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With 85% of people between twelve and twenty-four experiencing problem skin, New York dermatologist Robert Anolik has been vocal about the need to create a skincare routine early. Dr. Ellen Gendler, Clinical Associate Professor of Dermatology at NYU Langone Medical Center concurs, telling TQE, “Teaching teens to start taking care of their skin properly will set them up best to have healthy skin as adults. This includes instilling in them the importance of daily sunscreen and the use of sensible products to help keep skin clean, moisturized and hopefully acne-free.”
As a beauty writer, I am all about establishing a healthy skin routine for my boys; as a mother, I find the routine is equally important to ensure their confidence. They may not recognize it, but the healthy habit provides freedom from worry. Why have stress about skin (and, let’s face it, their body odor) when they have far bigger concerns: Fortnight scores. How to dissect a frog in science without passing out. Shin splints from track practice.
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Let’s Hear It For The Boys
Global skincare has reached dizzying heights, reaping over $140 billion last year. While many have been chasing their youthful glow with more than $67 billion of “anti-aging” products, it’s ingredient savvy Gen Z who consumes more skincare than any previous generation; they demand brands that are as effective as true to their values. With the emergence of pre-teens, all 2+ billion in Generation Alpha, following Gen Z into the beauty aisle, the stakes are even higher.
Yet despite TikTok being littered with youth — Gen Z rules at 60% presence — who can often contour better than spell, skincare (and hygiene in general) remains a stranger thing for some. Namely boys. Thankfully, a host of brands have arrived to educate and exfoliate. So, stash their bar soap, and read on about these breakthrough brands and their simple steps for fresher offspring.
31st STATE
When Stephanie Capuano’s teen sons began experiencing skincare issues, the mother of three quickly identified a dearth of quality skincare without harsh chemicals. As she set out to remedy the issue, developing a line that was effective and effortlessly clean — much like her childhood in California — she leaned into natural ingredients (anti-inflammatory encapsulated tea tree, antibacterial manuka oil, lactic acid, silver, copper, magnesium and zinc among them) for a mellow brand that reflects “teenage boys in all their smelly glory!”
“We were committed to finding an ingredient combination that not only had credible clinical efficacy in fighting bacteria, regulating sebum and working with the skin rather than against it,” Stephanie told TQE, “but also aligned with our very specific focus on boys. There were brands focusing on plants and floral ingredients, which we felt excluded boys.”
The brand name embodies California being the 31st state and the portfolio itself, which has mastered an ease that is neither cumbersome (ideal for my twin 13-year-old boys) nor overly regimented. Teens and young guys alike gravitate to the brand’s natural, vegan, cruelty-free and plant-friendly essentials that resolve acne issues — or keep it from occurring, as is the case with my duo — as well as feeling fresh:
The crown jewel of the line, these biodegradable pads are an easy sweep at bedtime to exfoliate and unclog blocked pores while removing surface dirt and oil, crushing existing acne while preventing future breakouts.
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This gentle, non-drying and fun to foam cleanser cleans skins and shuts down breakouts without stripping skin of essential natural oils.
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An active fighter against bacteria that causes acne, blemishes and redness; resolves acne at all stages without over drying.
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The aluminum-free, clear, light-weight gel formula keeps boys smelling fresh, not floral.
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There is nothing better than a multi-tasker in the shower. This non-drying formula thoroughly cleans hair and skin, with minimal effort.
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JB SKRUB
Julie Bowen, of “Modern Family” fame, is getting into the beauty business having recently launching JB Skrub, a skin care brand for boys and those who identify with boyhood, with executive Jill Biren.
These co-founding boy moms could only wash dirty undies for so long. There’s “a very real problem that no one seems willing to address,” Bowen told TQE. “Tween boys are not told how to get clean! There's an assumption that girls can handle complicated information about body/skin care regimes and boys can't. I believe boys are capable of taking control of their ‘get clean’ routine, we just have to meet them where they are.”
Biren concurs, noting, “I observed a surge of preteen brands launching that addressed young girls, and men's skincare was exploding. No one was speaking to our sons or to us, moms of boys. Our sons had outgrown their gentle baby products and their skincare needs were changing. Our kids are not men, and we are conscious about the products they use. We searched for a clean brand that addressed their needs and was aesthetically cool for them to call their own. We could not find such a brand, so we created JB SKRUB.”
While the brand takes pride in tapping into expert formulators with sustainably sourced ingredients (Aloe Vera, Chia Seed, Green Tea, Niacinamide, Rosehip Fruit Oil and Extract and Willowherb among them), JB Skrub’s rallying cry is as much about its ethos as its usage instructions: Pits. Nuts. Butts. And unlike body odor, this line is sticking around at our house as my thirteen-year-old boys have loved using the products:
The fragrance-free, pH balanced foaming cleanser that cleans skin without over-drying it.
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Infused with prebiotics, swipe right (and left) to eliminate excess dirt and keep oil under control.
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With its subtle citrus scent, this pH balanced hydrating cleanser takes away the dirt (and odor) of the day.
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The aluminum-free lightweight spray to keep odor at bay.
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Fast-absorbing and pH balanced for ever-changing tween/teen skin; moisturizes while keeping oil under control. Perfect for my little ones who are frequently submerged in chlorine.
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BETTE GREEN
The desire to hand down naturally clean, fuss-free, feel-good skincare was the impetus for Founder Sarah Bette Green to develop a brand around a solo product — the cleansing stick — “a routine tweens and teens can stick with (pun intended).”
As the Bette Green cleansing stick mimics a sunscreen stick, which my boys’ have mastered, transitioning to usage was easy. And, unlike so many other hygiene habits, has become consistent. Pro tip: Apply on dry skin before getting into the shower, where cleansing balm washes off with hands, keeping natural protective oils intact.
GRYT
The very latest to address this young audience — having just launched May 13th — is GRYT, a trio of “supercharged, highly individualized products” that encourages routine and preventative self-care for tween/teen’s evolving skin.
With Aloe Vera and green tea extract in this low pH cleanser, surface oil, dirt and daily grime washes away yet skin stays moisturized and soothed. Oil regulation, a priority for young skin, is regulated — and redness and pores minimized — thanks to antioxidant-rich Willow Bark Extract, Vitamin B5 and Niacinamide.
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The brand’s “secret weapon” for clearer skin, this overnight serum couples salicylic (for pimple prevention) with curcumin and licorice root (to aid in inflammation and redness). But its GRYT’s Calming Complex, a proprietary blend of Ashwagandha, oil-regulating Jojoba, and pore-minimizing Niacinamide, that triumphs over acne.
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Considered a “superhero barrier” as it features jojoba oil that moisturizes while tricking young skin it has produced enough oil, this effective formula performs a true teen balancing act. Its robust combination of Vitamin B3, probiotic ferment, bisabol, and squalene along with inflammatory ingredients (organic pomegranate fruit, licorice root, milk thistle, and turmeric root extracts) complement acne prevention with hydration.
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Working in conjunction with a leading pediatric dermatologist, the formulations are not only EWG Verified (free of concerning chemicals and meeting The Environmental Working Group’s strict standards) but also efficacious for all ethnicities and skin types.
But the brand is focused on more than product. “Through innovative education strategies and alongside an Expert Advisory board, Gryt [will teach kids] — and their parents! — the science behind adolescent skincare and routine-setting.”
“Puberty is the grand unifier, so why not create a resource and brand that can help both kids and parents through this,” said co-founder Kathryn Beaton. As a mother, I am grateful to lean on the brand for wisdom and partnership.
FLORENCE BY MILLS
Speaking of stranger things, we’d be remiss not to mention the ubiquitous Millie Bobby Brown’s own skincare line that was launched (in conjunction with makeup) in 2019. While she just released the H2Glo line, with products such as Plump to It Hydrating Facial Moisturizer ($20) and Surfing Under the Eye Hydrating Treatment Gel Pads ($23) to her skincare portfolio, the brand’s mantra — “encourage experimentation and self-expression” — feels like a makeup-centric approach to beauty for girls already in the know.
Finishing Touches For The Win
No routine feels complete without our family’s last two tools, which keep skin – and confidence – healthy: The Blackhead Pore Remover Vacuum ($32.99) and SPF. I find sunscreen sticks are habit-forming at this age (and easy to throw in bags for reapplication). We go for Dr. Gendler’s strictly mineral-based recommendations including Sunbetter SPF 56 by Skin better ($55), Sunnyscreen SPF 50 by Supergoop and Play SPF 50 by Supergoop ($24).
I am grateful for these fantastic brands as they offer incredibly healthy skincare (a -180 from my generation’s skin stripping products) and through education are cultivating a routine that goes beyond the superficial; healthy skin is the key to confidence. But skincare is like manners, little ones. To make it a lifelong habit, you need to use them every day.
