Janice R. Andrews
Assemblymember Alex Lee, D-Milpitas, has filed Assembly Bill 2491 to outlaw the sale of anti-aging skin care goods to anybody under the age of 13. This legislation is in reaction to the growing epidemic of “Sephora kids,” or preteens robbing beauty businesses for aesthetic skin care items. The purpose of the bill is to shield young children from needless and maybe dangerous skin care procedures that are endorsed by social media gurus.
Dermatologists are worried about the safety and health effects of preteens using beauty care products with chemicals like ascorbic acid, glycolic acid, and retinol, which are meant to address skin aging. Dr. Brooke Jeffy emphasized that these products are needless for preteens whose skin does not yet require such treatments and can cause skin irritations like redness, dryness, and dermatitis.
Lee’s plan comes after the British Association of Dermatologists issued advisories and Sweden took legislative measures to restrict the marketing of anti-aging products to underage consumers. The bill highlights how important it is for kids to stay away from items that could harm their skin and instead use sunscreen, light moisturizers, and gentle cleansers.
While promoting consumer choice, the Personal Care Products Council also stated that it was in favor of raising public awareness of product components and collaborating with lawmakers to create policies that work. The goal of the measure is to protect young consumers from the harm that can come from using the wrong skin care products and from being misled by social media posts.
