If you grew up around the 90s like me, then you likely used alllllll sorts of conventional (and for the lack of a better term, horrible) products that promised us clear skin, no stink, or perhaps were just mega trendy. I do think that teens and preteens are a bit savvier nowadays with the rise of social media, but still, there’s no shortage of questionable products on the market made for them. Let’s talk more about why it’s important to choose safer ingredients for preteens/tweens/teens and then a list of products to get started with!
This post contains affiliate links.
Table of Contents:
- Why Clean & Natural Products Are *Especially* Important for Teens
- Natural Skincare Routine for Teens
- Clean Beauty Brands for Teens
- Safer Personal Hygiene Products for Teens
- Organic Period Products for Teens
Why Clean & Natural Products Are *Especially* Important for Teens
Unfortunately, a lot of products marketed to kids and teenagers contain some of the worst contaminants, such as:
❌ Dyes synthesized from coal tar
❌ Endocrine disruptors (PFAS, phthalates, parabens)
❌ Formaldehyde
❌ Synthetic fragrances
❌ Talc (contaminated with asbestos and heavy metals)
For instance, alarming levels of lead and cadmium have been found in eye shadows for children. Plus, you may remember the debacle when the FDA detected asbestos in Claire’s makeup, whose primary customers are teens and preteens.
Teen girls also use MORE products daily compared to adult women. Not to mention, makeup and personal care products tend to be heavily pigmented, uber glittery, and smell EXTRA strong to appeal to a younger audience.
(I’m having flashbacks to when I was younger and doused myself with drugstore body sprays, glitter roll-ons, and vibrant makeup…cringeeeeeee! 😖)
Does this bring back some memories or what?!Since teenagers are in a critical stage where their bodies are still rapidly developing, it’s smart to avoid endocrine-disrupting ingredients and use hormone-friendly products that won’t interfere with their development! A 2016 study tested urine samples of teenage girls before and after eliminating endocrine-disrupting products from their routine. Not surprisingly, the chemical levels decreased significantly. So yeah, it DOES matter!
Now, I don’t have kids myself, but I do have a preteen niece! So I’m always looking for opportunities to give her clean makeup, skincare products, etc. Many of the products in this post are things I have gotten for her and would recommend for other teens or tweens too!
You can think of this as a quick and easy “non-toxic starter pack” for any teen in your life!
Natural Skincare Routine for Teens 🧴
Raise your hand if you were a victim of St. Ives Apricot Scrub or those acne pads as a teen 🤣 Oof! Thankfully, there are much gentler (yet still effective) skincare products that won’t ruin young and delicate skin. Here are a bunch of great options!
Anything denoted with an asterisk (*) means you can use code ORGANICALLYBECCA for a discount at checkout using the link provided! 🏷️
Cleansers:
- Aleavia Purifying Gel Cleanser*: [$20] This gel uses only 7 ingredients and is good for all skin types, especially acne-prone or sensitive. It’s mostly unscented and comes in a smaller travel size too.
- Cocokind AHA Jelly Cleanser*: [$18] This gel cleanser would be good for clogged pores and blackheads because it has AHAs and BHA.
- Earth Harbor Sunshine Dew Antioxidant Cleansing Oil: [$24] Oil cleansing can help prevent dryness and effectively removes heavier makeup without disrupting the microbiome. This applies as an oil but rinses clean with water! It also mildly clears pores due to the papaya enzymes.
- Kosmatology Lemongrass Foaming Face Wash*: [$28] For those who prefer a foam and have oily or blemished skin. It uses lemongrass, rosemary, and lavender which tone, balance oil production, and have antimicrobial properties.
- Meow Meow Tweet Facial Cleansing Bars: [$12] Cleansing facial bars! Choose from Tea Tree Charcoal (oily/combo/acne-prone skin) or Pink Rose Clay (for normal/drier/more sensitive skin).
- The Sunday Standard Superfood Oil-to-Milk Cleansing Balm*: [$48] A luxe splurge, but awesome for congested or acne-prone skin! This one applies as a balm and rinses clean with water.
Toner Mists:
- Cocokind Raspberry Vinegar Toner*: [$18] Naturally contains acetic acid which helps balance excess oil, clarify, and decongest skin.
- Herbivore Jasmine Green Tea Balancing Toner: [$39] Also ideal for blemished skin or clogged pores, but also soothing and calming. Made with white willow bark which naturally has salicylic acid!
- Heritage Store Rosewater Toner: [$8] Super gentle and better for sensitive skin types!
Serums & Moisturizers:
- Acure Incredibly Clear Mattifying Moisturizer: [$14] For combo, oily, or acne-prone skin. It’s fast-absorbing but clarifies and tones down shine!
- Cocokind Postbiotic Acne Serum*: [$20] A serum that should be applied before a moisturizer. This is helpful for zits, blackheads, congestion, and excess oil.
- Cocokind Texture Smoothing Cream*: [$22] A basic everyday moisturizer that’s lightweight and works for all skin types! Can also help with pores or texture.
- Cocokind Watermelon Hemp Oil*: [$18] Don’t be afraid of oil moisturizers, even for teenage acne! This is ideal for all skin types and is very nourishing.
- Osea Blemish Balm: [$54] A sheer and lightweight lotion that’s incredible for congested skin and blemishes. It clarifies and helps balance oil production. Code BECCA10 for a discount.
- Pai Carbon Star Facial Oil: [$39-59] This is black (contains charcoal and black cumin seed) but applies clearly! It’s a nighttime moisturizing oil that detoxes skin overnight and can help clear blemishes.
Spot Treatments for Blemishes:
- Cocokind Turmeric Tonic*: [$14] A roll-on treatment made with turmeric (goes on invisibly!) to reduce the appearance of blemishes.
- Indie Lee Banish Stick: [$16] A fast-acting dab-and-go stick made with witch hazel and salicylic acid to help dissolve excess sebum and minimize inflammation from breakouts.
- Osea Corrective Complex Roller: [$32] A gentler option that still reduces impurities and calms breakouts. Code BECCA10 for a discount.
- Rael Patches: [$12-17] Hydrocolloid pimple patch stickers and nose strips to heal zits and pull out gunk!
Masks & Exfoliation:
- 100% Pure Anti Acne Sheet Masks: [$7] These look creepy, but are made with antibacterial and anti-inflammatory botanicals to soothe and calm active blemishes while purifying pores to prevent future breakouts. 100% Pure has some other sheet masks for various skin concerns!
- Acure Incredibly Clear Charcoal Facial Scrub: [$12] Formulated with gentle plant cellulose exfoliating crystals (not too abrasive!) to help revive dullness while keeping oil and impurities in check.
- Acure Incredibly Clear Charcoal Lemonade Mask: [$11] Similar to the facial scrub but in mask form! It can help draw out impurities and congestion.
- Clean Vibrations Facial Brush: [$58] Silicone bristles don’t harbor bacteria, unlike most facial brushes! This can be used with a cleanser or on wet skin.
- Cocokind Sea Kale Clay Mask*: [$19] A creamy clay mask that soothes, exfoliates, and purifies.
- Manuka Honey: [$35] Amazing for all skin types, but manuka is more antibacterial than regular honey so it’s extra powerful for healing acne, scars, or hormonal teenage skin. It can be applied to damp skin and used as a mask for 15-30 minutes. Read more about manuka face masks here!
- Moss Mornings Sleep Peels: [$32] A better swap for those harsh acne pads! These are meant to be used at night as a last skincare step. They contain lactic, glycolic, mandelic, salicylic, and hyaluronic acids to sweep away dead skin, decongest pores/blackheads, and provide hydration. So good!
Sunscreens:
- Cocokind Daily SPF32 Lotion*: [$25] Also doubles as a lightweight moisturizer. Leaves a semi-matte but non-greasy finish!
- Kimberly Sayer Ultralight Facial Moisturizer SPF30*: [$34] This one is extra good for acne-prone skin because it has astringent ingredients in it. Can also be used as a light moisturizer and it smells so yummy like lemon cookies!
- Thinksport SPF30 Everyday Tinted Face Sunscreen: [$14] Has a tint to it but applies clear and is suitable for all skin types.
Face Wipes & Oil Blotters:
- 100% Pure Antibacterial Oil Blotting Papers: [$10] Gosh, I used oil blotters ALL THE TIME as a teen! Most are made from plastic and can contain not-so-good ingredients like mineral oil. These are made from wood pulp and hemp to absorb oil!
- Blotter Baby*: [$22] A reusable oil blotting option! It’s a rollerball made from limestone clay that mattifies skin and absorbs oils to reduce shine. You just need to wash it!
- Ursa Major 4-in-1 Face Wipes: [$7-26] Individually wrapped and handy for keeping in a bag or backpack if a quick freshen-up is needed.
BTW, teenage acne does NOT have to be a right of passage! It can be a sign that something is off balance on the inside. Check out this post for ways to have glowing skin from an internal standpoint: “5 Key Tips for Clear Skin from Within (According to a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner)”
Clean Beauty Brands for Teens 💄
Here are some safer beauty brands that I think would work well for preteens or teens. Overall, they are more affordable, accessible, and have more of a youthful vibe!
Clover [$14-22]
Made in the USA! They are a newer brand so they’re not available in stores yet, but they have a variety of makeup such as blush, mascara, lip gloss, and foundation. The Plush Pigment Eyeshadow Sticks and Glow Stick Illuminators are so easy to swipe up and have some shimmer to them!
Also available here on Amazon.
Han Skincare Cosmetics [$16-32]
Han stands for “Healthy Active Natural” and they make products for face, eyes, cheeks, and lips. The Pressed Blush Powder is very soft and has a slight shimmer.
Also available here on Amazon and Thrive Market.
Honest Beauty [$9-30]
Honest makes a wide range of budget-friendly makeup (skincare too!) and bans over 2,500+ ingredients. They have a great Lengthening Mascara, FreshFlex Concealer, and Tinted Lip Balm.
Also available here at Target and Amazon.
Lily Lolo [$14-34]
Lily Lolo is an OG green beauty brand that offers a bunch of mineral makeup from powder foundation, blush, mascara, to lipstick. Their Naked Pink Powder Cheek Duo would be great for a teen!
You can use code ORGANICALLYBECCA for a discount on Lily Lolo makeup at the Love Peace Organic store!
Shop Lily Lolo Here at Love Peace Organic
Also available here at The Detox Market and The Choosy Chick.
Well People [$14-30]
Another pioneer green beauty brand. They ban over 1,700+ ingredients and have some awesome makeup that I love too! I would recommend their Bio Foundation Sticks, Expressionist Brow Pencils or Brow Gels, Power Eyeshadow Palettes, and Multi-Use Blush Sticks.
Also available here at Target, Credo, The Detox Market, and Thrive Market.
Other Recommended Beauty Products for Teens:
Anything denoted with an asterisk (*) means you can use code ORGANICALLYBECCA for a discount at checkout using the link provided! 🏷️
- ATHR Rose Quartz Eyeshadow Quads*: [$20] These are very buttery and pigmented, plus the brand uses all sustainably-sourced ingredients.
- Au Naturale Tinted Lip Oils: [$15] Subtly pigmented but have a glassy sheen! Made in Wisconsin with organic oils.
- Axiology Lip-to-Lid Balmies & Multisticks*: [$15-24] Cute crayons and balms that don’t use any plastic packaging. They’re versatile and can be applied to eyes, cheeks, and lips!
- Erin’s Faces Aloe Setting Powder*: [$29] A loose setting powder option. It’s white but applies clearly! This would be suitable for combo or very oily skin.
- Huella 10-Free Nail Polishes*: [$14] There’s really no such thing as *truly* non-toxic nail polish, but this brand formulates without the main offender ingredients such as formaldehyde, toluene, fragrance, and triphenyl phosphate 💅
- Kosas 10-Second Eye Gel Watercolor Eyeshadows: [$15] So quick and easy to swipe on and the color lasts all day. Plus, they have a cool metallic finish.
- Kosas Cloud Setting Powders: [$35] These are great for swiping over oily spots and to help control shine and keep makeup intact!
- Saie Dew Balms: [$18] Little highlighter tubes you can apply to cheekbones or anywhere you want a quick glow-up.
- Saie Glowy Super Gel: [$28] Can be used as a primer before makeup or just to give a glowy, luminous finish on skin!
Related post: “23+ Affordable Clean Beauty & Organic Skincare Brands to Start Your Low Tox Journey”
Safer Personal Hygiene Products for Teens 🧼
Anything denoted with an asterisk (*) means you can use code ORGANICALLYBECCA for a discount at checkout using the link provided! 🏷️
Body:
- Aleavia Prebiotic Body Washes*: [$20] These are microbiome-friendly and won’t strip the skin, so they’re particularly ideal for sensitive skin. Also may help with bacne or body acne! The original “Enzymatic Wash” is unscented but there are tons of scents to pick from.
- Cocokind Scrubbing Clay*: [$19] A creamy clay made with upcycled coffee grounds for an exfoliation!
- Detox Mode Altogether Oil: [$32] An organic body oil that smells citrusy and uplifting.
- Dr. Bronner’s Organic Body Lotions: [$13] Basic and straightforward lotions, you might be able to find at Target too!
- Kosmatology Body Washes* & Lotion Bars*: [$12] Simple, organic ingredients! Available in scents that would interest boys or girls.
- Lovesong Nectarous Body Cream: [$34] Luscious and a safer swap for those Bath & Body Works lotions! With notes of rose de Mai, jasmine, and vanilla. Code ORGANICALLYBECCA10 for a discount.
- Plaine Products Hair & Body Wash*: [$30] Refillable and plastic-free! This might appeal to boys since it’s a 2-in-1 wash that can be used head to toe with a unisex sage smell.
Deodorants:
- Meow Meow Tweet Deodorant Sticks & Creams: [$14] These come in lots of scents and are available with or without baking soda. They work to control odor and sweat!
- Rustic Maka Deodorant Sticks*: [$12] An affordable brand with some fun smells.
- Ursa Major Deodorant Sticks: [$18] These might appeal to boys since the scents are more unisex and woodsy. Plus, they apply smoother than most creams, like an invisible gel deodorant.
- Kaia Naturals Underarm Bar: [$25] This soap bar is especially helpful for those just switching to natural deodorant or for extra smelly B.O. It contains activated charcoal and apple cider vinegar to detox bacteria and manage odor.
Check out this post for tips for switching to natural deodorant and how to detox your armpits: “How to Successfully Detox Your Armpits & Best Natural Deodorants (That Actually Work!)”
Hair:
- Acure Organic Dry Shampoo Powders: [$9] Absorbs oil and keeps hair looking fresh in-between washing.
- Acure Shampoos & Conditioners: [$10] Acure has multiple formulas to pick from, including Clarifying for more oily hair!
- Badger Organic Hair Pomade: [$15] A medium-hold texturizing pomade made for guys.
- Carina Organics: [$12] This brand makes budget-friendly shampoo, conditioner, hair spray, and styling gel. You can get unscented too!
- Chagrin Valley Organic Shampoo Bars: [$12] Zero waste shampoo bars!
- Earth Harbor Beach Waves Texture Spray: [$12] A texturizing, light-hold hair spray that can be used as a light hair spray or perhaps for boys to give a tousled look.
- Max Green Scalp Rescue Shampoo*: [$18] An affordable clean swap for Head & Shoulders dandruff shampoo for those with dry or flaky scalps. Max Green also has a Styling Gel.
Shaving:
- Badger After Shave Face Oil: [$19] Contains menthol for a cooling sensation and a citrus scent.
- Badger Organic Shave Soap: [$13] Lathers well, allows for a smooth shave, and leaves skin feeling soft. Works best when used with a loofah or shaving brush.
- Dr. Bronner’s Organic Shaving Gels: [$10] This one is nice for facial hair shaving, my husband likes it too!
(I also think just using a body wash or soap can work well for shaving too 🪒)
Body Sprays & Fragrances:
- Abbott Unisex Clean Fragrances: [$29] I am not aware of any natural swaps for Axe body spray, but these might be close! They are gender-neutral but a bit more masculine/woodsy/smoky. No phthalates or parabens!
- Pacifica Hair & Body Sprays: [$12] I wouldn’t consider these totally 100% clean, but there are not many organic body sprays on the market yet. These are definitely a much better option compared to most conventional body sprays for teens, though!
Related post: “SEPHORA Shopping Guide: 20+ Clean Beauty Brands [FREE Printable Download!]”
Organic Period Products for Teens 🩸
Many conventional period products are chock full of pesticides, synthetic rayon, fragrances, chlorine, plastic, and bleached materials. Definitely not ideal for sensitive areas of the body, particularly for young girls!
Rael Organic Tampons & Pads: This is a great brand that offers lots of options for sizes and absorbencies. They have cardboard or BPA-free plastic applicators for tampons. Rael uses organic cotton and NO chlorine or fragrances!
Poppins Period Menstrual Cup: I WISH I used these as a teen! There is a learning curve but cups have tons of benefits (zero waste, you can wear them for up to 12 hours…I could go on!). Poppins Period (formerly Bloody Buddy) is the brand I personally use, and they make a small Teen cup size that comes in fun colors. Code ORGANICALLYBECCA for a discount.
Modibodi Period Undies: Washable period undies are a fantastic eco-friendly alternative to pads and are much more comfortable. Modibodi uses organic cotton and PFAS-free materials. They offer an entire teen section with a bunch of different styles!
Read more here: “Tampons, Pads, Menstrual Cups…Oh My! Are There Harmful Chemicals in Your Feminine Products?”
Here’s to growing up with healthy skin and happy hormones! Thanks so much for reading and let me know if you have any questions below in the comments 💚
Becca what do you think about the Evereden skin line? It’s created by dermatologists and their ingredients seem to be clean of everything you mentioned.
Hi Ayesha! I just quickly glanced at some of their products/ingredients and they seem okay!