A California lawmaker is once again trying to restrict children from buying anti-aging skincare. The revamped bill would ban the sale of anti-aging skincare to children under 18.
Assemblymember Alex Lee, a Democrat who represents a district in Northern California, has introduced a bill that would “protect children from the unnecessary risks of anti-aging products.”
“Kids don’t need anti-aging products. The beauty industry knows that, and some companies have acknowledged the issue. But their statements — absent real and meaningful action — are performative and fall short of responsible behavior. We have to stop the beauty industry from exploiting our youth,” Lee said in a statement.
Like its predecessor, also introduced by Lee, the revamped bill would ban the sale of cosmetic products that contain Vitamin A and its derivatives, including retinoids and retinol and an alpha hydroxy acid, including glycolic acid, ascorbic acid (vitamin C) or citric acid.
With the new bill, Lee also addressed some concerns critics had about the failed proposed legislature, such as the complications surrounding how to determine a child’s age. Since younger tweens and teenagers don’t carry IDs, he raised the minimum age to 18.
Under the failed legislation, children under the age of 13 were banned from buying anti-aging skincare products.
The first bill was introduced after the “Sephora Kids” moniker went viral on social media. The name describes children and teens interested in skincare but tend to use products deemed unnecessary or harmful to young skin. Anti-aging skincare products are popular among those who fall within the description.
In response, beauty companies like Dove, The Ordinary, and Kiehls released statements or social media posts regarding who should use their products and how.
