Sali Hughes on beauty: skincare for teens has had a glow-up

From the packaging to the products, brands aimed at young people have come a long way

There’s some great new skincare in town for teens – and none of it preys on insecurities.

I really like Equals Even, a British-made line for young people. The founders are two female doctors (and mothers), not dermatologists, which feels appropriate, since frontline physicians manage more routine, everyday teen skin struggles than specialist consultants tackling severe conditions and cutting out cancers.

And their experience – pragmatic, moderate, realistic – can be seen across the small product lineup. There is an understandable focus on acne to the exclusion of other complaints, but there’s a pleasant soothing serum to restore comfort and moisture after the use of the exfoliating cleanser and toner. Overall, I think it’s a great, dependable choice. A full-routine bundle costs £100.

More fun perhaps is Rocco, the teen skincare range from presenter and art director Laura Jackson. As a design specialist and a mother of three, Jackson was uninspired by tween-targeted branding, and alarmed by the great-looking but age-inappropriate and potentially damaging skincare young people are choosing instead.

Rocco is smart, tapping the trends teens love – wellness messaging, vegan, plant ingredients, uplifting fragrances and so on – while grounding them in proper, dermatologist-approved formulations. As one might expect from Jackson, the packaging is strong and key to Rocco’s appeal. Bright and fun, but not babyish, the whole thing feels slightly like hiding healthy liquidised vegetables in some viral bubble tea, and I think it deserves to work. At 51, I loved the Cloud Bounce moisturiser (£18) and cheerfully use it myself.

Byoma is not a teenage skincare line – it’s for everybody who wants noticeably effective products that don’t ravage their delicate skin barrier as penance for performance. But I frequently recommend the brand (excluding Byoma’s retinol – excellent, but for adults only) to young people, because it is honest, problem-solving, accessibly priced and kind to their developing skin.

I’m not generally one to recommend a serum that does nothing more than hydrate, but Byoma’s Hydrating Serum (£14) is especially good. Instead of doing what others do and flooding skin with cheap hyaluronic acid (impactful but often ephemeral in benefit), their serum includes glycerin, ceramides and squalane to keep skin comfortable, hydrated and glassy-looking for longer. The brand’s Blemish Clearing line, though, would be my first stop for spots.