When Can Kids Start Using Skin Care Products?

By now the Sephora baby trend has gone rampant, as tween children flock to high-end anti-aging skin care products, completely unnecessarily. Their TikTok-fueled skin care “education” has turned them on to products like Drunk Elephant retinol serums, leaving parents and dermatologists equally horrified.

Still, if we’re looking for a silver lining here, it may not be the worst thing that kids are increasingly interested in taking care of their skin. If you can channel that enthusiasm and point them in the right direction, there can be incredible long- and short-term benefits. But it’s paramount to understand the difference between helpful (SPF) and hurtful (vitamin C) products for young skin.

To help you guide your child toward a healthy, age-appropriate skin care routine, we tapped four dermatologists who are all too familiar with TikTok’s widespread skin care misinformation. They provided a roadmap detailing the aisles a Sephora baby actually can shop and which ones they should steer clear of for now.

By the time your child is old enough to utter the words “Take me to Sephora,” they should already be using sun protection regularly, dermatologists insist. “Children as young as 6 months old can wear sunscreen,” said Dr. Dendy Engelman, a board-certified dermatologist and Mohs surgeon practicing at Shafer Clinic Fifth Avenue in New York City, who advised an SPF of 30 or higher. So if you’re looking for a product to quell your kid’s skin care inclination, a gentle SPF lotion is a great place to start.

“I recommend more gentle, mineral-based formulations. For baby sunscreen, to prevent any potential irritation or rashes, look for ingredients like titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, as these are hypoallergenic. Additionally, look for broad-spectrum coverage to ensure there is both UVA and UVB protection,” Engelman said.

In a way, SPF is all-age-appropriate anti-aging skin care. “Daily use of SPF is the most important part of skin care, especially in youthhood, to prevent any damage later on,” including excessive wrinkles, age spots and decreased skin elasticity, noted Dr. Jeannette Graf, a board-certified dermatologist and assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City.

“Moisturizers can be used at all ages to maintain skin hydration and prevent dryness. Starting with gentle, fragrance-free formulas is essential for babies and young children,” said Dr. Jody A. Levine, an adult and pediatric dermatologist at Plastic Surgery & Dermatology of New York City. “Not [all] children need a moisturizer, but those with dry or sensitive skin will benefit from one.”

“Children with atopic dermatitis, asthma tendencies or just dry skin should always apply moisturizers after bathing,” Graf added.

If you’re looking for a good place to start, head toward ceramides and hyaluronic acid. “Humectants like hyaluronic acid can be introduced in adolescence to provide hydration and plumpness to the skin,” Levine added. “Although sometimes hyaluronic acid can cause dryness in some people, so it is not necessary to use it until [adulthood].” Additionally, “occlusives, like petroleum jelly, create a barrier on the skin’s surface to prevent moisture loss and can be used at all ages.”

“It is safe for all kids to use moisturizer. Just ensure the ingredients are gentle, hydrating and non-stripping,” Engelman added. “During the preteen ages, I encourage everyone to start incorporating moisturizer into their routine, at least once per day, but ideally morning and night.”

Like a gentle moisturizer, a lip balm may not be necessary for many children, but it can safely be used at any age if your child is experiencing lip dryness, which often doesn’t hit until puberty. Just make sure you “choose products without harmful additives or allergens,” such as fragrances, advised Dr. Kautilya Shaurya, a board-certified dermatologist at the Schweiger Dermatology Group in New York City.

“Lip balms in the summer should contain sunscreen,” Graf added.

When cleaning a young child’s dirty face, “a white bar of Dove soap is appropriate,” Levine said. However, when they reach puberty (typically at ages 10 to 13), it may be time to introduce a gentle cleanser. “If one uses cleansers too early, they can strip/disrupt the skin’s natural barrier and cause irritation,” she said. “Cleansers should be introduced around puberty to manage increased oil production and maintain skin hygiene.”

After your child cleanses, they can apply a moisturizer and, during the daytime, SPF.

In the beginning, it’s important to “keep the cleanser simple and gentle,” added Engelman. “I do not recommend incorporating any actives as of yet.”

If your child has acne, which often starts at puberty, it may be appropriate to incorporate acne-fighting active ingredients, though it’s wise to consult your dermatologist first.

“Hormonal changes often lead to oily skin or acne. At this stage, adding … mild acne treatments like salicylic acid can be appropriate,” noted Shaurya, who added you can also start with a “lower concentration” of benzoyl peroxide “from around 14-15 years.”

However, it’s important to keep watch for adverse effects. For example, benzoyl peroxide could irritate dry or sensitive skin. “There are many different types of acne topicals and medications, and they come with several side effects,” Engleman warned. “Some people experience dryness, irritation or redness from topical products, while oral medications come with their own set of side effects,” which can include nausea and sun sensitivity. Therefore, it’s important to monitor your child’s reaction closely and consult a dermatologist if you notice anything concerning.

For kids who have hit puberty, you may want to consider certain toners and exfoliants. “Toners can be used to balance the skin’s pH and remove residual impurities after cleansing and can also be used for exfoliation to treat or prevent acne,” Levine explained. “But if introduced too early, they can lead to dryness or irritation.”

To help avoid this, Shaurya recommended looking for mild, non-alcohol-based products for tweens and early teens. And though low concentrations of alpha and beta hydroxy acids (aka chemical exfoliants) “can be suitable for teens with acne or skin texture issues,” you should avoid high-concentration products and harsh scrubs.

It’s important not to overdo it. “For many teenagers, simple is best for their skin care routine,” Graf said. Also, when adding stronger active ingredients to a skin care routine, “sun protection remains essential,” Shaurya advised.

Before people were using retinol to help fight wrinkles, retinoids were used as an acne medication called tretinoin (under the brand name Retin-A). And though tretinoin can be safe for teens under the guidance of a dermatologist, products designed for anti-aging purposes — looking at you, Drunk Elephant — should be avoided until adulthood.

“Often dermatologists will prescribe tretinoin for [teens] experiencing chronic breakouts. Tretinoin can be great for gently exfoliating the skin, unclogging pores and decreasing inflammatory breakouts. This should be incorporated into your routine slowly and always recommended by a dermatologist,” Engelman said.

On the other hand, “anti-aging ingredients like vitamin C and retinoids are best introduced in adulthood when signs of aging start to become more noticeable,” Levine said. “Used too early, they can lead to irritation or sensitivity.” And they’ll make you more susceptible to sun damage, so keep up with the SPF.

Below, check out the safest skin care products for teens to use, according to dermatologists.

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