After Sephora shopping became a hot topic for tweens, California lawmakers are calling for increased restrictions on what they can buy. California’s bill, AB 2491, introduced by San Jose Democrat Assemblyman Alex Lee, would ban the sale of anti-aging skin care products to children under the age of 13.
“Children don’t need anti-aging products. AB 2491 protects children and preteens from the potential of using products that can cause short-term or long-term skin problems that they otherwise would not experience.” It will protect them from serious harm,” Lee said in a press release.
If signed into law, the bill would require companies to take “reasonable steps” to ensure that customers purchasing anti-aging products are at least 13 years old. This could include displaying a sign or asking for your date of birth at checkout.
But some people and businesses are already pushing back. The Personal Care Products Council, a trade group that represents Sephora’s parent company Ulta and about 600 other beauty and personal care brands, said the bill would be “nearly impossible” to enforce.
“This bill, which proposes to restrict the sale of a wide range of cosmetics and personal care products, including basic necessities like sunscreen, moisturizers and detergents, risks over-regulating products that are essential for safe and healthy skin care,” the association said in a statement.
After the bill was introduced, its first public hearing was held, and one supporter told the story of a 10-year-old named Scarlett who experienced a painful skin reaction after purchasing an anti-aging product.
“I was mainly looking for products like sheet masks, creams, and mists that had words like ‘shining,’ ‘moisturizing,’ ‘whitening,’ and ‘anti-wrinkle.’ Because I don’t want to get wrinkles. “Sorry, you look old,” she said to a room full of lawmakers, who responded with laughter.
She added that some of the products gave her rashes that were so painful she couldn’t sleep, and she still suffers from redness and bumps on her face.
“I really wish I knew these things affected me, because if I had known, I never would have used them,” Scarlett said. “I didn’t know you could buy products that looked so good but could actually harm your skin.”
