Bill To Protect Children From Anti-Aging Products Passes Key Policy Committee

Droves of “Sephora kids” are buying anti-aging products despite the health risks posed by these products. Companies are pocketing profits by selling cosmetic products — marketed as anti-aging, wrinkle-reducing and brightening — to children. But they contain chemicals that may be damaging to children’s young, sensitive skin. Even so, the multi-billion beauty industry in the U.S. continues to fuel this trend to the detriment of youth’s health and safety. 

AB 728, authored by Assemblymember Alex Lee, will protect children’s health and safety by banning the sale of anti-aging products that contain potent and harsh ingredients to kids under the age of 18. The bill passed the Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee on April 29 and is now headed to the Appropriations Committee. 

“Growing consensus among experts have highlighted the harms anti-aging products can cause to children. We’ve heard countless stories of kids buying anti-aging products and subsequently experiencing skin issues,” said Assemblymember Lee. “But the multi-billion beauty industry in the U.S. continues to profit off of kids using these products. It’s time for the industry to take real and meaningful action, and AB 728 will protect children from products that aren’t meant for them.” 

Officials in the U.S. and globally are sounding the alarm amid skyrocketing use of anti-aging products by children, mostly young girls. In 2024, the Connecticut Attorney General and Connecticut Children’s Medical Center cautioned parents about the dangers of anti-aging products being marketed to children and teens. The British Association of Dermatologists has warned that children as young as eight who are using these products could experience irreversible skin problems. Further, Swedish pharmacy chain Apotek Hjärtat announced in 2024 an age limit for purchasing products due to concerns of kids consuming anti-aging personal care and beauty products designed for adults. 

Children have more sensitive skin than adults. This makes their skin more vulnerable to external irritants, environmental factors, and allergens. According to dermatologist Dr. Brooke Jeffy, chronic irritation and inflammation compromises the skin barrier, negatively affecting the skin’s ability to protect itself from environmental stressors like pollution and ultraviolet radiation. Because of this, a child using harsh active ingredients in anti-aging products could accelerate the damage they are trying to prevent.

Common ingredients in anti-aging skin products include retinol and alpha hydroxy acids. These are highly irritating ingredients that when used regularly can cause skin irritations such as redness, itching, swelling, dryness, peeling, and potentially lead to topical dermatitis and eczema. 

But regulatory bodies such as the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) do not require testing of anti-aging products on children, as these products are not intended for use by children. There are no clinical studies providing evidence that these anti-aging products are safe for children to use. 

11-year-old Scarlett Goddard-Strahan shared her personal story during the April 29 hearing of AB 728. After hearing reviews of various skincare, Scarlett sought out products marketed as anti-wrinkling and brightening. But she then began experiencing skin reactions like burns and bumps. 

“One night, my face hurt so badly that I was crying and couldn’t sleep,” Scarlett said. “I went to tell my mom. She found out what I was using and made me stop. For about two weeks, it was really painful and I had a hard time sleeping. Years later, I still have bumps on my cheeks. If you look at my cheeks now, they get red and itchy when I sweat and when I am out in the sun. I used those products because I wanted to feel pretty and more confident. But now I feel embarrassed and pretty self-conscious.”

Assemblymember Lee’s bill will prohibit the sale of over the counter anti-aging products that contain vitamin A derivatives such as retinol and alpha hydroxy acids to minors, and requires sellers to verify the purchaser’s age. 

In the U.S., families with tweens account for 47% of all facial skincare sales in-store, while households with teens account for 52%. With young consumers' interest in skincare growing exponentially, it’s all the more important to safeguard them from potentially harmful products. AB 728 would be the first-in-the-nation legislation to protect children from anti-aging skincare.