Latest news with #MollyHales
18-06-2025
- Health
'Sephora kids' are using anti-aging creams. A new study says harms aren't just skin deep
If you've recently witnessed a 10-year-old smear their face with an $80 anti-wrinkle cream — either in real life or in any number of Get Ready With Me TikTok videos — you're probably already aware of the "Sephora kids" skin-care trend (new window) that has young people clamouring for anti-aging products thanks in part to what they see on social media. Now, a new study published in Pediatrics (new window) this month, the first peer-reviewed paper of its kind, found that skin-care solutions promoted on TikTok not only offer little to no benefit for children and teens, but they can actually be harmful. And the risks go beyond skin damage (although, there is that, too), the authors note. It's problematic to show girls devoting this much time and attention to their skin, corresponding author Dr. Molly Hales, a postdoctoral research fellow and dermatologist in the department of dermatology at Chicago's Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, said in a news release (new window) . We're setting a very high standard for these girls. The pursuit of health has become a kind of virtue in our society, but the ideal of 'health' is also very wrapped up in ideals of beauty, thinness and whiteness. The authors in the study (new window) analyzed 100 unique videos by content creators between the ages of seven and 18, with an average 1.1 million views each. On average, each regimen featured six products, totalling about $230 Cdn. On the higher end of the scale, some of the girls used more than a dozen products on their faces, the authors said. WATCH | Explaining the 'Sephora kids' trend: Début du widget Widget. Passer le widget ? Fin du widget Widget. Retourner au début du widget ? They found that only a quarter of the skin-care routines included sunscreen use, the most popular videos contained an average of 11 irritating active ingredients for young skin (such as hydroxy acids) and the content creators often layered multiple active ingredients or the same one over and over in multiple products. In one video, the authors say, one girl applied 10 different products on her face in 10 minutes. The videos also sometimes had racially encoded language that emphasized lighter brighter skin, the authors noted. The problem with 'Sephora kids' The "Sephora kids" trend (new window) , where children as young as eight or nine use anti-aging skin-care products purchased from beauty retailers such as Sephora, started rising in popularity last year — and so have attempts to stop it. In California, for example, Alex Lee, a member of the State Assembly, has been pushing a bill that would ban the sale of anti-aging products (new window) that contain potent and harsh ingredients to kids under the age of 18. In May, CBS reported (new window) that the bill quietly died without a vote. And last December, Quebec's Order of Chemists published a warning (new window) that some skin-care products designed for adults and popularized on social media should be avoided by children because the active ingredients can be harmful to young skin. The products often contain strong active ingredients that young skin isn't properly equipped to handle, said Dr. Julia Carroll, a dermatologist and lecturer at the University of Toronto, who was not involved in the current study. WATCH | Quebec chemists warn about skin-care products and tweens: Début du widget Widget. Passer le widget ? Fin du widget Widget. Retourner au début du widget ? Younger skin is typically more sensitive, so ingredients like alpha-hydroxy acids and retinoids can cause irritation, drying, peeling and dermatitis, Carroll told CBC News. It can actually sensitize their skin and give them a lifelong allergy to an ingredient, she said. The trend also creates a dependency where kids think they need a 10-step routine, Carroll added, when really they just need a gentle cleanser, a moisturizer and a sunscreen. Gen Alpha drives sales Canadians spent almost $9 billion US (new window) on beauty and personal-care products in 2024. According to Statistics Canada, (new window) households started spending substantially more on personal care after the COVID-19 pandemic, increasing by 30 per cent in 2023 compared with 2021. Meanwhile, Generation Alpha continues to drive skin-care sales (new window) in the United States, according to recent Nielsen data. A global Mintel marketing intelligence report (new window) this year noted that this digital-first generation also has spending power projected to reach $5.5 trillion US by 2029, when the oldest of the cohort will be 19 years old. Members of Gen Alpha, who were born roughly between 2010 and 2024, see beauty influencers and their routines as sources of inspiration, the Mintel report says. However, this acceleration into adult-oriented skin care often results in routines that prioritize appearance over health — a gap that the beauty industry must address, it adds. For now on TikTok (new window) , where there are some 18.3 million Get Ready With Me videos, Gen Alpha influencers (new window) show off their skin-care routines and hauls on videos with millions of views (new window) and comments. In the Pediatrics journal study, the authors found that these products tend to be marketed heavily to younger consumers. They also expressed concern (new window) that it's nearly impossible for parents and pediatricians to track exactly what children or adolescents are viewing. A girl poses in front of her phone with a sheet mask on her face. Most tweens just need a gentle cleanser, a moisturizer and a sunscreen, says a Toronto dermatologist. We're seeing kids as young as eight or nine who are using anti-aging ingredients they picked up on TikTok, Carroll said. You're setting kids up for an unrealistic beauty standard that isn't really appropriate for an eight-year-old, nine-year-old, 10-year-old. They already have usually pretty perfect skin, so to set them down that road that early can be quite harmful. LISTEN | The Dose: How do cosmetics affect my skin health? (new window) Natalie Stechyson (new window) · CBC News · Senior Writer & Editor Natalie Stechyson has been a writer and editor at CBC News since 2021. She covers stories on social trends, families, gender, human interest, as well as general news. She's worked as a journalist since 2009, with stints at the Globe and Mail and Postmedia News, among others. Before joining CBC News, she was the parents editor at HuffPost Canada, where she won a silver Canadian Online Publishing Award for her work on pregnancy loss. You can reach her at X (new window) Instagram (new window)
Daily Record
13-06-2025
- Health
- Daily Record
TikTok skin care routines ‘harmful' and ‘problematic' scientists discover in new study
A team of scientists found that viral skin care routines popularised by young girls on TikTok could be harmful to teens - and many of the products may actually lead to allergies Elaborate skin care routines shared on TikTok by teenagers are actually harmful and could be putting young girls at risk of developing a lifelong allergy, a new study has found. Skin care has become increasingly popular in recent years and concerns have been raised over the popularity of certain products among tweens and teens. Scientists at Northwestern Medicine in the US found that girls between the ages of seven and 18 are using an average of six different products on their faces - with some using more than a dozen. The team discovered these products tended to be marketed heavily towards young people and carried a high risk of skin irritation and allergy. In fact, the top-viewed videos on the platform contained an average of 11 potentially irritating active ingredients. This puts young people at risk of developing allergic contact dermatitis, which can limit the type of soaps, shampoos, and cosmetics they can use for the rest of their lives. Dr Molly Hales, a board-certified dermatologist and corresponding author of the study, said: 'That high risk of irritation came from both using multiple active ingredients at the same time, such as hydroxy acids, as well as applying the same active ingredient unknowingly over and over again when that active ingredient was found in three, four, five different products.' The financial impact of these teen skin care routines was also found to be astounding - with a daily regimen costing an average of $168 a month. Some cost more than $500, the study, published this week in the journal Pediatrics, found. However, only 26% of these popular daytime skin care routines included sunscreen, which is one of the most important products for any age. Dr Tara Lagu, the study's senior author, said: 'We saw that there was preferential, encoded racial language in some cases that really emphasised lighter, brighter skin. I think there also were real associations between use of these regimens and consumerism." Ultimately, the study found that these TikTok skin care videos offer 'little to no benefit' to the young people they are targeting. Hales explained that it was also 'problematic to show girls devoting this much time and attention to their skin'. She added: 'We're setting a very high standard for these girls. The pursuit of health has become a kind of virtue in our society, but the ideal of 'health' is also very wrapped up in ideals of beauty, thinness and whiteness. The insidious thing about 'skin care' is that it claims to be about health.' For the study, the scientists created a new TikTok account and reported themselves to be 13-years-old. They used the app to collect demographics of content creators, the number and types of products used, and the total costs of the skin care regimes. The team also created a list of the active and inactive ingredients in the products and identified ingredients with an elevated risk of inducing allergic contact dermatitis.
New York Post
12-06-2025
- Health
- New York Post
Doctors' warning about ‘insidious' social media trend damaging teen girls' health — with girls as young as 7 taking part
Pore decisions, indeed. It's no secret that young girls are obsessed with beauty — just look at the popularity of 'get ready with me' videos on social media. In a survey last year, more than three in four parents (76%) reported that their 7- to 17-year-old girls have a 'skin care routine.' 4 Young girls are spending big bucks for a skin care routine that may be harmful to their health, a new study found. TikTok/@chastitynolan A groundbreaking new study out of Northwestern University warned that these girls are shelling out a lot of money for skin care that may cause redness and not protect them from the sun's harmful rays. 'It's problematic to show girls devoting this much time and attention to their skin,' said corresponding study author Dr. Molly Hales, a postdoctoral research fellow and a board-certified dermatologist at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine. For this study, Hales and another researcher created their own TikTok accounts under the guise that they were 13. They collected 100 unique videos suggested in the 'For You' tab. 4 Researchers estimated that girls are dropping an average of $168 for about a month's worth of products. They analyzed the demographics of content creators, the products used and the total cost of routines, finding that girls 7 to 18 are applying an average of six facial products at once. Some girls use more than a dozen. Researchers estimated that these kids fork out an average of $168 for about a month's worth of products. In the jaw-dropping cases, they are spending more than $500. The products in the top viewed videos contained 11 active ingredients on average. In one clip, a creator rubbed 10 products on her face in six minutes. 'As she's applying the products, she begins to express discomfort and burning, and in the final few minutes, she develops a visible skin reaction,' said senior study author Dr. Tara Lagu, an adjunct lecturer of medicine and medical social sciences at Feinberg. Hales noted that the irritation stems from using products with clashing active ingredients, as well as applying the same active ingredient over and over again, not knowing it's in several products. Girls also face the risk of sun sensitivity and a skin allergy known as allergic contact dermatitis, which causes a rash. Only 26% of daytime skin care regimens included sunscreen, the Northwestern study found, even though it's key to preventing skin cancer. The research — billed as the first peer-reviewed study to explore the pros and cons of teen skin care routines shared on social media — was published Monday in the journal Pediatrics. 4 In a survey last year, more than three in four parents (76%) reported that their 7- to 17-year-old girls have a 'skin care routine.' TikTok/@ Beyond the health risks, mental distress is also a concern. Beauty videos on social media can contribute to lower self-esteem and pressure to conform to unrealistic beauty standards. Lagu noted that many videos 'emphasized lighter, brighter skin.' 'We're setting a very high standard for these girls,' Hales said. 4 TikTok is only for users 13 and older, a rep said. AP 'The pursuit of health has become a kind of virtue in our society, but the ideal of 'health' is also very wrapped up in ideals of beauty, thinness and whiteness,' she added. 'The insidious thing about 'skincare' is that it claims to be about health.' TikTok is only for users 13 and older, a rep reminded CNN, and creators who are too young are removed from the platform. The company also works with third-party adolescent development experts and doctors to establish safeguarding policies, the spokesperson added.
Miami Herald
12-06-2025
- Health
- Miami Herald
TikTok beauty advice can lead to skin damage in teens
The TikTok video shows a teenage girl in braces applying a series of 14 beauty products to her face, an arsenal that costs nearly $350 all told. It's one of many such videos where girls share their beauty regimens -- but then something goes wrong. "This is what my skin looks like. It is very glowy right now, I love it! But also, I just had some allergic reaction to something that I tried, so ignore how red my face is," says the girl, as her skin turns crimson and inflamed. "I don't know what's happening. But if anybody knows how to get it to stop burning, that would be greatly appreciated, because it actually hurts a lot," the girl tells her audience. This real-life example captures the genuine risks that lurk behind the glamor of "get ready with me" TikTok videos, researchers argue in a new study. Popular TikTok videos featuring teens' personal skin care routine frequently feature products that carry a high risk of skin irritation and allergy, researchers reported Monday in the journal Pediatrics. The top-viewed videos contained an average of 11 potentially irritating active ingredients, researchers found. These could cause a higher risk of skin irritation, sun sensitivity, and a full-blown allergic reaction, researchers said. "That high risk of irritation came from both using multiple active ingredients at the same time, such as hydroxy acids, as well as applying the same active ingredient unknowingly over and over again when that active ingredient was found in three, four, five different products," lead investigator Dr. Molly Hales said in a news release. She's a postdoctoral research fellow in dermatology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. In another video noted in the study, a teenager applied 10 products to her face in six minutes. "As she's applying the products, she begins to express discomfort and burning, and in the final few minutes, she develops a visible skin reaction," senior researcher Dr. Tara Lagu said in a news release. She's an adjunct lecturer of medicine and medical social sciences at Northwestern University. For the study, Hales and Lagu each created a TikTok account in which they reported their age as 13. The "For You" tab made recommendations, and the researchers liked and saved videos featuring youth skin care regimens. As a result, the TikTok algorithm started sending more and more similar suggestions, until the researchers had collected a combined total of 100 videos from 82 creators. About a third of the videos (31%) featured girls 13 and younger, and the rest 14- to 18-year-olds. The girls' regimens featured an average of six products costing an estimated $168 on average, researchers said. In some videos, the girls presented an array of products that cost more than $500. Taking a closer look, researchers found that the 25 most-viewed videos featured products containing an average of 11 potentially irritating active ingredients. Some carried as many as 21. The most common active ingredients across all products were alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs) like citric acid, lactic acid and glycolic acid. Citric acid was the most common ingredient, found in 29% of all products. AHAs help treat acne, but can cause skin irritation in girls without acne, "particularly when multiple such products are used together," researchers wrote. AHAs and beta-hydroxy acids also increase the risk of sun sensitivity. More than half of all products also contained added fragrance, which can cause irritation and allergic reaction, researchers said. Worse, only 26% of the portrayed skin care regimens contained sunscreen, which is important for skin health, researchers noted. Overall, the videos portray expensive and time-consuming regimens that "encourage young girls to pursue unattainable ideals of physical perfection under the guise of 'self-care,' " researchers wrote. Many of the videos in the genre dubbed "Get Ready With Me" show girls waking as early as 4:30 a.m. to get ready for school though multistep makeup routines, researchers noted. "It's problematic to show girls devoting this much time and attention to their skin," Hales said. "We're setting a very high standard for these girls." These videos also portray a coded vision of beauty that emphasizes whiteness, using words like "porcelain," "glowy" and "glassy" in an aspirational way, researchers wrote. "We saw that there was preferential, encoded racial language in some cases that really emphasized lighter, brighter skin," Lagu said. Hales agreed. "The pursuit of health has become a kind of virtue in our society, but the ideal of 'health' is also very wrapped up in ideals of beauty, thinness and whiteness," Hales said. "The insidious thing about 'skin care' is that it claims to be about health." More information The Cleveland Clinic has more on skin care product allergies. Copyright © 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved. Copyright 2025 UPI News Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
Irish Examiner
09-06-2025
- Health
- Irish Examiner
Teenage girls' TikTok skincare regimes offer little to no benefit, research shows
Skincare regimes demonstrated by young influencers on TikTok offer little to no benefit, researchers have found, adding that on the contrary they raise the risk of skin irritations and lifelong allergies in children. The team behind the study say there has been a rise in young girls sharing videos of complex skincare routines with moisturisers, toners, acne treatments and anti-ageing products. In the first study of its kind, researchers analysed such videos on the platform and found the regimes are not only laborious – some girls wake up as early as 4.30am to fit in their routines – but pricey, unnecessary and potentially harmful. 'The risks associated with using these products, especially in young girls, far outweighs whatever marginal benefit you may get from using the active ingredients,' said Dr Molly Hales, the first author of the research from Northwestern University. Hales added that while social media can be a place for playfulness and self-expression, young girls do not need such regimes. 'The danger is when girls get the message that this is something that they have to do to take care of their skin and to protect their health,' she said. These products don't increase the health of your skin and they probably worsen your skin integrity over time. Instead, she said a gentle cleanser once or twice a day and the application of sunscreen is sufficient. Writing in the journal Paediatrics, Hales and colleagues report how they created two TikTok accounts, purportedly for 13-year-olds, and accumulated a sample of 100 skincare routines videos filmed by young people. The team found all but one of the 82 creators were girls, and their age ranged from 7-18. 'Almost all content creators had clear, light skin without visible blemishes,' the researchers write, adding the videos 'made frequent reference to aspirational beauty ideals that may be tied to whiteness'. The study reveals the skincare regimes involved six products on average, often from the same brands, with a total average cost of $168 (€147). However, some involved more than a dozen products with a total cost of more than $500 (€437). 'Get Ready With Me' videos were the most common, followed by 'Skin Care Routine' and 'After School' skincare routine videos. The team found many of the ingredients in the featured products, such as citric acid, carry a risk of skin irritation and sun sensitivity – meaning they increase the chance of sunburn and other skin damage. Yet only 26% of the 84 videos showing daytime skincare routines included a sunscreen – something that authors called 'a significant missed opportunity'. Hales added the use of products with multiple active ingredients, or layering products with the same active ingredients, increases the risk of skin irritation. The researchers found that among the 25 top-viewed videos, 76% contained at least one potential contact allergen – often fragrance. The Guardian Read More The best SPFs for your face, as tested by a beauty editor
