“Stranger Dystopian”. Backlash from dermatologists after actress launches skin care mask for kids

Dermatologists have slammed the skincare brand launched by Canadian actress Shay Mitchell, calling it “dystropic” its decision to market face masks to 4-year-olds. They noted that the beauty industry is expanding from teenagers to children, according to The Guardian.

A growing number of brands are targeting the skincare market for young adults, teens and children. In October, the first under-14 brand, Ever-eden, was launched in the US. In the UK, Superdrug has just launched a range for 13-28 year olds.

On social networks, some brands have become popular among very young users, creating a phenomenon dubbed “Sephora kids”. These kids share videos featuring beauty products from Drunk Elephant, Bubble, Sol de Janeiro and similar brands.

Skin care masks for children

Actress Shay Mitchell, who has more than 35.2 million followers on Instagram and is known for her role in the TV series “Pretty Little Liars,” has launched a hydrogel skin care mask for children, saying she was “inspired” by her daughters. She said she wanted to create something “fun, gentle and safe”.

Rini's co-founders, who also include Esther Song and Mattel Bebel, describe the brand as “a place where skincare meets play,” with a mission to cultivate “healthy habits, boost self-confidence, and make thoughtfully crafted daily care essentials and play products accessible to every family.”

This trend has caused negative reactions from dermatologists. Dr Emma Wedgeworth, consultant dermatologist at 55 Harley Street in central London, described it as “ridiculous”.

“I think these products are completely unnecessary. When we look at what we put on children's skin, we have to weigh the benefits and the risks, and in this case there is no real benefit, yet we are exposing children to unnecessary risks,” Wedgeworth said.

“Let's set a good example for young people”

“It is important to set a good example for young people in terms of how to maintain healthy skin, without drawing too much attention to the appearance (…). At this age, skin care should be purely functional: gentle cleansing, moisturizing if the skin is dry and sun protection,” added the dermatologist.

She said that very young children are naturally not concerned with how they look and “we don't want to encourage them to focus on appearance or create anxiety about the appearance of their skin”. The dermatologist explained that children's skin is more sensitive, “and exposing them to more unnecessary chemicals increases the risk of irritation and sensitization later.”

Products “based on marketing, not science”

Wedgeworth explained that “there's nothing wrong with well-formulated products designed specifically for young skin if they're really based on a scientific understanding of the differences between adult and children's skin.”

“The problem with some of these new ranges, including celebrity brands, is that they are based on marketing, not science, and offer no real benefit to the skin,” added Emma Wedgeworth.

In a post on Instagram, Dr. Amy Perkins stated: “Rini has marketed 'fine' facial masks to 'restore' youthful skin… They describe it as 'where skincare and play meet innovation'… and I find it strangely dystopian.” The dermatologist added that the beauty industry is “expanding its reach from teenagers to young children”.

Photo source: Esther19775 | Dreamstime.com