September 2026.
I have been left frazzled just by walking along the high street with my tween lately. It is very hard to find shops that are free from displays of children's perfumes, skincare and cosmetic products. The reach of the “Sephora kids” is real, and we are now dealing with cosmeticorexia. By definition, this is an unhealthy and obsessive fixation on achieving “flawless glass skin”.
As a consultant dermatologist and mum of two, I am seeing a rise in both irritant and contact allergic dermatitis in my younger patients, mainly from overuse of certain skincare and cosmetics containing ingredients that are unnecessary, highly irritant, allergenic, or both. In the era of influencers, I wish I could de-influence young skin from serums, spa kits, peptides, retinols, exfoliating acids, vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, collagen or any sheet masks, PDRNs, ‘natural’ or ‘organic’ skincare, to name but a few. The list is exhaustive and ever growing. The skin and cosmetic industry is unregulated, and unfortunately, there is no minimum industry standard to claim that a product is safe for certain age groups. When a consumer encounters problems, there is no accountability from these companies or manufacturers, and those affected end up as our patients.
By constantly exposing young skin to such products, there is:
1. Damage to the skin barrier
This in turn causes inflammation to the skin microbiome and microenvironment needed to support healthy skin.
2. Risk of sensitizing the skin, causing future problems with irritant or allergic contact dermatitis.
This typically presents to me as a patient in clinic with a persistent or intermittent rash. When the culprit and source is found (usually after conducting a Patch Test investigation), the patient often says “...but Doc, I have been using this product for years and it's never given me a problem”. This is because:
- the skin’s immune system takes time to recognise and learn that it dislikes certain ingredient(s)
- repeated exposure to a potential allergen increases the risk of an immune reaction known as “sensitization” over time
- risk of developing contact dermatitis is raised when a patient has a known personal and/or family history of atopy (i.e. eczema, hayfever, asthma). In the Western world especially, the numbers are significant.
So how do we choose skincare for our children? There is so much skincare jargon, and very few of us truly understand what the terms on the product package mean.
For a start, I would suggest steering clear of products claiming to be “100% natural” or “organic”. I am all for organic food, but skincare is not food. Skin products claiming to be 100% natural or organic often have a significant level of botanical extracts (like essential oils), many of which are proven irritants and potential allergens.
Secondly, products with anti-ageing buzzwords. Many anti-ageing products are trying to replicate young skin, which is pointless for anyone below their early 20(ish). Young skin has naturally abundant collagen, elastin and faster ability to heal, thanks to a more robust and efficient epidermal stem cell signalling system and optimised fibroblast activity. On this basis, one should therefore preserve, nurture and maintain this microenvironment as much and as long as possible, and this is why healthy young skin should only need:
1. A gentle cleanser, especially after school, after a day out, or when one has been sweating.
2. Moisturiser (if required) with gentle/simple fragrance, or if skin is particularly sensitive, then fragrance-free.
3. Photoprotection with broad spectrum SPF, minimum SPF30.
4. Treat concerns e.g. acne, eczema with more specific ingredients, and consult a dermatologist if the problem persists or worsens.
Last but not least, education. Keep them talking. Have an open conversation. It is impossible to shield our kids from viral trends, but we can listen and help them understand how advertisers and / or influencers drive sales by using filters and lighting to portray unrealistic beauty standards. Beauty after all, is only skin deep.
Dr Reina Wujanto MBBS BSc FRCP, is a Consultant Dermatologist and a mother of two. She completed higher specialist training in Dermatology working in some of London’s leading teaching hospitals, Dr Wujanto is registered with the GMC and is on the specialist register for Dermatology. She is a member of the British Society for Cutaneous Allergy, the British Association of Dermatologists, Royal College of Physicians and Royal Society of Medicine.
