Actress Shay Mitchell has launched a new skincare brand for children, but the new range is facing some backlash, with critics accusing the products of promoting insecurities at an early age.
The Pretty Little Liars star’s new line called rini says its face masks are “consciously crafted in Korea, just for kids”.
The masks are suitable for children as young as three, which some parents have said sends the wrong message. Some have called the new campaign “disturbing” and claimed it pushes “unrealistic beauty standards” on children.
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Mitchell’s two daughters with her longtime partner Matte Babel, Atlas, six, and Rome, three, feature in the brand’s campaign, with the actress revealing her children were the inspiration behind her new venture.
“This has been three years in the making, inspired by my girls, their curiosity and all the little moments that made me realise how early it starts,” Mitchell posted on Friday.
“From birthday parties and face paint to wanting to do ‘what mommy does’ with her face masks… it was only a matter of time.”
Mitchell insists the new products aren’t about beauty but are focused on self-care.
“About teaching our kids that taking care of themselves can be fun, gentle and safe,” the US star added.
Co-founded with Esther Song and Matte Babel, the brand’s website explains the products aim to “nurture healthy habits” and “spark confidence” where “skincare meets play”.
However, the animal-shaped sheet masks — which retail from $US 5.99 each and come in three varieties (everyday, after-sun and hydrating) — have sparked controversy online.
On reddit, users described the marketing images of children wearing the masks as “weird and disturbing”.
“We can’t even let them be free of beauty standards when they’re single digits anymore. I hate it,” one person commented.
Some parents did praise the idea, saying they could be fun at sleep overs, but others argued the packaging and marketing make them appear too similar to adult beauty products.
“If we’re talking about things like sunscreen, moisturiser, lip balm, I have no problem with that. I think it’s good to have gentle and safe products for kids,” another person shared.
“But if we’re talking about products for blemishes, wrinkles, redness … I think it’s wrong.”
Mitchell teased the launch on Thursday, posting: “Something gentle, something new — launching tomorrow.”
But the post was quickly flooded with criticism from concerned parents.
“Why are we projecting beauty standards onto children now?” one user asked.
Even holistic beauty brand Orora Skin Science joined the discussion.
“Children do not need this kind of skincare,” the brand commented.
“They need very simple ingredients as they are still growing and developing.
“Of course I’d like to see the ingredients of this before passing judgements but we all need to protect our kids from this skincare trend which is doing more harm than good to them long term.”
According to rini’s website, the face masks are dermatologically tested, made with animal-free ingredients and formulated to minimise the risk of allergic reactions for even the most sensitive skin.
However, experts say most children don’t need specialised skincare. Kids Health recommends just three essentials — a mild soap, a fragrance-free moisturiser and sunscreen.
GP and skincare specialist Dr Tanya Unni agrees.
“Children do not need a skincare routine. What they do need is a good hygiene practice,” she told Coles.
This means washing their face at the end of the day with a gentle, soap-free cleanser to remove sunscreen, dirt and grime.
“With children, you need to prevent infections first because they’re out playing with other kids and they’re often in environments where there’s more exposure to infections,” Dr Unni explained.
During the day, sun protection should be the top priority — including wearing SPF30+ or higher sunscreen, a hat outdoors and staying in the shade on hot days.
