The ‘Glazed Donut Skin’ Trend Teens Love Is Actually Harmful—Derms Recommend These 8 Products Instead (2025)

Teens are more interested in skincare than ever: Reports abound of tweens and teens taking over Sephora, requesting high-dollar serums and moisturizers for Christmas, and creating elaborate skincare routines to display on social media. They want “glazed donut skin,” smooth and soft skin that glows and shines like a glazed donut’s surface, but the truth is, skincare trends like these can actually harm your teen’s skin, simply because the ingredients in some products are too harsh for their not-yet-mature skin.

“Adolescents and teenagers tend to have more sensitive skin than adults,” explains Joshua Zeichner, MD, Director of Cosmetic and Clinical Research in Dermatology and an Associate Professor of Dermatology at the Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. “Plus, kids are generally not as responsible at paying attention to their skin needs. For both of these reasons, kids generally should avoid some of the harsh ingredients that adults use.” Dr. Zeichner says those ingredients include fragrances, “Vitamin C, exfoliating acids like glycolic acid, and even topical retinol” because they’re “generally unnecessary in kids and have the potential to cause irritation.”

While your teen should avoid adult skincare, there are plenty of safe options they can use (instead of putting on every product they see trending on TikTok). From classic brands like Aquaphor and CeraVe to trendy Bubble moisturizer and Sol de Janeiro body wash, here are eight dermatologist-approved skincare products for teens, starting at $5.

Best Dermatologist-Approved Skincare Products for Teens

• Bubble Skincare Slam Dunk Moisturizer $24
• Aquaphor Lip Protectant and Sunscreen Ointment $5
• CeraVe Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser $15 (was $18)
• E.l.f. Skin Suntouchable Invisible Sunscreen SPF 35 $14
• Eos Fragrance Free Body Lotion $10
• Glow Recipe Blueberry Bounce Gentle Cleanser $10 (was $11)
• Bubble Skincare Daily Mineral Sunscreen $17
• Sol de Janeiro Bom Dia Bright Body Wash $26

Bubble Skincare Slam Dunk Moisturizer Bundle

According to Dr. Zeichner, Bubble is a great brand for teens to try out their skincare routine with. “Bubble [relies] on an advisory board of dermatologists that vet the ingredients, safety, and effectiveness of skin care products,” explains Dr. Zeichner. “They regularly test products on kids down to the age of 8, which is lower than the age that many other brands do clinical testing on.”

While some products are not recommended for teens under 14, the brand created an entire collection—called U-14—for teens, which includes the Bubble Slam Dunk Moisturizer. Gentle ingredients like aloe leaf and avocado oil soothe and nourish skin, making it gentle enough for teens to use on their still-fragile skin daily. “It hydrates without weighing the skin down and has been clinically tested for safety,” Dr. Zeichner says.

Aquaphor Lip Protectant and Sunscreen Ointment

It seems that every skincare brand has a lip balm on the market, but no product has yet to beat the original: Aquaphor. It heals and protects dry, chapped, and otherwise irritated skin, without adding any fragrances or dyes, which “can lead to allergic reactions leading to significant irritation in the skin,” explains Dr. Zeichner.

With this Aquaphor lip balm, it’s all about the ingredients. “Aquaphor contains a combination of purified petrolatum with lanolin to protect the skin,” says Dr. Zeichner. “This is an excellent option for the lips, and also provides sun protection.” He adds that most kids and adults don’t consider putting sunscreen on their lips; however, “the lower lip is especially at risk for UV damage since it faces upwards to the sun and often goes unprotected.”

CeraVe Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser

The first step in a skincare routine is typically cleansing, and from there, Dr. Zeicher advises keeping it simple. After cleansing, he recommends “moisturizing and protecting skin from the sun using broad-spectrum sunscreen.”

Whether your teen wears makeup or not, cleansing helps wash dirt and oil that might irritate the skin. This CeraVe acne cleanser is best for acne-prone skin—a major concern for teens—and helps clear away pimples and blackheads. It contains skin-loving ingredients like hyaluronic acid and niacinamide, which are especially important if your teen has previously used products intended for mature skin, as they help repair the skin barrier. “Repeated use of irritating ingredients can cause skin barrier dysfunction, with loss of hydration and inflammation,” Dr. Zeichner explains.

He adds that you can use the CeraVe Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser on the face, chest, and back. “When it comes to therapeutic cleansers, I tell my patients to think of them like short contact skin treatments,” he says. “They need enough time to sit on the skin so the active ingredient can do its job. For best effects, apply to the skin and let it sit while you sing Happy Birthday to yourself before rinsing.”

E.l.f. Skin Suntouchable Invisible Sunscreen SPF 35

As Dr. Zeichner mentioned, one absolutely essential element of any skincare routine is sunscreen, and teens can start protecting their skin from a young age with this gentle version from E.l.f. It doesn't leave a white cast behind and doubles as primer, which simplifies your teen’s beauty routine (if they do wear makeup), and protects their skin underneath foundation or skin tint.

The lightweight texture doesn’t feel greasy and is suitable for all skin types, even oily skin, because it doesn’t clog up pores. Dr. Zeichner confirms, saying the “non-greasy formula actually mattifies the skin.” He says it’s a great option for teens with oily skin because “it contains lactic acid, which is a mild alpha hydroxyacid that offers exfoliation and oil removing benefits, so I would reserve it for teens who have more oily skin.”

Eos Fragrance Free Body Lotion

Many body lotions have overpowering scents that can make anyone's eyes water. Not to mention, fragrances can irritate the skin. That’s why opting for an effective, yet fragrance-free, moisturizer is the way to go.

The Eos Fragrance Free Body Lotion offers 24 hours of protection and doesn’t leave behind a sticky or greasy residue. It helps to “fill in cracks between cells in the outer layer of the skin,” Dr. Zeichner says.

Glow Recipe Blueberry Bounce Gentle Cleanser

This Glow Recipe cleanser is a favorite among teens because it works deep into the skin to remove dirt and other oils. According to the brand, it not only cleanses your skin, but you can use it to remove makeup, or wear it as a 5-minute deep cleansing mask to give your skin a refresh.

“The Glow Recipe Blueberry Bounce Cleanser combines gentle surfactants with hyaluronic acid to hydrate the skin while removing soiling,” Dr. Zeichner tells Parents. “The cleanser contains lactic acid, which is a unique alpha hydroxy acid, which helps smooth the skin and also has humectant benefits to help hydrate.”

Bubble Skincare Daily Mineral Sunscreen

In addition to your teens using this Bubble sunscreen, Dr. Zeichner says the mineral-only formula is also safe for little kids. “Unlike most mineral products, it fully rubs into the skin without leaving behind a white cast,” he explains. “This means it can be used even in people with darker skin tones or in areas where there is hair.”

This Bubble sunscreen is gentle on sensitive and acne-prone skin and won’t clog pores. But what really makes it stand out for teens is that it imparts a sun-kissed bronze glow to the skin, making this hardworking product both a sunscreen and a skin tint.

Sol de Janeiro Bom Dia Bright Body Wash

Yes, fragrances are typically not recommended for teen skin, but chances are, they are going to insist on smelling good at school. That’s where this Sol de Janeiro body wash comes in because it’s great for “rough and bumpy skin,” Dr. Zeichner says. “It contains exfoliating acids, so you should use it cautiously in people who are sensitive or dry. But it’s a great option for strawberry skin, bumpy arms, and legs, and elbows and knees."