Like many millennial moms, I remember officially graduating from Lip Smackers to The Body Shopâs Kiwi Fruit Lip Balm. Today, I might be labeled a âSephora Kidâ for all the sampling of beauty products I did at the mall in the â90s. Like todayâs Gen Alpha tweens and teens, I enjoyed the tactile and sensory experience of trying new skincare and beauty products. So donât be surprised if a tween you know has skincare and beauty gifts on their holiday wishlist this year.
If youâre buying holiday gifts for a beauty- and skincare-obsessed tween, youâll want to keep reading. For this list, not only did I poll my own Sephora Kid (a 10-year-old girl with Laneige and Glow Recipe on her list), but I researched the trending products and limited-edition skincare sets, referenced expert input on age-appropriate makeup and gentle skincare for tweens, and picked some adjacent products to make their self-care routine feel a little bit more special. Plus, I added some DIY beauty kits that combine hands-on learning with tween self-care. Keep reading for the best beauty gifts for a Sephora-loving tween or teen.
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How We Choose the Best Beauty Gifts for Tweens
When the âSephora Kidâ craze made headlines, many dermatologists and other experts weighed in on the importance of choosing gentle, age-appropriate skincare products for young kids. We talked to dermatologists, and in an article on The Everymom, Brooke Jeffy, MD, weighed in on the best skincare for tweens. âBetween ages 8 and 10, encourage twice-daily cleansing and moisturizing to maintain healthy skin and reduce chances of breakouts,â she said. And what should parents watch out for? âProducts with active ingredients that target mature skin issues (i.e., retinols and chemical exfoliants like AHA/BHA) are often irritating to young skin and damaging to the skin barrier,â said Dr. Jeffy. So you wonât see any products that claim anti-aging as the top benefit on this list.
Choosing the best beauty gifts for tweens also meant thinking like a tweenâand asking my tween daughters to approve this list. Tweens love to experiment with new products, so think beginner skincare and makeup kits with cute packaging, perfume samplers, DIY kits, and fun accessories. Plus, I considered influencer-approved and trending products. Here are my favorite beauty gift ideas for tween girlsâfrom stocking stuffers to big-ticket items theyâll love.
Beginner Skincare and Makeup Gift Ideas for Tweens
At some point, makeup moves from dress-up play to self-expression. And that transition often happens in the tween years. Here are some beginner sets for kids who want to start using skincare and makeup, plus some fun products to remove it. Additionally, the tween years are when blemishes and acne sprout. âTweens and teens do need to establish healthy skincare habits, so they become routine for life,â Dr. Jeffy said. She recommends âsticking with fragrance-free, oil-free, and non-comedogenic products for most kids.â
YouTube sensation teen Salish Matter just launched her new skincare line thatâs safe for young skin. My tweenâs a big fan, especially the face spray.
For the skincare-curious tween, this gift set has only what they need: gentle cleanser and moisturizer.
Unlike some of Glow Recipeâs other products, this moisturizer is free of AHA and relies on hyaluronic acid for moisture, which is safe for young skin. Grab a small size of this viral moisturizer to make sure it works for your tweenâs skin.
Give the Sephora tweens what they wantâthis dreamy lip kit with five flavors of Laneigeâs popular lip mask. My daughter keeps two in her locker, one on her nightstand, one on her vanity, and I may have borrowed one for travel.
Finding your emotional support lip balm is a tween rite of passage, and Summer Fridays is a top brand among the Sephora girlies. This set comes with four flavors, including the uber-popular Birthday Cake.
The brand made famous by founder Hailey Bieber, these non-sticky lip tints are always out of stock at my Sephora, so grab a favorite while theyâre in stock. And two sparkle shades are new in 2026!
A perfect stocking stuffer for the makeup-obsessed girlie, this customizable keychain will allow them to attach their favorite gloss to her backpack, bag, or keychain. Pair it with a popular lip balm like Summer Fridays, Rhode, Laneige, or budget-friendly favorite e.l.f.
For kids who are a little more hands-on, and parents not quite ready to give in fully to their new beauty obsession, grab a DIY kit like this lip balm kit so theyâre learning too!
At this age, youâll want clean makeup options as theyâre experimenting with different blush shades to see what works for their skin tone.
Let them sparkle while experimenting with new makeup looks. This $10 eyeshadow palette from the clean makeup brand e.l.f. includes 10 nude shades.
This everyday essential brush set will give them all the beginner tools they need to start trying on different makeup looks.
Grab this makeup trend that went viral after Taylor Swift was spotted wearing glitter freckles! The easy-to-apply patches come in multiple colors and are perfect for concerts (my daughters and I wore them to Benson Boone), NYE celebrations, or any time your tween wants to add a little sparkle.
Tweens can wash off makeup with just water and these super-soft cloths. Available in tons of cute colors and patterns.
Combine their love of Squishmallows with their love of skincare. This themed face mask pack includes four fun and hydrating options.
The sweet scents of Sol De Janeiro have the tweens in a chokehold. This limited-edition set comes with body lotion and a body mist in the brandâs popular Cheirosa fragrance.
Perfume Sampler Gift Sets for Tweens
If I try hard enough, I can conjure the scents of Gap Dream, CK One, and Elizabeth Arden Sunflower perfumes. And honestly, if someone would create a millennial perfume sampler pack, Iâd probably buy it (wait, Gap just did!) Today, tweens seem to have many more options, like these influencer-approved brands that come in convenient sampler packs.
With this five-pack of influencer-approved Sol De Janeiro perfume sprays, they can sample four scents, but warning, once they try (and smell!) these products, they might be hooked.
Looking for a budget-friendly LoveShackFancy gift? This perfume trio is $35 and includes the brandâs three best-selling fragrances.
A gift set that includes three portable minis from the tween-approved fragrance brand.
Replica is a TikTok favorite brand for its gender-neutral fragrances. Tweens can sample eight scents in this set for under $35.
Glossier scents are meant to be skin-scent enhancers, so they smell differently on everyone. This discovery set includes their most popular You fragrance, plus three to try: RĂȘve, Doux, and Fleur.
Since everything from the â90s is cool again with the tweens, consider leaning in with your own nostalgic scents. This sampler set of Gap fragrances includes Dream, Heaven, and Grass. This is a gift you might want to borrow.
Fans of the actor/singer Ariana Grande will love this two-pack of her signature cloud scents.
The tweens and teens love the smell and skin-sensitive Touchland hand sanitizers. Grab this limited-edition set that includes Wild Watermelon, Mango Passion, Pure Lavender, and Vanilla Blossom, plus a sparkly hand mist case they can attach to their backpack or bag.
The collab of tween dreams! Choose from four colors of Crocs-inspired keychain cases to clip to their bag or backpack. Jibbitz includedâplus they can add their own!
Hair and Nail Care Beauty Gifts for Tweens and Teens
Kids this age also love expressing themselves with their hair and nails, and these products make styling and care fun! Of course, parents may want to assist their tween the first few times using any hot hair tools or new hair care products (although theyâve likely already watched a few YouTube tutorials, too!).
If theyâre not already using this viral heatless hair curling set, then your tween will love to try it. You can be worry-free knowing itâs easy on the hair, providing them with foolproof, bouncy curls.
My Sephora tween got this curling iron last year to get the âbeachy wavesâ look. She still uses it at least once a weekâand has even done my hair for me!
For tweens experimenting with different styles, this set from the buzzy haircare line Amika includes dry shampoo, volume, and texturizing spray.
Tween girls still love a slick back, whether for an easy school look or their latest dance or gymnastics competition. This set lets them try three scents of editor-favorite brand Daeâs taming wand.
A fun hair towel will keep their locks drying, and theyâll look cute with over 25 colors and patterns to choose from.
For under $10, they can give themselves a soothing scalp massage while lathering up their shampoo and conditioner with this useful and relaxing gadget.
My tween and teen daughters and I all sleep on these satin pillowcases, which can promote healthier hair and skin. With 40+ colors and patterns, you can pick the one just right for them.
Whether using them for their morning prep or wearing them out, these cute clips donât leave a crease in their hair.
The â 90s-inspired accessory is back for a new generation! Available in multiple colorsâeven holiday sparkles.
If your tween has been bedazzling everything like my daughter, why not gift her this set to add pretty gems to her nails, too?
Fun Beauty Accessory Gifts for Tweens
Once tweens start acquiring beauty products, they need a place to store them. So this list includes makeup pouches, organizers, and more. Plus, other fun beauty accessories theyâll be excited to wear and use.
The *it* toiletry bag for the skincare-obsessed tweens and teens I saw everywhere at summer camp drop-off. Honestly, with all the pockets and hanging conveniences, I kind of want this for myself, too.
Budding Sephora tweens will love their very own vanity with a lighted mirror. Could double as a desk for crafting, coloring, homework, and more! Available in three finishes.
A cozy robe will wrap them in warmth as they go through their skincare routines before getting dressed in the morning or as they get ready for bed. Available in 15+ fun patterns.
Fill a personalized makeup bag with some travel-sized products for a creative gift theyâll love to open. Plus, this sweet ruffled style epitomizes Gen Aâs definition of preppy.
Stocking stuffer-sized and ready to travel (or keep in their locker), this compact mirror comes in 10+ fun colors and includes an LED light.
For teens and tweens who consider themselves âpreppy,â consider a countertop organizer for all their new products.
Tweens and teens can keep their skincare cool in their room or on their vanity with a built-in LED-lit mirror.
Best Beauty Advent Calendars for Tweens
There truly is an Advent calendar for any category for kids (and adults), from LEGOs to PokĂ©mon to Nee-Dohsâbut a beauty-obsessed tween will love counting down to Christmas with travel-size products to test and enjoy. Here are some of the best Advent calendars for tween girls.
For a fun-filled December, this 24-day countdown calendar includes Sephora brand beauty favorites like blush, mascara, and bath bombs, plus sparkly hair accessories, too. Once opened, check for any products marketed as anti-aging (i.e., the Glow Mask and Firming Mask) that you can save as a gift for yourself.
Filled with 12 days of tween and teen favorite brands like Starface skincare patches, Sol de Janeiro body wash, scents from Billie Eilish, and more.
This cute, Christmassy K-Beauty Advent Calendar includes sheet masks, hand creams, lip gloss, hand sanitizer spray, blemish patches, and a plush Squishmallows headband.
Surprise lip balms, bath bombs, and body mists are inside this week-long Advent Calendar from tween-favorite brand DAISE.
Beauty Gift Cards Theyâll Love
Of course, any tween will be thrilled to pick out some items on their next trip to their favorite store. Gift cards will always be a hit and could be added inside a cute makeup pouch, wristlet, or as a stocking stuffer for a special gift.
Why Tweens Love Beauty Products
Certainly, thereâs a Disney princess-to-Sephora pipeline for many kids. And for every person who complained about Sephora kids taking over the retailer, I think it helps to remember theyâre flocking to beauty stores for the same reason we all didâbeauty products are fun!
While todayâs tweens might be learning about the products from TikTok and YouTube rather than paging through Seventeen Magazine, they still want to sample the products themselves. Shops like Sephora and Ulta offer them this trial experience. And with over 1,000 Sephora locations and 1,500 Ulta locations nationwide, beauty retailers are an accessible place for tween girls to gather. Plus, brands are noticing and creating beginner beauty products, fun, colorful packaging, and targeted marketing campaigns.
Frequently Asked Questions About Tween Beauty Gifts
What age is appropriate to start giving beauty gifts?
Thereâs no set age, since it depends on your childâs interest and maturity. Many kids start asking for skincare and makeup between ages 8 and 12. Start with gentle basics like lip balm, moisturizer, and play-friendly makeup, then add more as they show they can use products responsibly.
What are the best beauty gifts for a 10-year-old girl?
Good gifts for a 10-year-old include lip balms and lip masks, mild moisturizers, DIY kits (lip balm, bath bombs, sugar scrubs), hair accessories, makeup bags, and sampler-size products. These are fun to open without committing a child to a complicated routine.
What is a âSephora Kidâ?
Itâs a term for tweens and young teens who shop at beauty retailers like Sephora and Ulta and often follow skincare and makeup trends on social media. Many are drawn to the sampling experience of those stores, the colorful packaging, and trending products they see online.
What skincare ingredients should tweens avoid?
Dermatologists recommend that tweens and teens avoid active ingredients like retinol, vitamin C, and exfoliating acids, since these target wrinkles, sun damage, and uneven skin tone that children donât have. Skip anything marketed as anti-aging, and be cautious with fragranced products.
What are good stocking stuffers for tweens who love beauty products?
Lip balms and glosses, claw clips, scrunchies, compact mirrors, mini perfume sets, sheet masks, and gloss keychains are all easy picks. Most are under $15, and many fit in a stocking.
Why You Can Count on Us
The Everygirl Media Group has brought valuable content to our readers for 12+ years. In 2018, The Everymom set out to ensure that all moms know theyâre not alone. If you find yourself seeking advice on how to style the latest fashion trend or searching for the best kid-friendly coffee table, we have the answers. And if youâre wondering whatâs actually worth it from a sale or looking for a review of the hottest new kidsâ product, weâve got that covered too. From our annual Registry Awards and beloved holiday gift guides to the shopping round-ups you find on our site every day, The Everymom commerce team is well-versed in sifting through thousands of products to curate a digestible list for you. We combine our own experience with in-depth research to bring you a selection that meets our high standards for both fashion and function.
Kathy Sisson, Senior Editor
Kathy Sisson has been a key contributor in the editorial parenting space for eight years, not only as a full-time editor at The Everymom but previously as a freelance writer for top parenting sites, including Scary Mommy, Motherly, Parent Co., and more. As an editor at The Everymom, she has produced hundreds of articles on a range of parenting topics, reviewed dozens of family-focused products, interviewed leading experts in the children and parenting world, and created viral parenting social media content. A mom of two, she is committed to sharing the honest, helpful, and often humorous stories of motherhood.
Products featured in graphics linked in article. Image credited to Karola G | Pexels.
