $16- Easy to use and works quickly.
Mighty Patch $7- These patches cover blemishes and heal them fast.
SPF
Badger Broad Spectrum Sunscreen Stick Under $11
Babo Botanicals Daily Sheer Tinted Sunscreen Under $17
W3ll People Bio Tint Moisturizer SPF $29.99- Does multi duty as a moisturizer, SPF, and primer. It gives a lot of coverage so it could be used instead of foundation.
Masks
BYBI Super Greens Clay Mask $22.99- Perfect to purify and clean pores.
Cocokind Sea Kale Clay Mask $18.99- Gently exfoliates and cleans pores.
Lots of great options for all skin types! Hopefully, this can guide you in putting together a natural skincare routine for your teen or tween. Stay tuned, because I’ll be tackling more teen personal care products and makeup soon!
*Affiliate links used. All thoughts and opinions are always my own.
