KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — Their videos are eye-catching, but their message could be damaging. Children as young as six years old are showcasing their skincare routines on social media, using expensive peptides and retinol formulated for mature skin.
These young influencers could be causing harm to not only their skin but the little girls who are watching. One aesthetician explained how she has seen girls who’ve hurt their skin firsthand.
“First of all, I really appreciate the enthusiasm and getting excited about taking care of their skin. It is, however, a little frustrating as a professional in the industry to see kids overutilizing products that aren’t necessary for their skin and coming in to see me with rashes, irritation, dermatitis, things like that,” said Old City Med Spa aesthetician Mahala Brien.
Noe Etheridge, 14, and her sister Elle, 15, enjoy trying new skincare products and studying labels, but they know most of these products are too advanced for their young skin. These Gen Z teenagers said the Gen Alpha skincare tutorials on TikTok are just too much.
“They buy a ridiculous amount of products and they spend a ton of money on things they really shouldn’t be using on their skin at all because it’s bad for it,” said Noe Etheridge.
“I think the appeal of skincare for a lot of people is just that it’s fun and it makes you feel clean and good about yourself but sometimes you can get carried away and take that too far,” said Elle Etheridge.
Both girls use gentle cleansers and a light moisturizer followed by sunscreen. Brien told 6 News they’re getting it right.
“Our collagen production doesn’t start diminishing until our late 20s. You’ve got plenty of time to worry about that so I would put the focus on keeping your skin clean, keep it moisturized, and protected. Those three simple steps are easy to incorporate and you don’t need to worry about peptides and collagen-boosting ingredients just yet,” said Brien.
Noe Etheridge, who is into school volleyball and theater, frowns on girls producing videos that don’t align with their age.
“I just think it’s ridiculous. I don’t think they should be on social media anyway. I wasn’t online until I was 14 and I think that should be the societal norm,” said Noe Etheridge.
Elle Etheridge, a student-athlete and in honors classes, said she doesn’t have time to spend on a complicated skincare routine. Both girls agree that keeping priorities in perspective is key.
“I think it’s really important to get out and do things because that, in the long run, is gonna keep your skin and your body really healthy. Being active and using your mind, that’s the stuff that really matters,” said Elle Etheridge.
In California, there was an effort to ban the sale of anti-aging skin products to children under 13, however, it never made it out of a legislative committee.
