Since the phrase “Sephora Tween” popped into the cultural conversation last year, there have been tons of online posts, debates and rants about kids and skincare–specifically, what do tweens and teens actually need when it comes to skincare products, and what’s a total waste of time, or worse, might be damaging their skin?

Sephora Tween has become a catch-all term–often with a hint of derision–to describe a minor child who’s shopping a beauty store with their parents and loading up their cart with expensive products that they just don’t need.

We had Noxzema and Sea Breeze back in the 90s; these kids have Glo Recipe and Drunk Elephant. Quite the difference in price point and overall chic-ness. 😂

What Skincare Products Should My Tween or Teen Use?

I wanted to tackle this topic for a couple reasons. First, these kids are getting a bad rap! Have you seen some of the nasty videos showing a 12-year-old with $900 worth of products at Sephora? Not exactly how I’d want my child to be shown on the internet, so I hate to see a whole group vilified like this.

And also, I wanted to actually provide answers for parents who want to hit that sweet spot of helping their child get good skin (especially if he or she is dealing with acne, which is its own brand of hell as a young person) without spending a ton.

So last week, I brought a guest onto the podcast to dive specifically into the topic of skincare for tweens and teens. The goal? Help parents curate a list of products that their kids can actually use that won’t damage their skin or your wallet.

My guest is Elise Tabin, former executive beauty editor of New Beauty magazine and founder of Twiish Skin, a skincare line developed for tweens and teens (and anyone beyond) that targets acne and overall skin health.

Elise is the perfect guest for this because not only she has tried and tested literally hundreds of products in her role as a beauty journalist at New Beauty and other publications, but also because she’s the mom of a tween herself, so finding gentle but effective products specifically tailored for young skin was a personal mission. (That’s also the reason she and her daughter Madison started their line!)

Here are three big takeaways from my conversation with Elise to help you nail down a skincare routine for your tween, but be sure to listen to the whole episode to get even more of her wisdom!

Scroll down for her specific product recommendations, and to read all of her tips!

Shop Elise’s Skincare Picks for Tweens and Teens

The Skincare Products and Ingredients Tweens and Teens Actually Need (and What You Can Save Money on by Skipping)

---

Tip 1: Know Your Tween or Teen’s Skin Type

Elise says that just like adults, kids have specific skincare needs. For example, some may deal with acne while others have drier skin (especially from activities like swimming). Nailing down the skin type or their specific skincare needs is the first step to making sure they’re not overdoing it with products, and you’re not overdoing it on your wallet.

To determine skin type, you can of course take your tween or teen to the dermatologist, but as a former (key word “former”) young person 😉 who struggled with acne, the life-changing moment for me was when I met my first highly-qualified esthetician.

After endless dermatologist appointments where doctors would prescribe harsh medications like Accutane or even slice open my acne lesions (yes. AWFUL.) and still not seeing results, I decided to go a highly-trained esthetician who completely changed my skin, and my life. She was trained in Eastern Europe–the standards for aesthetic training is much higher in many European countries–and her method of gentle cleansing and light moisturizing, and not stripping my skin, completely turned the ship around.

All of that to say, there are multiple paths to clear skin, but starting with an understanding of your tween or teen’s specific troubles is step one!

Book that appointment, or have your tween/teen take a simple online quiz to nail down their biggest pain points, and go from there. (I’m not recommending any specific quiz as I’m not a medical professional, but starting with a derm or skincare provider in your area is a great first step!)

Why is it so important to know your skin first? Elise says, “If you are using something that is not formulated specifically to what your skin needs, you will probably have some type of adverse reaction to it, whether it’s redness, irritation, rash, breakouts, whatever it is, so know what your skin can tolerate, and what what your skin is allergic.”

Tipe 2: Beware of Overdoing It: The Skincare Ingredients Most Tweens and Teens Should Avoid

Elise always advises that when it comes to a skincare routine for a teenager or tween, to keep it simple.

“When you’re younger, simple is better. You don’t need a 10-step routine just because you see somebody else doing it. You have to listen to what your skin needs your body needs. And then you can go from there.”

And yes, there are ingredients that young skin just doesn’t typically need, says Elise. Her list of no-nos for tweens and teens are:

• Retinol*
• Peptides
• Glycolic acid*
• Vitamin C (tweens specifically for this)
• Gritty scrubs
• Shea butter
• Heavy oils

(*Elise was careful to mention that some teenagers are prescribed Vitamin A products or told to use certain retinols/retinoids by their dermatologists, so this isn’t blanket advice for everyone. But for tweens–the younger set–she says that any retinol product is generally too harsh on the skin. The same goes for glycolic acid, which is an ingredient that can be used in low concentrations in some products especially for teens, but should mostly be avoided by tweens.)

Tip 3: Consistency is Key

I know personally just how exciting it is to hop from product to product to try every little thing I get my hands on–I mean, you should see my beauty closet!–but it’s true that consistency is key when it comes to tweens and teens clearing up their skin.

“You can’t do something once and expect for everything to be magically gone. [That’s] why they call it skincare routine; you have to be diligent about it, you have to be consistent. Even if you’re tired at night and you don’t want to wash your face, you have to do it.

“So step number one is you got to commit. … It’s not a lot of time–we’re talking like five minutes tops–but if you’re not going to take the time every day to do your skincare routine, you won’t see the results.”

What About Colloidal Silver for Acne? Does that Work?

One more thing: Elise is loving colloidal silver as an ingredient to battle acne for teens. She loves it so much, she included it as a star ingredient in a product in the line she developed with her tween daughter. Zit Ain’t Cute is a blemish treatment featuring colloidal silver and known acne-fighting ingredient salicylic acid, and Elise says her daughter and other tweens who have tried it are huge fans.

Why colloidal silver? Elise says she’s been using it for years for burns, scrapes, bug bites and razor burns, and because it has antibacterial anti inflammatory properties, she started using it on blemishes too.

All products linked here!