Beauty brands are now marketing makeup and skincare to children as young as three or four years old, and it has to stop.
A Wall Street Journal (WSJ) article highlighted a growing trend where companies target kids who copy their parents’ routines. While brands call it “fun self-care,” it raises serious concerns about why they feel entitled to market their products to kids and what their ultimate objective is.
One of the clearest reasons this is misguided is simple biology. When children are young, their skin is naturally smooth, clear, and radiant without any effort. They roll out of bed without needing coverage or hydration routines. (Sign up for Mary Rooke’s weekly newsletter here!)
The main purpose of makeup and advanced skincare is to help adults create the illusion of a youthful, effortless appearance. Products that aim to mimic the dewy, flawless look aren’t needed for children who already have that naturally.
A slew of companies are serving the younger siblings of Sephora teens with lip glosses, face masks and mineral blush. https://t.co/iVY2ajoKbU
— The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) February 25, 2026
Still, this seems to be more than just a quick way to market their products to children who don’t need them.
The photos used in promotional images make this even more shocking. They show very young children, sometimes around six years old, pursing their lips for the camera or posing in ways that copy adult beauty shots. These images are disturbing because they turn innocent play into something that looks performative and sexualized.
A child pursing lips while wearing gloss or a mask contributes to the sexualization and what I like to call the “drag-ification” of our youth. They are pushing kids into exaggerated, stylized expressions and routines meant for grown-ups seeking to look younger. It accelerates the loss of childhood. They have a right to grow up without the shadow of sexualized ideals creeping in, ripping away their sanctuary from exploitation. (ROOKE: Conservative Women’s Mag Talks About Sex And The World Loses Its Mind)
Because at its core, this fight is about reclaiming the childhood we’re allowing to slip away. These brands push the sexualization of innocence, robbing them of their carefree years. We owe our children better.
Follow Mary Rooke on X: @MaryRooke
