Eight Dermatologist-approved Products for the Gen Alpha Skin Care Lover
The Sephora kids have arrived.
Thanks in part to the ever-growing prominence of beauty discourse on social media, a growing wave of tweens have found their way to the skin care aisle — and it’s safe to say many have mixed feelings about beauty’s fresh-faced new entrants.
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On one hand, says Louisiana-based dermatologist Dr. Mamina Turegano, “it’s great that preteens are interested in taking care of their skin and developing a routine, which can be a way for them to learn a form of self care.” On the other, she says, “extensive skin care use at an early age can cause problems; certain products and ingredients are not necessary — or even potentially harmful — to the skin of a preteen.”
So how should this demographic approach building a skin care regimen?
First, ideally under the guidance of an adult-aged loved one. And second — “focus on your three basic steps — cleanser, moisturizer and sunscreen,” says Dr. Suchismita Paul, founder of Balanced Skin Dermatology and Aesthetics. “After that, additional steps should be based on your underlying problems.”
On the whole, products containing harsh exfoliating acids, antioxidants and most retinols are a no-go for this age group, Turegano says. Similarly, those that emphasize preventative or antiaging benefits — even those that come in adorable, neon-orange packaging — also aren’t suitable.
“We shouldn’t be starting these tweens from a place where they think that something is wrong with their skin, or they’re already internalizing that something needs to be ‘fixed,'” says Dr. Corey Hartman, founder and medical director of Skin Wellness Dermatology.
Rather, a no-frills routine that targets the age group’s most common skin concerns — which Paul pinpoints as hormonal acne and hydration — is Gen Alpha’s best bet.
Here, eight tween-friendly options that fit the criteria.
Bubble Skincare Knock Out 1.8% Salicylic Acid Acne Spot Treatment
$12 at ultabeauty.com, cvspharmacy.com, walmart.com, hellobubble.com
Bubble Skincare’s assortment is one Hartman generally regards as appropriate for young consumers, with this spot treatment’s hero ingredient, salicylic acid, being a “tried-and-true staple for treating acne.”
Sol de Janeiro Delicia Drench Body Butter
$48 at sephora.com, soldejaneiro.com
While BeautyTok darling Sol De Janeiro’s signature firming creams may not be a fit for tweens, the brand’s latest whipped body lotion taps bacuri butter and prebiotic hibiscus for a focus on hydration — plus, it comes in a fruity and floral plum-violet scent.
CeraVe Cream-to-foam Cleanser
$16.99 at ultabeauty.com, target.com, amazon.com, walgreens.com
Rich in ceramides and amino acids, this lotion-based cleanser is a go-to recommendation of Turegano’s for tweens with combination skin. For those with oily skin, she says the brand’s gel-based Foaming Face Wash is a suitable alternative.
Byoma Moisturizing Gel Cream
$15.99 at ultabeauty.com, byoma.com
Like Bubble, Byoma’s minimalist formulas and accessible price point make it a generally tween-friendly option, Hartman says. This oil-free moisturizer harnesses a ceramide and green tea blend to deliver hydrating, anti-inflammatory benefits.
Laneige Cotton Candy Lip Sleeping Mask
$25 at sephora.com, us.laneige.com
While Dr. Hartman considers Laneige’s facial skin care assortment as suited to a Gen Z and older consumer, the brand’s murumuru seed butter-infused lip mask, he says, is a fit for tweens who want in on the K-beauty favorite.
La Roche-posay Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer UV SPF 30
$22.99 at walmart.com, ultabeauty.com, amazon.com, laroche-posay.com
La Roche-posay’s Double Repair Moisturizer is not only formulated with sensitive skin in mind and thus gentle enough for young users; it also features the brand’s thermal spring water, which Turegano says is “full of minerals, probiotics and nutrients that can really nourish the skin’s microbiome.”
EltaMD UV Clear Broad-Spectrum SPF 46
$43 at eltamd.com, bluemercury.com, dermstore.com, amazon.com
Thanks to the brand’s gentle formulas, Paul recommends EltaMD’s sunscreens to patients of all ages and skin types, though this mineral offering in particular is oil-free and intended for acne-prone skin. Her biggest SPF tip? “Make sure you’re applying the right amount — which is technically two fingers’ length for your whole face.”
Differin .1% Acne Treatment Gel
$17.99 at ultabeauty.com, walmart.com, target.com, riteaid.com
Topical retinoid adapalene gives Differin gel its blemish-busting capabilities. The ingredient is one of Paul’s “first lines of treatment” in addressing acne, and she recommends either using it a spot treatment, or via allover application for acne that is “more diffuse.”
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