Irish parents being asked by ‘tweens’ to spend hundreds of euros on Korean-style skincare regimes

Irish parents are being asked by ‘tweens’ to spend hundreds of euros on Korean-style eight to 10-step skincare regimes in a bid to make their young skin look like glass.

Irish tweens (the term for eight to 12-year-olds) are going through exhaustive and expensive skincare regimes with as many as eight to ten steps in a quest to get glass-like skin.

Leading dermatologist, Professor Caitriona Ryan, says parents are being asked to spend hundreds of euros on advanced skincare regimes for kids as young as nine or 10 that aren’t appropriate for their skin.

READ MORE: Family of missing William Maughan make renewed appeal for information

READ MORE: Lawyer for Irishman alleged to have killed US nurse claims she died during 'gross' sex game

A combination of the pandemic and the explosion of TikTok is being blamed for ‘Gen Alpha’ kids (born since 2010) becoming transfixed with costly skincare regimes that were once the preserve of adult women.

Tweens have been pleading with their parents to buy trendy brands like Drunk Elephant, where one of the smaller pots of skin cream can cost around €50.

While youngsters in the past were obsessed with their mother’s makeup, the new trend is to have glass skin or skin that looks as good in real life as it does through a filter.

Professor Ryan, Consultant Dermatologist with the Institute of Dermatologists, has been hearing concerns from parents over the past year. “Parents, or Santa maybe even, are going to be asked for ridiculously priced skincare”, she said referring to Christmas wish lists.

“Kids who are 9, 10, 11, are asking for their birthdays (or) for Christmas, for a very complex and advanced type of skincare, which isn’t appropriate for their skin.

“It’s not like they’re using one product or two, some are using up to 10”, she said explaining, “There’s these fancy sorts of Korean regiments where they do cleansing and then (use) essences and toners and serums.

“TikTok has become their God, it seems to be the platform for that age group and YouTube where they’re being shown these complicated, fancy eight to 10-step regimes in the morning and evening”, said Professor Ryan.

“They’re so impressionable at that age and all of the cool tweens are using these different skincare lines, often very trendy or colourful looking and with cool names, (like) Drunk Elephant.”

She said parents feel conflicted as they don’t want their children to feel excluded from their peer groups.

“There is huge pressure on parents, and it’s ridiculous. They’re spending all this money to maybe make their kid’s skin worse.”

Meanwhile, the phenomenon of highly complex skincare regimens is a “dream come true” for skincare companies, according to the dermatologist. “They are very, very easy-to-target generations.

“They’re so obsessed with their appearance now and perfection and flawless skin, and they’ll do anything to achieve that. Parents are paying up to €300 or €400 on a range of these altogether”, she said adding most skincare units have to be replaced every three or four months.

There is a concern about damage to the skin, with the use of active ingredients like alpha hydroxy acids and beta-hydroxy acids.

“There’s no need for them, and they do make the skin dry and irritated sometimes.”

There are similar unnecessary side effects when young kids use retinoids which are used for anti-aging and acne. “Unless somebody has acne, there’s no need for them to use retinoid. Again, it’s usually an irritancy, so their skin can become red, scaly, dry and cause issues when they have perfect skin in the first place.”

Dr Bryan Murphy, consultant dermatologist at Cathedral Dermatology Clinic in Belfast, sees patients over the age of 13 from both sides of the border.

Some teens report using creams and lotions for years before appointments. He said: “As young children and teenagers, the skin cell turnover time is much more accelerated compared to a 30 or 40-plus-year-old. Skin takes a few short weeks to form, shed then renew.

“Use of unnecessary products at such an age, when normal skin does most of its own healing and hydrating, will alter the delicate and somewhat naive skin barrier”, he said adding, “As teenagers, and younger, our skin and body is still developing.”

He said harsh products could wreak havoc on those with “predisposition to dry skin conditions like eczema who need help with topical therapies to maintain their already delicate skin barrier”.

Join the Irish Mirror’s breaking news service on WhatsApp. Click this link to receive breaking news and the latest headlines direct to your phone. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.