I’m Earning Cool Aunt Status With These Safe Tween and Teen Skincare and Beauty Gifts—From $12 (2025)

Growing up in the 2000s, everything I learned about beauty was trial-by-fire. Our collective skincare philosophy could best be summed up: “If it burns, it works.” Now, decades later, tweens and teens are flocking to Sephora and Ulta to buy all manner of skincare and beauty products that trend on TikTok (and unfortunately, many are not dermatologist-recommended). As a cool aunt to several tweens and teens, I’m expecting several beauty gift ideas for the holiday season, and I feel it’s my duty to support their interests with products they won’t be cringing over 10 to 15 years from now.

Skincare gifts should let teens feel really cool as they learn to practice self-care and self-expression without chemical burns, irritation, or dry, matte skin with an ill-matching foundation (OK, maybe I’m projecting). Below, I’ve included teen-safe skincare products from brands they frequently name-check, like Drunk Elephant, Bubble, Rare Beauty, and more, from $12.

Drunk Elephant Umbra Sheer Mineral Cream SPF 30

If you’re regularly around teens, you’ve likely heard them mention Drunk Elephant. The Umbra Sheer Mineral Cream SPF 30 Sunscreen is an important product to add to any teen’s skincare routine because it sets them up with good skin habits for life. It features 20% zinc oxide to protect against UVA and UVB rays and feels lightweight on the skin. Plus, it doesn’t leave behind the dreaded white cast after the application.

Bubble Polar Pair Mini 2-Step Routine

The Bubble Polar Pair is a great option for a budding skincare enthusiast because it features two of the brand’s best-selling products: the Slam Dunk Hydrating Moisturizer and the Fresh Start Gel Cleanser. The gentle, plant-based ingredients won’t make you or your teen's dermatologist nervous, and they have adorable packaging that makes it feel significantly less like you’re giving your teen plain soap.

The mini bundle is ideal for travel and on-the-go TLC and could give your teen an idea of whether they want to go all-in on the full-sized versions. Reviewers also absolutely rave about this pairing for the dry and wind-chapped winter months: “Perfect for the winter, my face has been so dry and this combo is turning that around!”

Laneige Midnight Minis Lip Set

Another viral product, the Laneige lip sleeping masks are perpetually on the FYPs of the teens in your life. The formula provides the hydration of a heavyweight mask without feeling heavy, which is a win for sleeping comfortably with it on.

This mini set caught my eye because a little goes a long way, and it gives a full sampling of all the charming Lip Smackers-esque flavors (Berry, Gummy Bear, Peached Iced Tea, Mango, and Watermelon Pop). I was admittedly skeptical until I got one as a birthday gift at Sephora years ago, and I can confidently say that it got me out of one of my most crusty lip eras in under a week.

Byoma Milky Moisture Cleanser

Byoma’s cleansers are a staple in my own bathroom. They are the absolute opposite of “if it burns, it works” and are a great pick for teens and tweens with sensitive skin. The moisturizing ingredients encourage you to be more gentle and are perfect for double cleansing and removing makeup that too often lingers on the skin and causes breakouts.

And while this is not as important as the quality of the product, I’ll come out and say it: The packaging is adorable, and I’m a sucker for this square- and oval-like bottle shape.

Benefit Benetint Liquid Lip Blush & Cheek Tint

Benetint—a favorite lip and cheek stain that has been a staple in the beauty world since the 1970s—has seen a resurgence in our current blush renaissance. And this one really does deliver. The colors are beautiful and complementary to so many complexions, and it’s a versatile product meant to be played with.

One current trend involves combining a dot of Benetint in the center of a layer of glowy highlighter (like Benefit’s High Beam Satin Pink Liquid Highlighter) and blending out to create a jelly donut-inspired cheek look that is dewy and adorable without looking deeply unnatural on a youthful face.

Alleyoop Pen Pal 4-in-1 Makeup Pen

Remember the fun of being a teen and clicking on one of those multi-colored pens? Alleyoop made a makeup version, and I refuse to keep it to myself. The Alleyoop Pen Pal is a 4-in-1 product that gives you lip liner, eyeliner, brow pencil, and highlight all in one package. If you’re looking for a gentle, natural on-ramp to the makeup world, this product offers some neutral color palettes that are still really fun to play with.

The formula has respectable staying power but is still fairly easy to wipe off and correct mistakes. Plus, it’s a practical gift for busy teens because they can chuck in their bag for touch-ups when they’re on the go.Snag this handy makeup tool for just $14 when you use the additional 30% off coupon.

Rare Beauty Mini Blush and Luminize Trio

Selena Gomez’s brand, Rare Beauty, consistently produces blushes that receive rave reviews for their dimensional range of colors, intense and rich color pay-off, comfortable wear, and positive, affirming approach to beauty. This trio offers miniature versions of two Soft Pinch Liquid Blushes and a Positive Light Liquid Luminizer Highlight, including two shades exclusive to this Limited Edition set.

These products can add the glow and color that teens generally want. They are also pretty accessible for less experienced makeup wearers to use and play with for both natural, fresh-faced, and creative, bright makeup occasions. The volume of product in the minis is also a non-issue because a little of these products can go such a long way.

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