Atlanta skincare brand ‘Just for Teens’ expands to Dollar General stores
An Atlanta entrepreneur who turned pandemic-era school supply sales into a skincare company for teenagers is taking his products to thousands of stores nationwide.
Brian Reynolds is founder and CEO of Just for Teens, an Atlanta-based, Black-owned skincare company headquartered at the Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs. Its facial washes, moisturizers, fruit-shaped pimple patches and dissolvable cleansing pads are designed specifically for young consumers.
Just for Teens, which expanded from e-commerce into retail two years ago, is expected to be available in 10,000 stores next month, including more than 8,000 Dollar General locations.
Reynolds wanted to create a fun and safe way for young people to feel good about themselves and take interest in their personal hygiene.
He said having products for sale in value brand chains makes skincare affordable and accessible to diverse communities.
“I wanted to have something playful and sensory that encourages having a healthy routine when you get started. We’re competing against Procter & Gamble and Johnson & Johnson for shelf space,” Reynolds said. “The economy is having its own rebalancing and struggles right now, and we’re trying to make products that are effective and practical for teens to use.”
Reynolds originally started Just for Teens as a supplier of gloves, masks, soaps and thermometers to 300 school districts during the coronavirus pandemic. Founded in 2020, he noticed some schoolchildren were developing severe cases of acne and skin infections from wearing masks with allergens.
He researched skincare products for preteens and couldn’t find one. Reynolds said skin infections can affect a young person’s self-esteem.
“When you look good, you feel good, and when you feel good, you perform your best. My goal is to build a brand that can help more teens and youth spread joy and really feel confident in their own skin,” he said.
Reynolds, 42, has participated in small-business accelerator programs run by Dollar General, Morehouse College, Disney, Georgia Tech and the University of Georgia.
He said his participation in those incubators allowed him to build a network and gain mentorship.
“You don’t feel like you’re alone because you’re meeting people who’ve already done that with access to knowledge and resources that help you scale and grow. It not only helped me move quicker but more efficiently with a lot less people than it traditionally takes.”
Paul Mayberry, Russell Center’s director of community, said Reynolds was a proactive participant in programming to grow Just for Teens. “From our Supply Chain Accelerator to the RICE Retail Academy, Brian has leaned into every opportunity we have been fortunate to present to our business owners,” Mayberry said. “He’s exactly the kind of success story that makes our mission real.”
Representatives from Dollar General said offering Just for Teens in stores expands its consumer base and Reynolds’ reach.
“We have designed ways to empower local and small businesses as we work to build customer loyalty, offer relevant products and positively contribute to our communities,” the company said in an email. “Products from Just for Teens were available in approximately 4,000 stores in September 2025, and by next month we expect to have their products in more than 8,000 stores.”
From Lithonia to China to entrepreneurship
Reynolds, who grew up in Lithonia, became an entrepreneur by accident. In 2005, he moved to China and made a living purchasing goods from wholesalers and selling them to small businesses in Atlanta.
His dad, a Clark Atlanta University professor, encouraged him to enroll in language school for a year at Sun-Yat-sen University.
“It exposed me to how big the world is, because I was able to better communicate with manufacturers,” Reynolds said.
After Reynolds completed the program, he enrolled at Georgia State University’s Georgia Perimeter campus in 2006, where he received a study abroad scholarship to return to China.
In 2008, Reynolds enrolled in Arizona State University’s Chinese Language Flagship Program and became a student ambassador. That same year, he started the American Culture and Education Program, a consultancy that brought international students and teachers to American colleges and school districts.
Reynolds, who was fluent in Mandarin, graduated with degrees in international business and Chinese in 2012. His business operated for a decade until the coronavirus pandemic forced him to close.
“It completely stopped because most of our clients were coming in from China. I was looking for a way I could take the relationships that I’d already had and be able to offer a new product or service,” he said.
Because Reynolds had connections to manufacturers and school districts, he pivoted into selling supplies. “Most of those parents we were building relationships with ... owned the factories, so they were willing to give me free product to supply the school districts,” he said.
“I spent 12 hours a day, calling from East to West Coast. That business did well, but I saw that we really needed to have a core business that could be long term.”
Reynolds is concentrating on helping young people through Just for Teens’ creator program. It allows content creators and influencers to serve as brand ambassadors and budding entrepreneurs.
“It not only teaches young people how to scale and grow, but they’re able to share and talk about the brand in an authentic way,” he said.
He also wants to address mental health and wellness to instill pride and confidence in youth.
“I want to be able to create something so kids can learn how to take care of themselves, their health, wellness and share positivity,” he said.