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Published 18/08/2025 & updated on 17/05/2026.
Now that kids are into skincare, I often get messages on my social media from parents who don’t know what to buy. A lot of skincare marketed online to kids is either unnecessary, too harsh, or filled with active ingredients that younger skin simply doesn’t need.
In this post, I’ll share the best child-friendly skincare brands and products. My recommendations will all be skincare that’s suitable for the age group 7-15, roughly speaking.
None of these recommendations are sponsored, but some links are Amazon affiliate links, which means I make a small commission if you purchase through them.
Table of Contents
- Best Child-Friendly Face Wash Brands
- Best Child-Friendly Face Wash Products
- Best Moisturisers for a Child’s Face
- Best Face Serums for Kids
- Best Toners for Kids
- Best Sunscreen for Children
- Final Thoughts on Child-Friendly Skincare
What Skincare Products Should Children or Tweens Use?
Ordinarily, if your child has no skincare concerns, children of this age don’t really need to be using any skincare. Not forgetting the obvious exception, which is sunscreen in the summer!
However, understandably, lots of young kids nowadays are asking for skincare because it’s popular online.
Should Children Use Cleansers?
A gentle facial cleanser is a fairly benign product for children’s skin to be using.
They can use a face cleanser without much harm in the morning, evening or both.
However, you do want to make sure it is free of the following:
- Chemical exfoliants like salicylic acid (also known as beta hydroxy acids or BHA) and alpha hydroxy acids (AHA)
- Active ingredients such as vitamin C and niacinamide
- Any kind of natural or synthetic fragrance, and essential oils
- Denatured alcohol
- Retinoids
Avoiding these ingredients will ensure an easy life and minimal skin irritation.
Should Kids Use Moisturiser?
Again, with a facial moisturizer for kids, these can be fairly benign and safe to use.
If you are looking for just a couple of kid friendly skincare products, a cleanser and moisturiser is ideal.
Just make sure to avoid the active ingredients listed above for stress-free use on child’s skin.
Should Tweens Use Serums and Toners?
Unfortunately serums and toners are the most ‘fun’ looking in a beauty routine, but the least suitable for tweens.
Personally I think, if possible, you should avoid most serums or toners for tweens.
These are usually a cocktail of active ingredients that, if not used correctly, can cause unwanted reactions.
However, there are a few exceptions that are more suited to delicate skin:
- Hyaluronic acid serums tend to be benign
- Glycerin
- Aloe vera
- Centella asiatica (cica for short)
- Squalane
Later on, I’ll share the best serums for tweens and toners for sensitive skin.
Best Child-Friendly Face Wash Brands
There’s no need for fancy skin care products with kids and tweens.
Brands like Bubble Skincare, Cerave and Aveeno are great child-friendly skincare brands.
Here are some more kid-friendly face wash brands to choose from:
- Dermatica
- Hyram
- Cetaphil
- La Roche Posay
- Avene
- Byoma
- E45
- Simple
Whatever you choose, make sure to avoid:
- Salicylic acid
- Alpha hydroxy acid
- Vitamin C
- Niacinamide
- Fragrance, even if it’s derived from natural ingredients
- Denatured alcohol
Best Child-Friendly Face Wash Products
In no particular order, here are some effective formulas for children’s skincare:
1. Dermatica Balancing Glycerin Gel Cleanser
Dermatica’s glycerin gel cleanser is a very simple formula for both adult and children’s skin. It’s easy enough to purchase on Amazon, and is a reasonable price.
2. CeraVe Hydrating Cream-to-Foam Cleanser
Cerave’s Hydrating Cream-to-Foam Cleanser is sold pretty much everywhere, and again is fairly benign.
I’d also recommend their Foaming Cleanser.
Make sure to avoid the SA Smoothing Cleanser, as this contains salicylic acid.
3. Byoma Creamy Jelly Cleanser
If your teen wants to take care of their skin with a more fun-looking cleanser, the Byoma Creamy Jelly Cleanser is a good one.
Best Moisturisers for a Child’s Face
To pair with their cleanser, your tween might want a moisturizer.
Feel free to pick from the same list as the cleansers, avoiding any with the active ingredients listed above.
Other moisturisers I’d recommend include:
1. Simple Hydrating Light Moisturiser
Simple have always been a go-to for a sensitive skin type, and their range of moisturisers are perfect for kids.
Ideally, you may wish to choose a squeezy tube instead of a pot, such as their Hydrating Light Moisturiser, as they are more sanitary over time.
2. Dermatica Soothing Centella Gel Moisturiser
Finally, Dermatica’s skincare line contains a Soothing Centella Gel Moisturiser that is perfect for tween skin.
Best Face Serums for Kids
Usually the serums used by your tween’s favorite influencer won’t be suitable for them. Although they contain effective ingredients, they can also wreak havoc on young skin that just doesn’t need the interference.
The same brands as above are recommended, whilst still avoiding major active ingredients. Some other great face serums that can be used twice a day include:
1. E45 Hydrating Serum
I’d recommend E45’s Hydrating Serum for tweens any day.
You can grab this in most drugstores and supermarkets for a reasonable price.
It’s a super minimal formula without lots of added extras, in a fun pipette dropper your tween will love.
2. Simple 10% Ceramide Boosters & Omega Complex Booster Serum
Simple’s 10% Ceramide Booster & Omega Complex Serum is another good option that doesn’t cost the earth.
3. Aveeno Calm + Restore Triple Oat Serum
Lastly, Aveeno’s Calm and Restore Triple Oat Serum is a favourite of mine for all skin types.
Best Toners for Kids
Toners are essentially watery serums, but instead of using a pipette, you apply them into your hands and then pat them into your face.
Here are some of my favourites:
1. Byoma Hydrating Milky Toner
Byoma’s Hydrating Milky Toner is a good option for young skin. It’s simply hydrating and moisturising with no frills, apart from the fun packaging.
2. Beauty of Joseon Glow Replenishing Rice Milk
Beauty of Joseon is a popular K beauty brand who make a simple rice milk toner. Rice is hydrating and brightening, without being harsh like a chemical exfoliant.
3. Haruharu Wonder Black Rice Hyaluronic Toner
Haruharu Wonder’s Black Rice Hyaluronic Toner is similar and can be bought on Amazon.
Best Sunscreen for Children
Online influencers have made sunscreen very popular in recent years.
For older teens and adults, it makes a lot of sense and extra protection from sun damage is always a good idea.
The issue for young people lies in the breakouts they can often cause.
Even sunscreens designed for teen skin can cause breakouts, leading to an unhappy child.
That unhappy child might try other skincare to improve their skin, creating a vicious cycle of long-term damage.
I recommend speaking to a board-certified dermatologist for advice on whether your child should wear SPF daily.
Skincare Ingredients to Avoid for Children
Here’s a simple list of what to avoid in skincare for children:
- Salicylic acid
- Alpha hydroxy acid
- Retinoids
- Artificial or natural fragrance
- Essential oils
- Bakuchiol
- Denatured alcohol
I recommend using Incidecoder to easily check ingredients in products.
Even in a child friendly skincare brand range, you still want to avoid certain ingredients to identify safe products.
Skincare Brands to Avoid for Children
Brands like Drunk Elephant and Glow Recipe are what made skincare popular for children.
Unfortunately, these are not good brands for children to use.
It is not so much to do with ‘harsh chemicals’ vs natural ingredients.
It’s more so that these brands often contain fragrance, essential oils and chemical exfoliants.
Here are some more brands to avoid for kids:
- Eve Lom
- The Ordinary (unless moisturiser or cleanser)
- Farmacy
- Caudalie
- Medik8
- Barbara Sturm
- Inkey List
- Murad
- Versed
- Sunday Riley
- Charlotte Tilbury
- Alpha H
- Ole Henrikson
To be honest, it is most of the brands you might find in SpaceNK, for example.
Children really don’t need expensive products. Honestly, neither do adults!
Best Acne Skincare for Teens
I’ve had acne throughout my life so I totally understand how upsetting it can be. Although there are lots of child friendly skincare brands, unfortunately they’re unlikely to fix moderate to severe acne.
I can also remember my mum, who had never experienced acne, desperately trying to help me! If your teen is dealing with mild acne, it may be easy enough to include a salicylic acid serum to help them, or perhaps they just need to begin cleansing daily to get it under control.
However, some tweens and teens really just need expert advice. Instead of trying lots of skincare, I recommend seeing a GP or dermatologist sooner rather than later. They can prescribe a retinoid, such as Differin, which can be really effective for teen acne.
If your teen is prescribed Differin, Duac or Epiduo, they can safely use any of the products I’ve shared in this list.I recommend pairing these prescriptions with a moisturiser at minimum, as they can be drying.
Final Thoughts on Child-Friendly Skincare
When it comes to skincare for children, simpler is almost always better.
A lot of younger skin really doesn’t need complicated routines full of acids, retinoids, and strong active ingredients, despite what social media might make it seem like. In most cases, a gentle cleanser, a basic moisturiser, and sunscreen when needed is more than enough.
If your child or teen is struggling with more persistent acne, it’s usually much better to speak to a GP or dermatologist rather than experimenting with loads of skincare products that could make things worse.
If you’d like to hear more of my opinions and product recommendations, follow me on TikTok and have a read of my Substack.
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