Teenage Boys Are Building Elaborate Skincare Routines – These Are The Products They Should Be Using

Despite what the slew of TikTok's GRWM content will tell you, skincare isn't just for girls. Yes, our anxieties over the rise of Sephora Tweens this year may have been peddled by young girls swapping bath bombs for Drunk Elephant's next big thing, but there is a growing faction of teenage boys building elaborate skincare routines, too. In fact, according to Global Market Intelligence & Research Agency, Mintel, recent data has found 70% of young Gen Z men are now using skincare, compared to just 50% of millennial men.

No longer restricted to the confines of deodorants and blackhead nose strips, the beauty arsenal of tween boys gives us reason to rethink our own kits. Whether they are embracing effective formulas to tackle a specific skin concern, finding products to elevate confidence or making self-care more accessible, teen boys have embraced the market just like the rest of us. Look to social media for the proof, where videos under the term 'Boy doing skincare' have amassed  511.6M posts and counting, with school-goers like @grwmhudson showcasing the contents of their cosmetics kits and racking up views of up to 20.1 million in the process.

Aesthetic doctor and founder of Dr Somji Proactive Skincare, Dr Munir Somji, says social media is crucial to the rise of skincare among teen and Gen Z boys. 'These platforms have normalised skincare routines and exposed young men to products, routines and skin techniques that they can easily adopt into their daily lives. Exposure to influencers, celebrities, and even athletes via social media showing their skincare routines further supports this growing trend for young men, as they discover what self-care means to them. We can credit social media for making educational content about skin health accessible online, empowering Gen Z to take control of their appearance and confidence.'

It's not just social media that is fueling the rise. Dr Somji points out that cultural shifts towards prioritising mental health, self-care and wellbeing among the generation, as well as the increase of gender-neutral marketing within the skincare industry has played a hand.

In fact, a flurry of skincare brands have begun to appeal to teen boys specifically. Take Spots and Stripes for example, founded by former beauty editor turned entrepreneur Charlotte-Anne Fidler who turned her frustration over the lack of suitable products on shelves for her 12-year-old daughter into a fully fledged tween-approved beauty brand, equipped with a range specifically curated for tween and teen boys, spanning cleansers, liquid exfoliators and face mists. Spots and Stripes manages to reach all the touch points important to this growing demographic: it speaks to them directly through its fun marketing and playful packaging; it consciously keeps their future in mind through a sustainable approach; and, of course, its many products are specifically formulated for the unique needs of their skin.

What are these needs exactly? NHS GP doctor and medical educator, Dr RajArora, says, 'Teenagers begin to have changes in their hormones with a surge in testosterone, this can be androgenic meaning there is more oil production in the skin which can lead to more blemishes, acne breakouts, and subsequent scarring.' With that in mind, Dr Arora recommends a skincare regime that is suited to the age bracket it serves. Tweens should look to non-stripping routines that are gentle and respect the integrity of skin barriers, while teens who struggle with oilier skin, breakouts, blackheads and so on should look to implementing more advanced skincare. Such products can include gel-based cleaners, clarifying toners and exfoliating acids to remove dead skin cells, non-comedogenic lightweight moisturisers, as well as prescribed solutions such as retinoids, tretinol, or benzoyl peroxide to tackle concerns like acne.

Dr Somji adds, 'Male teenage skin is prone to breakouts, as it is typically thicker and has larger pores than female skin, making it more prone to congestion. Also, their sweat production tends to be higher, especially in active teens, which can contribute to breakouts if not properly managed.'

According to Dr Somji, managing teen skin starts with the basics: Ensure you cleanse your face twice a day, exfoliate two to three times a week and use a lightweight moisturiser day and night. Follow up with an SPF in the daytime (or use a combined product such the Dr Somji Vitamin C Daily Defence Moisturiser with SPF 30, £75) and use a targeted treatment at night before moisturising.

Three simple steps for teenage skincare beginners

Dr Derrick Phillips, CeraVe consultant dermatologist, concurs and explains three easy principles that should be followed when stepping into the skincare world for the first time:

Across the pond, a more targeted approach has seen the launch of Starface, Rile, Insanely Clean, and JB Skrub, each of them tapping into the burgeoning appetite for pre-teen and teen male skincare, insofar as the latter's tagline aptly reads: 'Pits, Nuts, Butts.' If you're wondering what products teens are increasingly reaching for, scroll on...

Shop: The Best Skincare For Teenage Boys

Sameeha Shaikh is Grazia's beauty writer, working across all categories to bring you insights on the latest trends, industry news and the products you need to know about, viral or not (most probably viral).