Gift guide · 12 ideas
Gifts for teenage girls
Her room is where she gets ready, does homework, has friends over and shuts the door on the rest of us: gifts for every corner of it.
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A teenage girl’s room does a lot of jobs. It’s where she does her makeup before school, where homework happens (or doesn’t), where the videos get filmed and the sleepovers run late. Presents for it are an easy win, because they get used every day and they’re hers, not the family’s.
Most ideas come with our pick from one of our top lists, chosen for a teenager’s room rather than simply the top of the list: a star projector she runs from her phone, a suitcase record player that goes to a friend’s house, and a silk pillowcase to find out whether silk suits her.
A star projector
Turns her ceiling into a night sky, in whatever colours she picks on her phone. Friends at a sleepover end up lying on the floor staring at it.
Govee Star Projector Lights with Matter (H6095)
$100–$150
Seven zones of stars and nebula, each with its own colour, set from Govee’s app or by voice through Alexa, Google Assistant or a Matter home, so the stars can go off from under the covers. Wide lenses spread it across a living room ceiling.
What owners say: Owners call the effect stunning and relaxing and like the controls; brightness and the colour choices divide them.
A closer look: To use a Matter hub and the Govee app together, connect Matter first with the guide in the box, as Govee advises. More than 50 ready-made scenes and 18 sleep sounds are there to start from, and each zone’s brightness, speed and motion can be set in the app as well as its colour.
- App, Alexa, Google, Matter control
- 18 sleep sounds
- 50+ ready-made scenes
A light-up makeup mirror
The desk has quietly turned into a vanity. A mirror ringed with light shows her face evenly, so makeup done at 7 a.m. still looks right at school.
Worth knowing: A mirror with round bulbs on a small stand fits a desk or dresser; check there’s an outlet or a USB plug close by.
See options on AmazonA sunrise alarm clock
For school mornings when it’s still dark at seven and the phone alarm has been snoozed four times. A light that brightens slowly is a kinder way up, and the phone can charge in the kitchen.
Odokee Sunrise Alarm Clock and Sound Machine (H03)
$50–$75
Bedtime and wake-up handled by one soft, fabric-covered clock: a sunrise that stretches from 5 to 60 minutes before the alarm, 25 sleep sounds for the night, from white and brown noise to rain and waves, and a 5W Bluetooth speaker for podcasts and audiobooks.
What owners say: The slow, gradual glow before the alarm wins owners over, along with how much of each setting they can tailor and the range of sounds; it’s simple to run, and reliability is the one point they disagree on.
A closer look: Pick one of the three wake modes: light and sound together, the light alone for a silent start, or just the alarm. The sunset shade on the night light makes a soft glow for reading at bedtime, and the sleep timer turns the sounds off once you’ve dropped off.
- Sunrise over 5–60 minutes
- 25 sleep sounds
- Light-only silent wake mode
A record player
She’s buying her favourite albums on vinyl, sometimes before she owns anything to play them on. A turntable on the dresser makes her room the one friends want to hang out in.
Retrolife R609 Bluetooth Suitcase Record Player
$75–$100
A faux-leather suitcase with bronze-finish screws and grilles and a sturdy handle, so it can follow you from room to room. It plays 7, 10 and 12-inch records at all three speeds, and an auto-stop switch halts the platter when a side ends.
What owners say: Its sound and looks win praise, and owners are content with how easily it runs and pairs. Some aren’t sure it lasts.
A closer look: With the lid shut it carries like a small case to a friend’s place with a stack of records, but it runs from a plug-in power adapter rather than a battery, so it needs an outlet when it gets there. The headphone jack suits late-night listening.
- Suitcase with a carry handle
- Speakers built in
- Headphone jack
A silk pillowcase
For the curls, braids and blowouts she wants to still be there in the morning. Plenty of people find silk kinder to their hair than cotton, and it feels like a treat every night.
Jaciu 21 Momme Mulberry Silk Pillowcase (Standard, Grey)
$20–$30
Real mulberry silk at 21 momme, grade 6A, with silk on both sides and a hidden zipper, and Jaciu sells it in 11 colours. It suits anyone who wants to find out whether silk is for them.
What owners say: Owners like the quality, the softness and the way the silk feels against the skin, and find the price fair.
A closer look: Don’t wring it after washing: Jaciu says to roll it in a dry towel to press most of the water out, then let it dry. Night creams and hair oils can mark silk, so give them time to soak in before bed.
- Silk weight 21 momme
- Silk on both sides
- Sold in 11 colours
A karaoke machine
Sleepovers that are still going at 1 a.m. need two wireless mics, so nobody waits for a turn, and somewhere to stand a tablet with the lyrics.
See options on AmazonA weighted blanket
The end of a long school day, curled up on the bed with a show, when the steady weight is the cozy part.
Mr. Sandman Cooling Weighted Blanket (12 lb, 48 × 72 in)
$100–$150
Two sides for two seasons: raised minky dots for cold nights and a smooth knit microfibre for warm ones, over fine glass beads in small stitched pockets that keep the weight even. It goes in a home washer and dryer.
What owners say: Owners describe it as luxuriously soft with the weight spread nicely, say they sleep deeply under it and feel it’s good value.
A closer look: At 5.4 kg (12 lb) it suits someone of about 45 to 68 kg (100 to 150 lb) on Mr. Sandman’s own guide, so a heavier sleeper may find it light. It comes with a 12-month guarantee; skip the bleach and the iron when it goes through the wash.
- 5.4 kg (12 lb)
- Minky-dot and smooth sides
- Weight stays even, no bunching
Heads up: The listing calls it queen size, but at 122 × 183 cm (48 × 72 in) it’s cut for one sleeper rather than to cover a queen bed.
View on Amazon See our top 4 weighted blankets →An instant camera
A wall of photos above the bed: every game, concert and night in with friends, printed in a minute or two and pinned up. Prints she can hold beat another thousand photos on her phone.
instax mini 13 Instant Camera (Lagoon Green)
$75–$100
Twist the lens to switch on and further for close-ups, with a mirror beside the lens for selfies, while exposure and flash set themselves. A 2 or 10-second self-timer puts the photographer in the group shot, and each print comes out credit-card size.
What owners say: Owners of all ages find it easy to use and reliable, and they like its colours and the fun of it. Picture quality and value draw mixed views.
A closer look: Close-up mode works from 0.3 to 0.5 m, and the viewfinder adjusts to match the lens, so a close-up prints centred as it was framed. Stand the camera on the angle wedge from the box, tilt it to fit everyone in and start the 10-second timer. Each print takes about 90 seconds to appear.
- 2 or 10 sec self-timer
- Takes instax mini film
- Twist lens to switch on
A phone tripod
For dance videos, outfit checks and calls with friends, without the phone propped on a stack of books, and with her in the shot instead of behind it.
Vimose 168 cm (66 in) Phone Tripod with Remote
$20–$30
This aluminum stick tripod reaches 168 cm (66 in), tall enough for a group shot at eye level, yet stands on a table for a video call with the pole pushed in. A ball head angles the phone, and a cold shoe on the clamp takes a clip-on light or mic.
What owners say: Owners find it sturdy and steady for its light weight, with a remote that works well and a height and angle that are easy to set; it packs down small, and one takes it hiking and camping.
A closer look: Phones from 5.6 to 9.1 cm (2.2 to 3.6 in) wide fit the clamp, so measure the phone in its case before a trip, as a chunky rugged case can be too wide. With the pole pushed right in and the legs open, it stands about 48 cm (19 in) tall on a desk, about right for a video call.
- Reaches 168 cm (66 in)
- Bluetooth remote included
- Locks portrait, landscape or 45°
Paint pens
Plain sneakers, a tote, her phone case, a mirror frame: paint pens let her customize whatever she owns, and slips on glass wipe away.
See options on AmazonA makeup brush set
If she’s learning makeup from videos with her fingers and a borrowed brush, a small set of soft brushes covers an everyday face without a drawer full of extras.
EcoTools Start The Day Beautifully Makeup Brush Kit (5 brushes)
$10–$20
Five bamboo-handled brushes cover a full face: angled foundation, blurring concealer and full blush brushes, plus a crease brush and an angled liner.
What owners say: Owners praise the quality and the smooth, even finish it gives daily makeup, and find the brushes easy to wash. Some find they don’t hold up over time.
A closer look: Setting powder and bronzer go on with the full blush brush as well as blush, so the cheeks and the finishing step share one brush; tap off the extra on the back of a hand first. The collars are recycled aluminum, and PETA certifies the set vegan and cruelty-free.
- Foundation, concealer, blush and eyes
- Comes with a storage case
- Bamboo handles
An aroma diffuser
Homework at the desk, then winding down after it. Add a little bottle of lavender or orange oil to the box, and her room smells like hers rather than like the rest of the house.
ASAKUKI 300 mL Essential Oil Diffuser
$20–$30
Up to 10 hours of mist from one fill on low, from a 300 mL (10 fl oz) tank: enough to scent a bedroom or living room for a whole evening. It’s white on a light-wood-grain base, with seven light colours, and ASAKUKI calls it whisper-quiet.
What owners say: Owners find it simple from the first fill, say it fills the room with scent and runs with barely a sound, and like the colour-changing light; how long it lasts varies from one report to the next.
A closer look: It switches itself off when the water runs out, so it can be left running through an evening. If the diffuser will sit unused for a few days, pour the water out and let the tank dry, so it doesn’t go stale, and give it a rinse before the next fill.
- 300 mL tank
- Three timer settings
- Whisper-quiet, says ASAKUKI
Tips for buying for a teenage girl’s room
- Measure the desk or dresser before buying a mirror or a record player: the top fills up fast, and both want an outlet nearby.
- Weighted blankets are chosen by the sleeper’s weight, usually about a tenth of it, so have a rough idea of hers before you pick one.
- Some presents need a little extra in the box: plain canvas sneakers or a tote with the paint pens, and a spare pack or two of instax mini film with the camera, since none comes with it.
Photos are illustrative, some computer-generated. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. It costs you nothing extra. How we pick · How this works.
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