Ten-Year-Olds in Sephora: Tween Girls’ Skin Care Interest Can Have Negative Consequences

Jennifer Middleton, MD, MPH
Posted on March 11, 2024

Stories on both traditional and social media abound regarding tween girls’ interest in expensive, age-mitigating skin care. Although some view these girls as simply mimicking adult women, others worry about the skin irritation and anti-ageist attitude they are at risk of acquiring. Family physicians can help tweens and families decipher the potential risks of these products and recognize the dangers of unrealistic beauty ideals.

Social media causes adolescents to overvalue their appearance as they compare themselves to the impossibly photoshopped and idealized images they see. Trending videos on TikTok and YouTube are receiving the bulk of the blame for tween girls’ interest in powerful, pricey skin care. Influencers on these platforms, some of whom are tweens themselves, “promote ’get ready with me’ videos and makeup routines.” These skin care routines can be quite complex and time consuming, consisting of multiple products to “self-pamper” and prevent skin aging. The packaging of these products, many with bright colors and cute designs, also often appeal to tweens. Some of these products, though, contain retinoids and hydroxy acids that can irritate and damage young skin. Dermatologists relate stories of tweens developing red, itchy rashes around their eyes and mouths (probably irritant contact dermatitis) from these products, which could also put tweens at risk of chemical burns. As family physicians, we should ask tweens who present with facial skin concerns about the products they are using.

We may also encounter tweens seeking skin care advice, which provides us with an opportunity to counsel about sunscreen and remind them that young skin’s only other needs are to be cleansed and gently moisturized daily (indicated treatments for acne aside, of course). We can use these conversations to discuss the insidiousness of the beauty industry, which annually spends billions of dollars in the United States to convince shoppers that they need its products. Business-savvy beauty brands align themselves with social media influencers who incorporate products into their videos. Pulling back this curtain can help patients and families view online content more objectively; reminding them that their value is far more than skin deep and that skin’s appearance normally changes over a person’s life span may also help counteract these pervasive messages.

Having a healthier attitude about aging can lead to healthier lifestyle choices. Prioritizing a positive self-identity for girls, beginning even at very young ages, enables them to question society’s impossible standards for women’s appearance. At every visit with our tween patients, we can promote skin neutrality and combat ageism by reminding them to value their unique self above all else.