A boom in beauty

The beauty industry is experiencing a significant boom, with teens emerging as major consumers. This trend is not only shaping the market but also raising important questions about skincare for young people. Adobe Stock/ABC News: Sharon Gordon

Grace, now 13, developed an interest in skincare at just 10 years old. "I just saw some people online and I was interested and wanted to try it out," she recalls. Her current skincare routine includes a facial cleanser, moisturiser, hyaluronic acid, and niacinamide products, although she's trying to use the latter less, aware that excessive use may not be beneficial for her skin. Grace admits to spending a fair amount on moisturisers and skincare, around $90 for a single product. She's not alone; she knows kids as young as eight or nine in primary school who have their own skincare regimes, and she says all her friends have skincare routines.

Grace became interested in skincare at a young age. BTN High: Joseph Baronio

The global beauty market is in the midst of a remarkable expansion. Between 2020 and 2022, global sales increased by nearly $100 billion, and the growth continues. According to Statista, the revenue from the baby and child skincare market is expected to grow at a rate of nearly 6 per cent each year until 2028. Social media has played a significant role in this boom, with so-called skinfluencers sharing their beauty routines, promoting products, and posting "get ready with me" (GRWM) videos. Dr Michelle Wong, a chemist who debunks skincare myths online through her persona Lab Muffin Beauty Science, points out that while skinfluencers may not specifically target children, kids are consuming their content. "A lot of younger people are seeing these messages about anti-aging, about wrinkles, about protecting your skin … when it's not actually a message meant for them," she says.

Michelle Wong has a PhD in chemistry. Supplied: Michelle Wong

Sephora kids

On TikTok, tweens with a passion for skincare are known as Sephora kids. Sephora is a well-known beauty retailer with both physical stores and an online presence, competing with names like Mecca and Adore Beauty. Searching for "Sephora kids" on social media reveals a mix of videos, including some from grumpy retailers and shoppers complaining about the presence of tweens in major cosmetics stores, as well as children posting GRWMs. Sophia, 15, from Adelaide, believes girls are spending money unnecessarily. "All those little girls, they're coming into Sephora … and just spending a lot of money on skincare and beauty products that they don't necessarily need," she says.

Sophia, from Adelaide, says girls are spending money unnecessarily. BTN High: Che Chorley/ABC News: Sharon Gordon

Grace has learned the hard way about the importance of choosing the right products. "Once I bought this thing … and it burned my skin and my face went red," she says. "And then I got all these little bumps all over my face." She also admits to borrowing her mum's thick moisturisers in the past, which left her skin irritated and red, even bringing her to tears at one point due to the pain.

Grace has a daily skincare routine. BTN High: Joseph Baronio

The value of the worldwide beauty market continues to grow, indicating the increasing influence of this trend.

Anti-aging overkill

Dr Wong warns that adult skincare products, especially those marketed as anti-aging like retinol (a type of vitamin A), are at best unnecessary and at worst harmful for children. "Our skin really reaches its peak in terms of things like collagen, which is one of the proteins in your skin that keeps it smooth and bouncy, about your mid-20s," she explains. "If you are … significantly younger than that, like 10 [years old], then there's just no real need for these sorts of products and they can actually cause damage to your skin. When we're young, like early teens, the outermost layer of our skin is thinner, which means it's not as resilient and introducing products can irritate it." However, Dr Wong also notes that retinol can be helpful for treating pimples, but only when a person starts getting acne, which is typically around a certain age.

Amalia, 14, from Adelaide, observes that some teens are too eager to grow up. "Because it's trendy and people want to act older than they actually are … I think that's kind of the problem," she says.

Amalia, from Adelaide, says there's a problem with teens wanting to act too old. BTN High: Che Chorley/ABC News: Sharon Gordon

More sensitive to the sun

Products containing exfoliating acids, such as glycolic acid and lactic acid, are also potentially problematic for young skin, according to Dr Wong. "These, again, are good for anti-aging and for acne, but the problem is … you'll go into the sun and you'll get burned more easily. And if you get sunburned below the age of 18, your melanoma risk actually increases a whole bunch." Callula, 16, from Adelaide, emphasizes that teens are getting a lot of information from social media and may not fully understand the implications of using certain skincare products. "[Some skincare products] can be very damaging if you don't need them, or if you had the wrong skin type — and I think a lot of kids don't really understand that," she says. "They're just like, 'Oh, that looks good. I saw that on social media. I'll just use that'."

Callula, from Adelaide, says teens are getting too much information from social media. BTN High: Che Chorley/ABC News: Sharon Gordon

Do tweens need any skincare products?

So, what skincare products are suitable for young skin? Perth dermatologist Anne Halbert recommends that teens use an oil-free sunscreen in the morning. "Good sun protection is the best anti-aging protection," she says. Dr Wong concurs, stating that sunscreen is a great addition to anyone's skincare routine, as long as they are over six months old. Dr Halbert also advises that toners are completely unnecessary, and not everyone needs a moisturiser; they should only moisturise if their skin is dry. Additionally, she points out that high prices don't necessarily mean a better product. Dr Halbert believes that while a simple routine is ideal for young faces, she doesn't see a major issue with teens experimenting with skincare, as long as they can quickly stop using a product if it doesn't agree with their skin. "I'm more interested in guiding them not to spend," she says.

Grace has this affirmation written on her mirror. BTN High: Joseph Baronio

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在当今数字化时代，社交媒体对青少年的影响日益深远。像TikTok这样的平台成为了各种信息传播的重要渠道，其中关于美容护肤的内容广泛流传。青少年很容易受到这些信息的吸引，从而对美容护肤产生浓厚兴趣。就像文中提到的Grace，仅仅因为在网上看到一些人分享护肤内容，就激发了她尝试的欲望。这种现象反映出社交媒体在塑造青少年消费观念和生活方式方面的强大作用。

从市场数据来看，全球美容市场的蓬勃发展态势十分明显。2020 - 2022年间销售额近百亿美元的增长，以及预计到2028年婴幼儿护肤品市场近6%的年增长率，都充分说明了这一行业的巨大潜力。这背后不仅有消费者需求的推动，也离不开各大品牌和零售商的积极营销。Sephora等品牌在市场中的活跃，进一步加剧了竞争，也促使更多青少年参与到美容护肤的消费中来。

对于青少年护肤这一现象，专业人士的观点值得关注。皮肤科医生强调了选择适合青少年皮肤产品的重要性。不合适的产品，如成人抗衰产品和含去角质酸的产品，可能会对青少年皮肤造成损害。而像防晒霜这样的基础护肤产品，则是青少年日常护肤中不可或缺的。这提醒我们，在追求美的同时，要充分考虑青少年皮肤的特点和需求，避免过度护肤带来的负面影响。