TikTok Beauty Craze: Kids Are The New Target! What's The Risk?

Driven by TikTok trends, a new wave of beauty brands are setting their sights on a very young audience: children. Are hydrating face masks really necessary for toddlers? Dermatologists are increasingly concerned, but that hasn't stopped a growing number of companies from aggressively marketing skincare and makeup routines to a generation raised on TikTok and YouTube beauty tutorials.

TikTok Beauty Craze: Kids Are The New Target! What...

The recent launch of Rini, a beauty company targeting children as young as three, has certainly stirred the pot. Backed by actress Shay Mitchell, Rini offers bundles of hydrating face masks – think "Puppy," "Panda," and "Unicorn" – for around $35. It’s a bold move, and one that highlights the changing landscape of the beauty industry. Then there's Evereden, a US-based brand selling face mists, toners, and moisturizers to pre-teens, boasting annual sales of over $100 million. Let's not forget fifteen-year-old YouTuber Salish Matter, whose brand launch in New Jersey drew such a massive crowd that police reinforcements were required! It's quite the phenomenon.

"Children's skin does not need cosmetics, apart from daily hygiene products, toothpaste and shower gel, and sun cream when there is exposure," emphasizes Laurence Coiffard, a researcher at the University of Nantes and co-runner of Cosmetics Watch. This isn't just about harmless fun, she argues. We're seeing Gen Alpha, kids born between 2010 and 2024, adopting beauty routines far more advanced than those of their older peers. These "Sephora Kids," as they're sometimes called (a nod to the popular beauty retailer), are avidly mimicking the influencers they see on TikTok and YouTube, some of whom are barely out of elementary school themselves.

And the potential consequences? Coiffard points to research suggesting that children using adult cosmetics face a higher risk of developing skin allergies later in life. There's also the concern about exposure to endocrine disruptors and phytoestrogens, which can interfere with hormone development. It's a valid point, and one that parents should seriously consider.

Just how pervasive is this trend? Dermatologist Molly Hales, at Northwestern University in Chicago, took to TikTok undercover as a 13-year-old beauty enthusiast. What she found was alarming. After creating a profile and engaging with beauty-related content created by minors, the TikTok algorithm quickly delivered a flood of similar videos. Hales and her colleague, Sarah Rigali, watched a staggering 100 videos from 82 different profiles. One clip showed a child applying 14 different products to her face before developing a rash! Others depicted elaborate morning routines starting as early as 4:30 am, all in the name of skincare and makeup. These "Get Ready with Me" videos, often featuring an average of six products costing a combined $168, are incredibly popular. The fact that some include anti-aging creams designed for adults is, frankly, shocking. I was shocked by the scope, too.