(Photo by Fabio De Paola/PA Images via Getty Images)
(KRON) — An East Bay state lawmaker is calling on the skin care and beauty industry to do more to protect children from anti-aging products that are marketed to adults. State Assemblyman Alex Lee (D-Calif.), who represents California’s 24th Congressional District, co-signed a letter in May to the Personal Care Products Council (PCPC), the industry’s national trade group.
The letter, signed by 20 California state legislators, targets the “Sephora Kids” phenomenon, in which children, preteens and teenagers are influenced by social media platforms to buy anti-aging skin care products. The products, which contain ingredients such as retinol, glycolic acid and ascorbic acid, target “adult skin care concerns,” according to the letter.
Lee said the letter “urges Congress to curb the alarming trend of children purchasing anti-aging skin care products.” On Wednesday, Lee issued a statement reiterating her call for the industry to do more to protect children.
“Anti-ageing products can be harmful to children’s health and damage their sensitive skin,” Lee’s statement said. “Despite this, the skincare and beauty industry has failed to take effective measures to prevent children from purchasing anti-ageing products.”
“While the industry has previously acknowledged that it does not endorse the use of anti-aging products on children, the PCPC has yet to respond to the letter,” Lee said in a statement on Wednesday. The statement went on to say that Lee has introduced legislation to “ban the sale of anti-aging products containing potent active ingredients such as retinol and alpha hydroxy acids to children under the age of 13.”
“Anti-aging products offer no benefit to children,” said Senator Lee. “Without knowing the potential consequences, children are influenced by social media to use anti-aging products that are not suited to their skin care needs.”
“America’s multi-billion dollar beauty industry profits from the children who buy and use these products,” he continued. “If the industry is serious about protecting the health and safety of young people, it should take concrete action to protect children from the unnecessary risks of anti-aging products.”
Lee represents California’s 24th Congressional District, which includes the East Bay cities of Fremont, Newark, Milpitas, San Jose and the communities of San Nol.
Many summer camps are reportedly taking steps to combat the Sephora Kids trend by banning certain luxury skin care products.
