Off topic(ish) - ads for “teen skincare” promoted in FWR threads list

[LoobiJee]

Off topic, but scanning down the threads list for FWR, there are three ads for teen skincare interspersed with all the other ads.

I suppose the ads could be targetting spotty teenage boys rather than being focused on indoctrinating teen girls into starting a lifelong anxiety about their appearance and normalising that (I haven’t clicked on the ads to find out) but I find it jarring to see those particular ads sitting there in this forum. Anyone else feel the same?

I’m more put off by the one that describes ironing as blissful.

My mother thought ironing was blissful.

I myself do not.

I see the ads here but never click to read them, most ads annoy me for one reason or another, whether here, on TV, or elsewhere. I'm sure you're right about the indoctrination of young girls, it was certainly the case in my day. Adverts revolved around pointing out how awful you looked, unless you used their product, with the sole aim of making yourself attractive to boys/men.

There was a programme on Irish TV Prime Time RTE1 the other night about this, and how 'skincare' is marketed to younger than teens- it was really disturbing from all sorts of angles - damage to children's skin, damage to little girl's self image, damage to family finances.

You won't be able to access the programme outside of Ireland but here's some of the content from the website:
A growing online trend which has seen children as young as seven adopting complex skincare routines is "encouraging children to become more and more self-obsessed" according to a leading dermatologist....
Another patient told Dr Coleman that she asked her 13-year-old if she had everything she needed at school on the first day of term. The patient’s daughter told her she needed "a serum," because "all the girls have a niacinamide serum."....
For a lot of children, their skincare routine can contain up to seven products. This doesn’t include makeup, which many choose to apply afterwards.
"I have a light facial wash," ten-year-old Josie Reddin told Prime Time at a ‘Girls Night’ .."I have this light moisturiser from Bubble [Skincare]. And then I normally spray some little sprays," Josie says, describing her skincare routine which includes a lip mask she puts on at night and a facial mist. ...
"We don't know the long-term damage that they may be doing to their skin if they start to use active ingredients like retinols at this age," Dr Rosemary Coleman said."We will probably know all about it in 10 or 20 years, and that will be interesting."

Skinfluencers: Children's online skincare trend worries experts (rte.ie)

Yes, the ‘ironing is blissful’ ones get right on my tits!

I don't see any ads. Not sure is that because I use duckduckgo with firefox as my browser or because I've ticked a box somewhere on MN.

Not to take from your point, which is well observed and justified. I'm interested in the Dr Rosemary Coleman comments - she's on RTÉ regularly and is a great one for encouraging even grown adults to base their skin care regime around washing with clean water.

Ha! Good point. I haven’t clicked on that one either.

It’s hard to believe that anything could make ironing blissful.

Pre teens don’t need any skincare other than water and sunscreen.

As they get into their teens I can see why a face wash gets used and sunscreen of course.

I don’t really see the need for moisturiser until you’re older, but I get why teens want face packs and stuff. Mostly it’s a cheap, pocket money friendly thing you can buy and is pretty harmless. You’re talking clays and stuff. Also you can make your own. I’d put it in the same camp as looking after your hair.

My mum used Nivea and always told me to look after my skin.

I tell my daughter it’s a lot down to genetics anyway.

(I do use a lot of skincare myself, but I didn’t until I was 30 and only started serums in my 50s).

Well, Henry Cavill doing my ironing in his Super suit would be a good start😂!

😁Ever get the feeling you're being stereotyped?

My eyes roll every time that one comes up, it has no place in fwr. I make a point of not clicking on ads. I'm sure I've seen people's personal posts turned into an ad across all forums. I don't think it's on

Very nearly started a thread on the ‘ironing is now a blissful affair’ adverts - I mean are we in the 1950’s or something?

I’ve had ‘problem skin’ since my early 20s. I tried more or less everything going for acne and nothing made the slightest bit of difference other than perhaps salicylic acid drying up a spot. I ended up having to have several rounds of roaccutane which sorted it out.

In my 30s I’ve tried various products such as niacinamide, vitamin c (smells awful), azelaic acid, hyalauronic acid, alpha arbutin etc and never noticed any difference at all. I have a prescription retinoid from my GP to stop the acne flaring up again which I understand people pay a lot of money to access, but I honestly don’t find that does anything either.

Maybe I’m just unlucky in that sense but I’ve never understood the hype. I don’t have any wrinkles in my mid 30s but neither did my mother so I assume that’s down to genetics.

I don’t know what things like dull/lacklustre skin means. How would I know if I had it? What does bright skin look like? Pretty sure it’s not possible to ‘tighten’ pores. What is an even skintone, is that even possible? It all feels like yet more things for women to worry about.

worry about and spend money on

I think bright skin is a little bit shiny (or “glow”) which is down to removing dead skin cells.

If you’ve got fairly straightforward skin a rough flannel and drinking water will sort most of that out.

I like skin care, I enjoy “pamper” type things (because I am lazy and I enjoy lying down pretending I’m doing something) and I think it’s like anything else. Only spend as much time and money as you can afford. It’s not as if I’d be doing anything productive with my time or money otherwise.

It shouldn’t be a burden or an obsession.

For January dull skin, mix together a dessertspoonful each of oatmeal, granulated sugar, and olive oil. Scrub your skin gently but thoroughly with that, then wash with soap and lukewarm water. Leave any leftover scrub mix out for the birds.

I have two very spotty pre/ early teens. It's basic personal hygiene to treat spotty skin, it's not a gender issue much as you may like to make it so. One's a girl, one's a boy and I treat them exactly the same with regards to taking care of their skin.

Are they targeting the sporner corner with the skin care advice?
They won't be thanked 😂

I'm resurrecting this thread because there are so many promoted ads/articles for 'teenage' skincare on here. There are currently FOUR on the first page.

I looked at a couple, and they have the red flags raised in the documentary
Skinfluencers: Children's online skincare trend worries experts (rte.ie)
[text should be readable although video probably not available outside Ireland]

They use 'teen' in the heading' but talk about 'tweens and teens', so little girls are being targeted long before they reach adolescence, when they may experience skin problems and may need specialist products.

The 'skincare routine' for 'tween and teens' in one feature includes 'removing all makeup' [what makeup??], using face wipes, cleansers, toners, moisturisers, and exfoliants.

Although the MN article is classified as 'independent', there is an embedded ad from a company that sells ' cleansers, exfoliators, masks, moisturisers, pads, and regime kits' for teens. Skincare routine for teenagers that actually works | Mumsnet

It sets all this in the context of adolescent mental health issues -
According to the WHO (World Health Organisation), one in seven 10 to 19 year-olds will experience a mental disorder. Additionally, depression, anxiety and behavioural disorders are the leading causes of illness and disability among adolescents...
That is why it is so important that we teach our kids to prioritise their peace and happiness… through self-care”

I understand the need for ads in MN, but the insistent selling of expensive, probably unnecessary and potentially damaging products to 'tween and teen' girls is problematic, and using girls' mental health challenges as a promotional strategy to sell stuff does not sit well with me at all...