‘Cosmeticorexia’: The pre-teens lured by anti-ageing skincare on TikTok

Ellie-May was 10 when she first filmed her multi-step skincare routine for TikTok. “I love, love, love, love, love this toner,” she told the camera, rubbing translucent liquid into her skin before layering on a serum, a “smoothie” of yellow cream, tinted moisturiser, concealer, blush, highlighter, mascara and lip gloss. Now 13, she has been using skincare and advertising it since she was eight. What began in lockdown as a bit of fun has become a main source of income for her family. Her mother Sophie, who has five other children, says they make over £50,000 a year from posting content across Facebook, TikTok, YouTube and Snapchat. “Being content creators has transformed our lives,” Sophie said. “So many other young kids just wanted to know about Ellie's skincare routine and, well, it just took off.” Ellie-May’s own TikTok account has more than 330,000 followers. She is far from alone. Type “children and skincare” into social media search engines and you will find hundreds of other young girls — some as young as three or four — enthusing over products or filming “get ready with me” and “after school” skincare videos. Skincare marketed to girls is nothing new, but the products today are different. While scrubs and cleansers of past decades promised a spot-free complexion, girls now use sophisticated products, many containing anti-ageing ingredients, in the hope of achieving flawless skin. Some describe themselves as “brand ambassadors”, showcasing products from Bubble, Drunk Elephant and P. Louise. There are K-Pop Demon Hunters-themed skincare packs for a “glow-boosting routine”. Drunk Elephant, however, says it does not want to be associated with this market. A source close to the brand said it is not a “youth-focused” brand and is trying to educate its customers about appropriate use. The long-term impact on girls who have adopted these routines is a growing concern among experts.