Bright Moms: Choosing the BEST Cleanser for Teens

Girls face wash? Believe me, I tried countless options, trying to find the answer for our daughters. Our issues: one daughter has sensitive skin, one is very sensitive to stimuli and therefore has strong preference on scents and textures, and one wants to try every brand recommended by a TikTok influencer! As a board-certified Dermatologist, I knew and understood all of the ingredients, had access to the clinical studies, and had real-world experience from decades of treating patients in my Dermatology practice. Yet, that didn’t translate into knowing which face wash my daughters WANTED to use. My daughters are late Gen Z and Gen Alpha: they are VERY opinionated on what products will have the privilege of going on their skin. And truthfully, I love that they are empowered and educated about skincare and skin health.

It's our job as parents to guide decision making. If my daughters had the option, they’d likely choose a diet consisting of Starbucks,  McDonald’s, and Crumbl Cookies. Yet, as a responsible parent, I try to have whole food options readily available (in glass containers in our fridge) and accessible to them: roasted/steamed veggies, baked chicken, grass-fed burgers, cut fruit, etc. There’s definitely a happy medium to diet, and we, like most families, love the occasional indulgence. We just try to eat healthy most of the time.

Skincare isn’t so different from food. There are numerous ingredients out there: some are really good for teen skin and some are not so great. Some can actually hurt teen skin because they are tailored for mature skin and the ingredients can strip the skin barrier, exacerbating acne, inflammation, and skin sensitivity. And there’s a lot of information out there, especially on social media: some is accurate, and some is not. And there are tons of brands, all looking to capture market share and gain your child as a customer for life. It’s our job as parents to be aware of the options and to steer our children towards healthy choices.

What is the best face wash for girls? Well, there’s no single answer.  I’ve outlined the approach that I’ve found works best for my own daughters, and for thousands of patients that I’ve treated over the years. Bridging the roles of Dermatologist and Girl-Mom is what inspired Bright Girl skincare, and has allowed the opportunity to deep dive into the psychology and efficacy of skincare for girls.

Meet them where they are

When I asked my 16-year-old daughter the 4 most important factors in choosing a skincare product, she listed: aesthetic packaging, product popularity, quality, and “comes in travel sizes.” As our children reach their teens and 20s, they have more agency and ownership in their decisions: for better or worse. We do them a disservice if we are dictating their choices and not allowing them some freedom in decision-making; although this sometimes leads to failures, those failures are an important part of growth and maturation. And Gen Z and Gen alpha really celebrate and embrace the triumphs that result from certain decisions. By putting on our “listening ears” we foster confidence, independence, and security within our children. I've found that understanding "why" they seek a particular brand or product helps me understand where they are coming from, and allows for a more informed and open discussion (it doesn't always mean that I'll be buying the product for them, but it does allow us a chance to share a conversation and explore both sides of the argument).

Ingredients

It’s just as important to look at what’s in a face wash as what’s NOT included. Many of us want to avoid ingredients such as parabens, sulfates, phthalates, etc due to potential irritation and other side effects. Likewise, understanding ingredients helps you choose a teen face wash that is “clean” (a term that I don’t love because there really is no standard for what constitutes “clean skincare”), pH-balanced (a good measure that can be very objectively assessed), and effective. The ideal cleanser is result-driven in removing makeup, sunscreen, sweat, dirt, oil, pollutants, and environmental allergens; yet gentle enough that it doesn’t irritate sensitive young skin. Additionally, the best face wash for teen skin is going to support the skin microbiome (i.e. all of the good and healthy bacteria and other organisms that live on the skin) and strengthen the skin barrier (when the skin barrier becomes disrupted, this leads to irritation, inflammation, and potential infection.) Ingredients such as Decyl Glucoside and Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate are gentle surfactants that effectively cleanse without stripping or irritating sensitive young skin.

Individual skin type

We all have unique skin types: oily, dry, combination, acne-prone, sensitive, etc. And during the high school and college years, skin is subject to hormonal fluctuations that have a direct impact on skin (increased testosterone leads to increased oil production in the skin). The clinical effects of these hormonal shifts may be acne, sensitive skin, inflammation, and skin texture changes. 

The consistency of a facial cleanser may be creamy, gel, viscous, silky, watery, or foamy. In turn, the texture that is preferred by your teen/20-something likely correlates with his/her skin type. My patients with acne-prone skin tend to gravitate to gel cleansers and don't like anything that is too thick or creamy. And sometimes, the foaming cleansers just don't seem to get the job done when it comes to teen face washing. The great news is that there are many options out there, so your teen/20-something can choose the right fit for their skin type.

Experience

The experience of using the face wash has to be exceptional--teens demand nothing less than the BEST! The experience includes each step of the process from learning about the brand online or through social, reading about the brand, aspiring to try the brand, and then placing the order. Next, what does that package look like when the box is delivered to your doorstep? What is the unboxing experience (this should be special and fun)? We love to provide a little extra something in our Bright Girl gifts, surprising and delighting our customers. Next, when they take the box out of the package, they should understand what the brand is, and what makes it different. The messaging and wording should resonate with them during each step. And then they open the box and take out a beautiful container of product. Everything from color to texture to shape to print on the bottle/jar should be thoughtful and intentional. They will be proud to have that product on their bathroom shelf, and to feature it on their social channels. And finally comes the real magic: the experience of using a product that is elevated, luxurious, and unique. At Bright Girl, our packaging garners rave reviews, but the ritual of a Bright Girl skincare routine is enchanting.

Lifestyle

Your teen or college student has carefully curated his/her persona. Everything from their phone to their hairstyle to their water bottle to their fashion. This is part of their identity, and they take pride in freedom of choice and reflecting their values. We are so lucky to have all of the options that we do--so each individual may choose products that resonate with them. Facial cleanser for girls: this is a consistent part of their daily routine. Washing your face is part of the morning routine for many and should be a mandatory part of evening wind-down. As such, a brand and product that connect with their lifestyle is a priority.

Clinical studies

There are tons of skincare brands out there, but do they have clinical studies? And this doesn't mean that they have ingredients that have been studied in a lab somewhere. It means that the formulations themselves have undergone rigorous, objective, third party clinical Dermatology trials in real subjects. The truth is that very few brands have completed this crucial step. As a board-certified Dermatologist who relies heavily on evidence-based science before I recommend anything to my patients, having these clinical trials to back up Bright Girl was a non-negotiable. And it was a huge undertaking and investment. But I'm so thankful that we now have that objective data that supports the success stories that we continued to hear from our happy Bright Girl community.

Brand

Brands need to engage and excite your savvy teen. This has been the issue that I’ve had with legacy brands that we’ve recommended in Dermatology for years: they don’t always resonate with the Gen Z/Gen alpha crowd. Our 16-year-old mentioned the importance of a brand having “enough followers” to warrant any consideration. The brand ethos, mission, and aesthetic are valuable characteristics that create an emotional connection with your teen or college student.

Finding the ideal facial cleanser for my girls wasn't as easy as going to the beauty retailers and choosing from their existing products. So I set out to create it! I'm very proud of what we've created with Bright+Clean...so proud that I end up stealing this facial cleanser from my daugthers (instead of the other way around!)

Stay BRIGHT!

--Angela Casey MD

Double board-certified Dermatologist/Micrographic Dermatologic Surgeon