What Is ‘Cosmeticorexia’ And Why Is Gen Alpha Suffering From It?

From playing with your mom’s makeup as a kid to receiving your own toy cosmetic makeup kit, social media has changed how young children interact with skincare and makeup.

Children as young as 8 are driving sales in cosmetics and beauty to achieve “flawless” skin from a young age. Sephora tweens are nothing new, shopping in beauty stores like Sephora and Ulta, young children are buying skincare and beauty products from some of the biggest brands in beauty like Summer Fridays, Rhode, Drunk Elephant, Rare Beauty, and more.

Also, young girls are acting as brand ambassadors, creating skincare-focused and get-ready-with-me content, and promoting products on various social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube.

A new term developed by dermatologists and academics, Cosmeticorexia, is defined as having an unhealthy obsession with achieving “flawless” skin from a young age, leading to an obsessive use of cosmetic products, apparent in younger children.

According to the BBC, in an interview conducted by Prof Giovanni Damiani, an Italian dermatologist of the University of Milan (IT), 55 of his patients, aged between 8 and 14 years old, who displayed signs of Cosmetocorexia, were mobile phone-obsessed and would spend hours watching skincare videos on social media. They would also use up to 10 different skincare products daily, and they would not socialize- even with family members -without wearing makeup.

Due to the influence of social media, with children acting as brand ambassadors and promoting prodcuts it has made it acceptable for young children to use skincare and beauty products to achieve a flawless appearance. 

Children have now become obsessed with skincare and beauty products because of what they see on social media, comparing themselves to others on social media in order to feel accepted or beautiful. 

“Children are seeing this content and then thinking it represents the ‘good life,’ the ideal way of being,” said Jessica Ringrose, a professor of sociology of gender and education at the University College London. “And if they can’t acheive this ‘perfect look’ or this ‘perfect life’ that’s being sold to them then they think they are failing in some way.”

While children’s consumerism towards skincare and beauty products continues to grow through social media, sales, and demand, parents can not convince their children to stop using so many different products. However, many of these brands that are popular among younger children do not want to be associated with the youth.

“When you’re little, your skin is in perfect condition,” said Dr. Jean Ayer, an NHS consultant and private dermatologist based in Stockport, to the BBC. “Your skin barrier-which keeps toxins out and keeps moisture in – is beautifully preserved… That’s youth, that’s the beauty of skin.”

Many of the products used by younger children are designed for anti-aging that is not needed or contain harmful ingredients that. Less is more. Children must use age-appropriate products and avoid using products that contain strong chemicals such as retinol.

And if a parent is unaware of the products being used by their child, it could be a great opportunity to learn about the products their child is using to help educate their child on the best products for themselves.