Written by Kayla Makena
Is the beauty industry selling Insecurities to children? Let’s talk about it.
Behind every glossy packaging and the language of self-care, a lot of companies are blooming financially, these companies are profiting by convincing children that there is something wrong with how they look.
When we invent flaws and push the idea that natural looks need fixing, the industry is shaping a generation to struggle with unrealistic beauty standards and the mental health crisis that follows…and all this for what? Profit.
I would even say that this is a predatory business model, it sexualizes and commodifies childhood. Let’s talk about two of the most disturbing aspects of this industry; the psychosocial effects of beauty marketing on children and the growing crisis of skin lightening among children.
Psychosocial Effects of Beauty Marketing on Children
Beauty marketing has shifted its focus towards teens and even younger children, fueled by social media trends and influencer culture.
Platforms like TikTok and Instagram expose children to adult-oriented beauty routines, encouraging them to buy into elaborate skincare regimens or makeup kits. In China, social media is fueling dangerous beauty trends for babies.
Many Chinese parents believe it’s their duty to ensure their children conform to traditional beauty standards. That’s driving the rise of troubling and in some cases, life threatening beauty products.
On Chinese social media platforms, influencers are promoting a range of products that they claim will correct perceived physical imperfections in children, from braces for 3-year-olds teeth, to helmets designed to mold a baby’s skull to desired shape, and leg binds that supposedly make children’s legs grow straight. Posts about these products often reach massive audiences and eventually gain popularity among parents and children all over the world.
What are the consequences of beauty marketing among children? Let’s name them.
- Low self-esteem: Exposure to idealized beauty standards leads to harmful self-comparison, creating feelings of inadequacy.
- Body dissatisfaction: Filters on platforms like Snapchat and Instagram and advertisements normalize unattainable appearances, often causing children to dislike their natural looks.
- Premature adulthood: Children begin to adopt adult-like grooming habits, losing out on carefree stages of development.
- Mental health risks: Increased anxiety, depression, and social pressures to conform to specific appearances.
Skin Lightening and Children
Skin-lightening products have been promoted across Africa, Asia and beyond. These products promising lighter skin are widely available, even for children.
Across Africa, the practice of skin lightening, historically rooted in colonialism and colorism has become dangerously pervasive. Children, often silently caught in this trend, are exposed to harmful cosmetics that damage both their physical health and self-image.
Recent WHO data reveal that Nigeria leads with 77% of women using skin-lightening products. What’s particularly troubling is the direct exposure of children. In Nigeria, up to 80% of women report having bleached their children, often beginning in infancy. “I scarred my children using bleaching creams,” a woman from Kato state in Nigeria, one of the major hubs of skin lightening, admits to bleaching her children due to pressure from her mother and society who sideline darker skinned children.
In Kenya, stories emerge of children disabled by burns or discoloration from these creams. Health officials in Garissa, Kenya have raised alarm over the increased use of skin-lightening products. There has been a pop-up of unregulated medical and skincare content creators on social media sites like TikTok, attracting a huge following by just promoting the usage of beauty and skin-lightening products.
Nurta Mohamed, a Non-communicable Diseases’ Coordinator in the Garissa County Department of Health, while speaking during a forum organized by the Ministry of Health on curbing drug abuse in Garissa, warned women against using such products.
She stated that some users have gone to the extent of mixing several creams in a bid to maximize the outcome, thus endangering their health in the process and exposing children to this disturbing trend.
Skin lightening has a number of health risks. UNEP highlights that many products contain mercury levels up to 100 times above legal limits, hydroquinone, or steroids, which can cause permanent skin damage, developmental issues, and organ toxicity. Internalized colorism is another issue; children absorb the message that lighter skin is more desirable leading to long-term identity struggles and poor self-image. Generational impact, parents influenced by beauty norms, may pass down the practice of skin lightening, perpetuating cycles of harm.
What are the possible solutions to the problem?
First and foremost, governments must strictly regulate harmful ingredients and ban the sale of skin-lightening products to minors in their countries.
Education and Awareness is also another possible solution. Parents, schools, and communities should be equipped with knowledge about the dangers of harmful cosmetics and the value of natural beauty.
With the growth of the media industry, positive representation could help curb the problem of skin lightening. Media and advertising should actively promote diverse skin tones and natural appearances, countering harmful beauty ideals. Media Literacy is also very important for children.
Empowering children to critically analyze advertising and social media content helps them resist unrealistic beauty standards. Finally, support systems should be encouraged through counseling and peer support to help children struggling with body image and self-esteem issues.
This disturbing trend not only risks the physical well-being of children but also reinforces toxic beauty standards that equate lighter skin to beauty, social privilege, and economic opportunity.
It’s time for a national conversation about self-love, acceptance, and rejecting harmful beauty norms that diminish our unique identities.
Black is Beautiful and so is every shade in between.