The Rise of ‘Sephora Kids’: Tweens and Anti-Aging Skin Care
Udumbara
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Forget toys and books. Many of today’s young girls are obsessed with luxury anti-aging skin care that’s intended for older women.
Thanks in part to social media’s “get ready with me” content featuring girls as young as 7 filming skin care routines, demand for skin care products in the tween age group has soared. Unlike dolls, play kitchens, and makeup of generations past, this trend poses potential harms.
Tween skin care regimens are often extensive and involve mixing problematic and age-inappropriate ingredients that experts say may cause irritation, allergic reactions, long-term skin issues, and undermined self-worth.
In one case, a girl applied 10 products in six minutes and described burning and discomfort as she experienced a visible skin reaction.
Annell Reiterman, a specialty beauty adviser at Ulta Beauty, noted that tweens aren’t interested in products more suitable for young skin, even when she tries to educate them on the dangers of products designed for mature skin.
Problematic Ingredients
“We notice kids coming in with problems due to [using] too many products or due to the wrong products,” dermatologist Dr. Brooke Jeffy told The Epoch Times. Children’s use of skin products often surprises parents.Retinol
Retinoid is a blanket term for all vitamin A derivatives, whereas retinol is a milder over-the-counter type of retinoid that converts slowly into its active form in the skin.Intended for mature women, retinol is designed to minimize fine lines and wrinkles by increasing collagen and elastin production, which improves the firmness and elasticity of skin.
“Collagen loss doesn’t start until the late 20s or early 30s, so there’s no reason to be using retinol prior to that,” Jeffy said.
Tone-Evening Ingredients
Sometimes referred to as “lightening” or “brightening” agents, tone-evening ingredients include alpha hydroxy acids, glycolic acid, and vitamin C. The acids exfoliate the top layer of skin to remove pigmented cells that make up age spots, making uneven tone appear lighter or brighter.While generally safer, vitamin C is an antioxidant that’s also used for dark spots.
Exfoliating Scrubs
Anything intended to physically alter the skin’s surface is too aggressive for young skin, Jeffy said. Young skin is thinner and more prone to damage. Once children enter puberty, oil production increases, which can decrease sensitivity.Mixed Ingredients
There are many concerns about the potential harms of mixing certain ingredients, or overusing products and increasing chemical exposure—common tween habits.Chemical exfoliants shouldn’t be used with retinols, Reiterman said, as using them together increases the likelihood of sunburn.
“Even if you stop using the product, it stays in your skin for a while, so you have to continue to wear sunscreen, because your skin is going to be extra sensitive to the sun,” she said.
Another concern is the lack of research and age-appropriate guidelines on skin care products, as well as how tweens are combining them and not titrating usage.
Skin Irritation Debate
Dr. Marvin Rapaport, a dermatologist and former clinical professor at the University of California–Los Angeles, has conducted allergy testing on skin care ingredients for 30 years and said that it’s premature to become panicked about tween skin irritation causing long-term harm. The simple solution, he said, is to cease using products that are irritating.Self-Worth at Stake
Experts say the irony of tweens using products to feel better about themselves is that such uses could backfire and cause a decline in self-worth—in part because the products might harm skin and also because they are chasing value in unrealistic ideals while being exploited by the beauty industry.Parental Guidance
The good news is that the skin care craze is an opportunity for parents to initiate meaningful conversations with their children, keeping in mind that good skin care can play a role in a healthy childhood.Skin care rituals are not a problem, Clionsky said. It’s important not to diminish a child’s desire for routine while also focusing on how the trend itself might alter a sense of beauty, acceptance, and wealth. Parents can encourage children to appreciate what they already have.
Reiterman said there’s a positive spin on Sephora kids—these children want to have healthy skin. Parents can encourage good habits with core products designed for children—gentle cleansers and moisturizers—a move that removes peer pressure from the equation.
“You can engage in the trend without it being harmful,” Reiterman said. “It can be fun, but do it because you want to do it for yourself, to take care of yourself and not because you feel like you have to.”
If parents agree that their children can use skin care products, they should learn about the specific ingredients in the products their children use or want, Clionsky added.
“You should know what your child is putting on their body.”
Clionsky recommends taking products or pictures of products to the child’s pediatrician or dermatologist to find out whether they are harmful.
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