Children should not be using skin care products meant for mature skin, such as anti-wrinkle serums, exfoliants and peels, as it can damage their delicate skin. — Freepik
Many Christmas gifts for children last year (2024) were likely filled with beauty products.
Skin care is a fast-growing phenomenon among Gen Alpha, typically defined as those born from 2010 and on.
Dubbed “Sephora kids”, the tweens and teens have been buying up products from buzzy brands including Drunk Elephant, Bubble and Glow Recipe, and diligently following multi-step, anti-ageing skin care routines popularised on social media.
With kids becoming a powerful segment of the booming US$164bil (around RM733bil) global skin care industry, brands have been catering to them with new products packaged in colourful, eye-catching bottles and jars.
Dermatologists say that getting children into the habit of taking care of their skin is a good thing, but they’re urging parents to exercise caution as they splurge on these products.
“For paediatric dermatology, we always say to be very mindful and wary of active ingredients that are in products,” said UCLA Health paediatric dermatologist Dr Jayden Galamgam in the United States.
“A lot of the time, simple is better.”
He provides more advice below:
A gentle cleanser, a hydrating moisturiser and a good sunscreen are recommended and appropriate for any age.
“You don’t need to be using all these products; you don’t need a 10-step routine,” he said.
“Use three products. Most don’t need anything more than that.”
Look for broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF (sun protection factor) of 30 or higher.
It should be worn daily and reapplied every couple of hours.
Anti-wrinkle serums, exfoliants and peels are not appropriate for children.
Avoid products containing potent alpha hydroxy acids, beta hydroxy acids and retinol, Dr Galamgam said.
“I would definitely try to stay away from those, because they can cause a lot of irritation for kids,” he said.
Social media trends often encourage tweens to experiment with cosmetics that are inappropriate for their skin type or age, so parents need to look carefully at ingredient labels before buying, said Sam Cutler, founder of Beverly Hills-based tween skin care brand Petite ‘n Pretty.
“We want to caution parents about the growing trend of products marketed as ‘kid-friendly’ due to their bright, playful packaging, which can be misleading,” she said.
“Many of these products are formulated for adults and contain harsh ingredients, such as hydroxy acids, retinoids and artificial fragrances, which are too aggressive for young, delicate skin and can cause irritation or long-term damage.”
You can talk to them them about the potential harmful side effects, and about the risks of following the advice of online “skinfluencers”.
“There are a lot of teens that are using these products inappropriately due to misinformation or wanting to fit in with their friends based on what they’re seeing on TikTok,” said University of California, Los Angeles, (UCLA) assistant clinical professor of dermatology and paediatric dermatologist Dr Carol Cheng.
“They’re easily susceptible.
“A lot of them don’t realise that these influencers are probably being paid to promote certain products.” – By Andrea Chang/Los Angeles Times/Tribune News Service
