15 Affordable Gifts Teens Will Actually Want, According to Teens

Updated on Oct 19, 2024 at 1:05 PM

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Throughout the year, and especially during the holiday months, there’s no better feeling than finding the perfect gift for a person you love dearly — especially if they’re a hard-to-please teenager. If you’re shopping for a sibling, friend, niece or nephew, or classmate and don’t know where to begin, we can promise you that these affordable gift ideas for teens are the coolest finds of 2024. How do we know? Well, we asked two real-life teens.

Here, Winter (14) and Ella (13) give PS a sneak peek at their holiday shopping wish lists — with nothing clocking in at over $100. And TBH, we’re really glad we asked: did you know that teens are clambering for comfortable shoes like Crocs, cozy wardrobe essentials, and budget-friendly skin-care? You do now.

Ahead, shop our picks for the best affordable gifts for teens, according to teens, with items that come from top brands like Free People, Target, and more.

amazon.comBest Home Gift For TeensSunset Projection Lamp ($14, originally $18)

Take mood lighting to a whole new level. The head on this glowy lamp can be rotated 180 degrees to adjust the size and shape of its sunset projection. It’s small enough to be placed anywhere, whether it be a nightstand, dresser, or shelf, making it a great gift for practically anyone to enjoy — including a teenager. “This is very fun; I’d love to get it as a present,” Winter says.

urbanoutfitters.comBest Design Gift For TeensWinnie Floral Taper Candle Set ($14, originally $18)

We didn’t know candlesticks could get any more romantic until we saw this set. The candles, which feature dried flowers inlaid in paraffin wax, are available to shop in a wide variety of colors, including orange-hued and multicolored sets. Winter recommends getting your teen a graphic box of matches to go along with the candles.

amazon.comBest Skin-Care Gift For TeensBubble Skincare Level Up Balancing Gel Moisturizer ($15)

Bubble is a line of gentle, cruelty-free skin-care made specifically for teens and tweens — and the kids love it. This lightweight moisturizer uses zinc PCA and niacinamide to even out skin texture and includes proteins to protect the skin from blue-light damage. (The price point, meanwhile, is as easy on your wallet as the product is on their skin.)

target.comBest Fragrance Gift For TeensBeing Frenshe Glow On Perfume Oil in Citrus Amber ($15)

Made with safflower oil, uplifting essential oils, and upcycled rose, this perfume oil from Ashley Tisdale’s beauty line is a great way to incorporate mood-boosting aromatherapy on the go. All they need to do is roll it onto their skin and gently dab. It’s clean and vegan, so you can rest assured this gift contains no bad chemicals.

PS Photography | Anvita ReddyBest Beauty Gift For TeensTower 28 Beauty ShineOn Lip Jelly Non-Sticky Gloss Magic ($16)

According to Ella, this is a great everyday lip gloss. And according to one PS editor, “It has an elegant consistency that’s moisturizing and flexible on the lips. The gloss has just the right amount of slip where it’s not oily but not sticky either. It contains a blend of moisturizing oils like apricot-kernel oil, raspberry-seed oil, and rosehip oil that feels weightless yet conditioning on the lips.” Read our full review of Tower 28 ShineOn Lip Jelly here.

Editor Quote: “It has an elegant consistency that’s moisturizing and flexible on the lips. The gloss has just the right amount of slip where it’s not oily but not sticky either. It contains a blend of moisturizing oils like apricot-kernel oil, raspberry-seed oil, and rosehip oil that feels weightless yet conditioning on the lips. It feels like all that hydration and moisture are sinking into your lips. The lip gloss has a stunning high-shine finish that makes my lips look plump and bouncy.” — Anvita Reddy, assistant editor, Shopping

amazon.comBest Organizing Gift For TeensHBlife 360 Rotating Makeup Organizer ($17)

Ella is hoping to get this rotating makeup stand for the holidays. Its multiple tiers make it easy for your teen to find their fave products and makeup tools, even when they don’t have much space on their vanity or dresser.

wandpdesign.comBest Coffee Gift For TeensW&P Design Porter Mug ($30)

The teen in your life can take their coffee on the go with this cute mug. It comes in a rainbow of colors, but we love this fun terrazzo option. It’s microwave- and dishwasher-safe and is made of high-quality ceramic for easy sipping. The mug has a matte silicone sleeve that’s super easy to grip.

amazon.comBest Footwear Gift for TeensCrocs Classic Clogs ($33-$49)

My friend, Crocs are in. (Note from this millennial editor: I know, I didn’t believe it either, but I’ve fact-checked this!) If you want your teen to love you forever, score a pair of these classic Croc clogs, which seem to be always sold out.

amazon.comBest Music Gift For Teens”1989 (Taylor’s Version)” Vinyl Record ($35, originally $40)

Is your teen a record-loving Swiftie? Even if your teen doesn’t have a record player, this album is a great collectable and can be hung on their wall or find a place of honor on their bookshelf. Regardless of who you’re shopping for, it’ll double as the perfect gift for any Swiftie.

sephora.comBest Travel Gift For TeensFruit Babies Bestsellers Kit ($38)

“I want this on my list,” Ella says of this Glow Recipe set of the brand’s best-selling products. For under $40, you get the travel-size version of six products, which comprise an entire skin-care routine: cleanser, moisturizer, eye cream, exfoliating serum, and more.

anywaymag.comBest Literary Gift For TeensSubscription to Anyway Magazine ($40, originally $54)

If you grew up reading American Girl Magazine or Girl’s Life, you’ll be thrilled to discover Anyway, a new magazine dedicated to making the messiness of growing up a little less stressy — and a lot more fun. The physical magazine makes a great stocking stuffer for your younger teen (the mag’s editors say their target audience is tweens ages 9-15).

amazon.comBest Unique Gift For TeensLego Icons Succulents Kit ($40, originally $50)

Winter says a flower kit from Lego’s Botanical Collection is on her holiday list. We think this succulents display is just too cute, and we love that your teen will be able to spend time building the plants (rather than scrolling on their phone) and then use them for decoration. You can connect all nine plants together to create one display, or separate them to add bursts of color throughout the room.

jacqmariajewelry.comBest Jewelry Gift For TeensJacqMaria Metallic Stackables ($45, originally $48)

Your teen can mix and match these gold beaded bracelets, which come in different styles and sets of one, three, or five. Ella says she thinks they’re “really pretty” — and you’ll love the price tag.

amazon.comFor Tech Gift For TeensPolaroid Hi-Print Printer ($70, originally $100)

Winter recommends getting your teen this Bluetooth printer from Polaroid. Instead of lugging around a bulky camera, your teen can use the device to print snaps in the classic Polaroid style right from their phone to swap with friends or hang in their room.

freepeople.comBest Fashion Gift For TeensWe the Free Graphic Camden Pullover ($98)

Ella dubs this sweatshirt from Free People “the coziest.” Due to its cool, “just rolled out of bed” slouchy fit, reviewers recommend sizing down. Plus, you can shop it in a range of cool colors and prints/

— Additional reporting by Macy Cate Williams, Abbey Stone, and Kyley Warren

Macy Cate Williams is a former content director of commerce at PS. She literally shops for a living! Based in the Bay Area, Macy finds the best fashion, beauty, fitness, and home products that readers should know about.

Abbey Stone is the former editor-in-chief of the Webby-Award-winning brand Well+Good. Abbey was also an editor at publications including Mental Floss and People and has bylines at The Daily Beast, Wondermind, She Knows, and more.

Kyley Warren is an award-winning writer, editor, and affiliate strategist with more than four years of experience in the publishing space. She currently works as an assistant editor on PS Shopping and is an expert on all things related to shopping and fashion. She previously worked with Entertainment Tonight as a style commerce writer, and her byline has appeared in publications globally.