Watching tweens and kids under 15 at Sephora has become a routine sight, but what stopped me during my last visit was the fact that a girl — barely 12 years old — was ahead of me in the billing line, getting Sephora goodie bags ready for her 13th birthday party, for peers of the same age. What happened to silly fun like DIY crafts, board games, and a good old pizza night? My jaw was almost on the floor when I heard the theme: caviar and ceramides. I secretly thanked my mum for only allowing me a petroleum-jelly-based lip balm until I was 15.
Tweens are flocking to Sephora, drawn in by pastel-packaged skincare, but harsh actives like retinol and acids are damaging their young skin. With no age regulations, powerful formulas are marketed as fun and accessible, despite long-term risks.
Dr. Clare Kiely, Consultant Dermatologist and Co-founder of The Skin Diary, explains that pre-teen skin simply doesn’t need potent skincare. “Young skin renews approximately every 14 days, compared with adult skin, which renews roughly every 28 days. It slows as we age, but a tween or teen’s cycle of skin renewal is still quite fast, so skincare designed to speed up that process with powerful actives such as retinoids isn’t needed.”
For tweens aged 8-12, Dr. Kiely recommends only a gentle wash and sunscreen. When puberty begins, teens might incorporate targeted treatments for breakouts, but only with proper guidance. Overuse of potent ingredients carries significant risks: “increased sensitivity, increased breakouts, dermatitis, rashes, and a disrupted skin barrier.”
Dr. Lola Ali from Euromed Clinic Dubai emphasises that young skin already has plenty of collagen and an intact skin barrier. It also has a healthy microbiome. She warns that active ingredients like Vitamin C or retinol can “negatively impact their skin” by affecting pH levels, which compromises the skin barrier and disrupts the biome.
The issue extends beyond physical effects. Dr. Kiely notes, “The obsession with…
