Children imitate what they see, and in the age of the internet, what they see online becomes an obsessive beauty routine. Skin care culture is becoming more and more popular, and its representative is the daily life broadcast, which consists of a series of products. Words like serum, retinol, collagen, peel, and hyaluronic acid have become part of our everyday vocabulary. Our obsessive attention to our skin, combined with social pressure to achieve a flawless glow, has created a condition known as a “mental health condition.” cosmetics anorexia, an addiction to skin care defined by the excessive purchase and use of such products. This phenomenon has been noticed primarily among women, and the affected age group starts early. Beauty stores are being flooded with young girls and pre-teens obsessed with cosmetics they don’t need. This habit not only reflects the changing interests of age groups, but can also affect health. Skin experts are seeing an increase in inflammation, acne and dermatitis among the very young as a reaction to the powerful active ingredients in the products kids are using to imitate their favorite influencers. It warns you that
Signs of trends can be easily seen online. In the search functions of platforms like TikTok and Instagram, you’ll find young people explaining their skin care routines, showing off cosmetics as if they were toys. In one video, a 9-year-old girl walks through the aisles of a beauty store and adds items to her cart. “As her mom, I’m going to spoil her and I’m going to let her use them and buy them for her girlfriend,” her mom with the camera explains. Masu. The post, which includes the words “Sephora Kids,” was shared by the Candela y La Dani account, which has more than 13,000 followers on TikTok. The platform has countless similar examples, along with other types of content that encourage users to take care of their skin.
To open an account on TikTok, you must be at least 13 years old, according to the platform’s policy on the safety and welfare of minors. Young children can only view accounts managed by adults. That’s why many of Sephora’s tutorials for kids have moms standing next to their kids applying the product. Her 6-year-old girl, Kathy, from the United States, stares into the camera next to her mother and shares her facial skin care and makeup routine in a video that has been viewed 33 million times.
To measure the rise in skin care routines, we might look to numbers that track the amount of such content on digital platforms. Google’s search engine has seen a steady increase in the use of the term “skincare” over time, and the growth accelerated starting with the pandemic in the same year that TikTok exploded. The social network has around 17 million posts with the hashtag #skincare. Additionally, the #SephoraKids and #ChildSkinCare tags have been viewed more than 400 million times.
Increased dermatitis
Dermatologist Alejandro Lobato recently examined a 13-year-old patient at Barcelona’s Del Mar Hospital. During the examination, the boy was accompanied by his mother who showed him “eight to nine products” including creams, masks and shampoos that make up his skin care routine. routine. “I was very surprised that an adolescent could have such obsessions and that her mother did not see any problem with it,” says the expert. After his visit, Lobato researched the issue and, after speaking with his colleagues, realized that this phenomenon was becoming increasingly common. “Social networks are largely responsible for this,” Lobato said.
A recent study conducted in the United States focuses on the causes and effects of this trend. Cosmetics contain ingredients that are toxic to minors and very powerful active ingredients. As a result, contact dermatitis has increased. Alba Calleja, a dermatologist at Madrid’s Dr. Morales Laya Clinic, says that in addition to cases of inflammation and acne, Spain is also seeing more patients under their teens suffering from skin diseases. Admitted.
The problem, dermatologists say, is that minors are using products they don’t need, such as retinol, hyaluronic acid and anti-wrinkle creams. “There is no point in using retinol before you are 25-30 years old. This is an anti-aging product,” says Calleja. Even adult skin care enthusiasts often fail to take proper care of their skin. “I probably wouldn’t recommend people’s routines like these kids are copying. Using eight or more products can require a very complex routine. Morning and night. ” says the dermatologist.
The effects of this overkill are not limited to physical effects, but can also affect mental health, exploding issues of self-esteem, anxiety, and depression. “Young people at that age tend to suffer from self-esteem issues and emotional changes,” Calleja says. She says it’s “unrealistic” to expect smooth, flawless skin from a young age, considering everyone’s skin has some imperfections.
Experts say it’s not all bad news. She says she thinks it’s a good thing that going to the dermatologist is “in vogue.” “The earlier people start coming, the earlier we can start prevention and treatment for patients with health conditions,” Calleja explains.
expanding business
The effect on TikTok is almost always the same. When one or more content creators record themselves using or endorsing a product or brand, the video goes viral and soon creams, serums, and oils are off the shelves. Many beauty influencers are paid to promote and direct their followers to specific personal care products.
Employees at these facilities have proven their ability to: cosmetic olesha. Customers are getting younger and younger, and most of the time they come to the store looking for a specific product or brand. “On the weekends, 12-year-olds come in groups and ask for things they saw on TikTok. Even if they’re expensive, what’s trending sells out quickly in stores and online.” , says one of the employees of a famous beauty store in Madrid’s Puerta del Sol. On social networks themselves, a video is circulating in which an employee displays children’s favorite items from Sephora.
One of the latest favorite brands for young skin care fans is Drunk Elephant. This is a range of creams for what the company calls “clean beauty,” as the company “selects ingredients based on biocompatibility.” The company’s products have appeared in many viral videos. The brand was acquired by Japanese corporate group Shiseido in 2019 for $845 million. According to statistics from Statista, global sales of children’s and baby skin care products in 2021 were approximately $4.135 million, an increase of nearly $233 million from the previous year. “This market is estimated to grow steadily over the next few years and reach approximately $5.6 billion by 2026,” the website states.
Skin-lightening filters, photo editing, and expensive products that impose impossible beauty standards are impacting children’s self-image and self-esteem. “It’s important that children know that the smooth skin they see on social media isn’t real,” warns Calleja.
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