The Kids Are Using What?!

By now we’ve all digested the articles about children as young as age 10 buying into anti-ageing skincare – and how dermatologists deem the TikTok-driven trend a serious problem.

Is peer pressure to blame? The parents facilitating purchases? Brands targeting kids inappropriately? The Gen Alpha skincare obsession is complicated, but clearly there’s a need for more education around what’s suitable for young skin, and what really isn’t.

While I’m yet to receive any press releases from brands or retailers caught up in the controversy defending themselves (or otherwise), I’ve been emailed some great perspectives on the topic utilising expert voices.

Quite rightly, the new cohort of entry-point-to-beauty brands are trying to drive the conversation, too. Take Indu, who, via The Tape Agency, have started sharing weekly press releases on young skin, from discussions on ‘Teen vs adult skin barriers’ to ‘The ingredients teens should be using’.

I’ll also be keeping an eye on the British Beauty Council’s stance on it all. Who knows, we might see pressure put on retailers to enforce age restrictions on products containing actives like acids and retinoids. Though I doubt it

Skincare for all is a valid concept – but that doesn’t mean everyone benefits from everything, and the health of children should be non-negotiable. As TikTok’s influence widens, so does our need to question beauty culture and provide unbiased, accurate information aligning with it.