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Original poster

To think pre-teen girls don't need expensive skincare - "Cosmeticorexia" BBC piece.

138 replies

Prombles · 07/06/2026 09:27

I found this BBC article interesting and a bit concerning - it describes girls as young as 8 spending hundreds of pounds on skincare, including products with ingredients aimed at much older skin, such as retinol, which might damage young skin.

I'm not in touch at all with the world of teenagers and pre-teens. When I was that age (1980s) we would start buying bits of make-up probably about secondary school age, use the kind of acne-defeating products mentioned in the article, and maybe a basic moisturiser such as 'Simple' or 'Oil of Ulay' as it used to be called, but no one would think of buying anti-ageing products or having a multi-layered skincare regime costing £££.

Posters who have daughters in that age bracket - how common is this now? Would you discourage them from doing this?

The concern is not so much having a skincare routine per se - it does seem a shame for them to get locked into an expensive and time-consuming process before it's needed - but the use of retinol products that might actually be damaging their skin.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx212x41evwo

OP posts:
footbeds · 07/06/2026 09:55

I don’t understand who will fund these expensive habits as the dc grow up?

Hayley1256 · 07/06/2026 09:54

My DD10 and her friends are all really into skincare. I think it's she has got a routine for cleaning the skin but I don't let her buy things that will damage it.

She has a gentle micellar water cleanser, some byoma and bubble products but that's it. One her friends is using some brands that are expensive and aimed at older skin which I do think will damage her skin. I think they see things on tik tok and want to buy the same brands even though they won't be good

Wre · 07/06/2026 09:52

I find it really sad. These are children and they are being pushed into an adult world by parents, social media (8 year olds shouldn’t have access to social media imo) and marketing.
Washing their faces and some sun protection is all that’s needed. Maybe some moisturiser.

Original poster
Prombles · 07/06/2026 09:51

WindyMillerDrinksCider · 07/06/2026 09:44

It's all about the money. How much can we screw out of people? Where's the next market to exploit? I've just read a piece about school leavers paying for leaving day shirts instead of just signing one they've worn. Kids are a huge market these days and companies are happy to exploit that.

I saw the leaving shirt one as well! In my day people got a normal blouse signed, except I wouldn't have dared to because my uniform was destined to be passed down to my sister and my mum would probably have made me pay for the ruined blouse!

OP posts:
SilverBirch4 · 07/06/2026 09:51

I think it’s pretty common for 10+yrs to be interested in this unfortunately. I’m pretty strict with my daughter (12) on phone / internet usage etc and so she’s got this from friends rather than directly. At the moment I’ve limited it to child friendly washes and moisturisers plus a lip gloss and mascara but her friends birthday lists are nearly entirely beauty related with some buying/getting products I wouldn’t pay for - £35 for a lip gloss 🤷🏻‍♀️

edited to add - definitely a money making scam but 100% aimed at that audience.

oviraptor21 · 07/06/2026 09:50

It's all completely unnecessary- just a money sink.
The only children who should be using skincare products beyond soap/face wash and water are those with dermatologixal conditions.

thirdpartygobetween · 07/06/2026 09:48

For this type of subject I highly recommend advice from Caroline Hirons. She is a no nonsense source of factual science backed knowledge. She has her own skincare range and doesn’t push anything on anyone for profit I highly rate her as a reliable and trustworthy source if you want to know what’s needed / necessary / appropriate. She seems to be morals above profit.

Original poster
Prombles · 07/06/2026 09:47

Yes, from what I remember of my teens, the products aimed at that age group that were advertised in 'Jackie' and so on were pushed for their lack of complicated ingredients as being gentle to the skin, or for their spot-repellent properties.

SPF wasn't mentioned and should have been, but the 80s were peak sunbed era. Fortunately, in retrospect, I fancied myself as a bit of a goth so would slather on factor 50 at the slightest sign of sunshine,but I had friends whose parents would hire sunbeds in advance of their holidays so the whole family could 'start their tan' beforehand in the belief this would stop them burning when they arrived in Spain or wherever 😮

OP posts:
dudsville · 07/06/2026 09:45

I saw that article and really felt for these kids. I was into makeup when I was young, but it was just fun (and quite badly applied). There's so much knowledge available on the internet now that kids really can look picture perfect.

MeetMeOnTheCorner · 07/06/2026 09:44

It’s on R5 right now. A young girl called Ellie May. Sounds like her mother encouraged it. Plus they are thinking products are targeted at children. Not entirely sure that’s true. But if mums give DDs the money - what can you do? It’s always the parents who are the idiots!

WindyMillerDrinksCider · 07/06/2026 09:44

It's all about the money. How much can we screw out of people? Where's the next market to exploit? I've just read a piece about school leavers paying for leaving day shirts instead of just signing one they've worn. Kids are a huge market these days and companies are happy to exploit that.

Justponderererin · 07/06/2026 09:40

Oh God, my DD is obsessed with putting stuff on her face ( she's 11 )

she's allergic to nearly everything she's tried though so she's limited to aveeno face wash and moisturiser ( she used to nick my face stuff and I actually stopped buying things because she refused to stop taking them / getting allergic reactions 🤦‍♀️

ChalkOutlines · 07/06/2026 09:39

It’s more common in girls who use social media at that age. Get ready with me videos, skin care routines, influencers etc. Things become the IT thing and all they can talk about . Same as once there were toy crazes(and still are) now there’s skincare stuff.

I blame the parents for both letting them on social media AND buying the overpriced, expensive stuff that isn’t even good for their skin.

Did DD have some products? Yes, nothing fancy and mostly focused on washing/cleaning the skin , moisturiser (with SPF 50 in the summer) and fighting spots.