A study published in the journal Pediatrics found that TikTok skincare rituals presented to a fake account with a set age of 13 included an average of 6 products (average total cost: $168), highlighted actives that are often irritating to young skin, and featured a sunscreen just 26% of the time.
To determine whether featured ingredients were prone to inducing allergic contact dermatitis, the researchers compared promoted products against the "baseline pediatric patch test panel," which flagged 21 actives having a significant risk of allergic contact dermatitis in young skin.
The study found that ingredients such as alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) turned up multiple times and also discovered that young influencers sometimes complained on-camera of burning sensations on their skin.
This research points to the need for more responsible and age-appropriate communication around skincare on social media platforms.
Educating Tweens and Teens on Safe Skin Care Practices
The aesthetic of a multi-step routine may look sophisticated and grown-up online, but it's not prudent or healthy. This is especially the case when the routine includes adult skincare staples like retinoids or exfoliants.
Many dermatologists are now questioning the wisdom of multi-step routines for adults and are recommending a slimmed-down ritual with a minimal number of products and a minimal number of ingredients (see StepZero™ by twentyfour skincare, with a total of 3 ingredients)
Responsible brands should lead with education and transparency. They should teach how products are meant to be used and warn against products that are formulated for mature skin, emphasizing that such products could lead to long-term damage and actually make your skin worse.
Skin Care Essentials for Tween and Mature Skin: What to Use and Avoid
What’s out: retinoids, glycolic acid, fragrances, essential oils, and exfoliants, especially higher/stronger concentrations. These ingredients can strip the skin, disrupt the barrier, and even cause long-term sensitivity or skin allergies.
What’s in: gentle, fragrance-free cleansers, barrier-supporting moisturizers, mineral SPF 30+ (see ERLY Start Moisturizer SPF 40 with Peptides), and targeted ingredients like Y100™, a botanical active from the amla tree that energizes skin cells (see HYDRÍQ™ by twentyfour skincare).
Shaping Early Skin Care Habits: The Role of Simplified Messaging and Education
This wave of younger skincare users is an opportunity for brands to be more straightforward with their messaging, focusing on protection rather than correction and simplicity rather than multi-step. Education is the foundation of proper skin maintenance, and brands have the power to be a part of that process. And when parents are themselves educated, they can help their children make smart choices to avoid long-term issues.