Latest news with #JessicaDeFino
Vox
17-07-2025
- Health
- Vox
What beauty companies are selling to kids
is a senior correspondent for Vox, where she covers American family life, work, and education. Previously, she was an editor and writer at the New York Times. She is also the author of four novels, including the forthcoming Bog Queen, which you can preorder here It's not an exaggeration to say that Jessica DeFino transformed my relationship with skincare. After reading her newsletter, The Review of Beauty, I started questioning the purported 'anti-aging' benefits of the products I was putting on my face and asked myself what it meant to buy into a philosophy of 'anti-aging' in the first place. DeFino has probably saved me thousands of dollars on skincare. I am, however, aging. The newest target audience for beauty advertising is decades younger than me: the teens, tweens, and even younger kids flocking to brands like Evereden. And despite some movement toward body positivity since I was a teenager, it feels like young people are growing up in a world with more exacting beauty standards than ever, from viral challenges that pressure them to work on their bodies all the time to ultra-normalized plastic surgery to weird ideas about guys' eyelashes. To be young today is to be bombarded with a dizzying variety of messages about your own beauty or ugliness, coming from some of the world's biggest companies as well as from influencers who are ostensibly your peers. To help me unpack all this, I reached out to DeFino, who got her start as an editor on the Kardashian-Jenner beauty apps, then became disillusioned with the beauty industry and evolved into one of its most incisive and influential critics. In a conversation that has been condensed and edited, she and I talked about MAGA beauty, the potential harms of slathering your skin with retinol at age 8, and why helping young people push back against our disordered beauty culture has to start with examining our own anxieties. Kids' interest in skincare is often portrayed as fun or harmless, DeFino told me. But beauty 'is a multibillion-dollar industry that is built on insecurity, whose physical products and procedures often have very serious physical consequences, whose messaging has very serious psychological consequences,' she said. 'We must take it seriously.' How common is it for kids to be using skincare products that once would have been marketed to adults? And how big of a business is skincare for young people? It's a huge business right now. US households with 6- to 12-year-olds spent 27 percent more on skincare in 2023 versus the year before. Beauty spending among teens increased 23 percent year over year. I don't have this year's statistics in front of me, but I would say it's a very powerful growth sector for the industry. More brands that were formerly targeted toward adults are expanding to target teens and tweens. And at the same time, we have a lot more beauty brands entering the market that are specifically meant for infants, babies, tweens, teenagers. A year or two ago, Dior launched the Dior baby lines, which included skincare and perfume for babies. I swipe through TikTok or Instagram, and I will see mothers putting sheet masks on their 1-year-old babies, 2-year-old toddlers. There's this really interesting trend that started a while ago on TikTok, where moms will hand their babies different beauty products and see if they know intuitively what to do with them. It is fascinating to see these 1-, 2-, 3-year-olds know exactly what to do with the blush brush or a serum or eyebrow pencil. Why has this been happening? Why are we seeing these expansions into younger markets? First of all, I think the collapse of age-appropriate spaces and age-appropriate media has been a huge factor. Just speaking from personal experience, growing up, there were a lot of teen- and tween-focused magazines. There were TV channels where the shows and the commercials were geared towards a specific age group. As media collapses and everything moves online and more into social media, we're all hanging out in the same spaces. It's very easy for a child to get adult content on their 'For You' page. And it's very easy for adults to be fed this teen and tween content to get outraged about. How many stories were there about the Sephora tweens? Which really only fed the trend. There's also basic everyday capitalism: The market always needs to expand. In the past couple of years, especially, we've seen it expand not only to children, but to women who are 70 and 80, who are getting these full-body makeover routines. We're seeing more and more young boys and men becoming interested in cosmetic interventions as well. This is not only a phenomenon for young girls. The market is really saturating every demographic right now. Filters on social media are created with cultural beauty standards in mind. Young girls might not necessarily be conscious of the fact that, like, I want to look younger, so I'm going to be using retinol or anti-aging creams. But they might be saying, I want to look just like that filter, and that filter is created with standards that prioritize looking very smooth, no lines, no wrinkles, no pores. I think the AI beauty standard and the standard of anti-aging actually share a lot of surface-level qualities. What are the medical or physical implications of using a lot of skincare, especially with active ingredients like retinoids, if you're super young? There are a ton of potential physical consequences the more beauty products you are putting on your face, and that goes for all ages, but especially for younger people whose skin is still developing and can be more vulnerable to potential issues. This new study from Northwestern Medicine looked at the skincare routines of children and teens on TikTok, specifically ages 7 to 18, and how those might damage their skin long term. There's an average of 11 potentially irritating active ingredients in the skincare routines in these videos, and some potential consequences of that are making the skin more sensitive to sunlight, which of course increases your risk of skin cancer over time; allergies; and dermatitis, which is an inflammatory condition. Any inflammation that can arise from that can also trigger psoriasis, rosacea, eczema, acne. Anything that you put on your skin affects the environment of bacteria that actually is there to keep the skin safe and healthy and functioning. Interfering with the skin barrier and the microbiome by layering on product after product after product can — for anyone of any age — make you dry or oily or dehydrated or sensitized. But particularly in the case of babies, there have been studies linking the overuse of soaps and scented products to developing eczema that carries on throughout a child's whole life. What about the psychological and emotional aspects being initiated into this skincare industrial complex from a young age? The most basic place to start is just to look at the data that we have for how beauty standards affect everyone who is subject to them. We have really strong data that shows that the pressure to adhere to a particular appearance ideal increases instances of appearance-related anxiety, depression, facial dysmorphia, body dysmorphia, disordered eating, obsessive product use and overuse, self-harm, and even suicide. Personally, I think the risks are even higher when you are indoctrinated into beauty culture at younger ages. The psyche is still as vulnerable as the skin is at that point. The younger you internalize a lesson like, I must look XYZ way in order to be beautiful, the harder it is to challenge that later in life. I also think a lot of it reinforces gender essentialism and these ideas of traditional femininity and traditional masculinity that have other sorts of consequences beyond one's own psychological health. These reinforce the conditions of a very oppressive society that believes women should act one way and look one way, and if you don't, you're not good, or you're not a woman, or you're not living up to your biological destiny. Since you brought up gender roles, I'm sure you've seen the discourse around MAGA beauty and conservative 'chic.' I'm curious if you think some of these politicized beauty standards are trickling down to young people. I do, and I don't actually think that's out of the ordinary. What we're seeing in, for example, Evie, which is sort of a right-leaning women's magazine, these are the lessons that are embedded in all sorts of mainstream beauty culture, whether a brand is coded as conservative or liberal. It's hitting in a different way now that conservatives are saying this out in the open, but these conservative messages are sort of the hidden messages in almost all beauty content that suggests you should look different than the way you currently look in order to be beautiful or healthy or happy or worthy. If outrage about Sephora tweens just feeds into more marketing, what is a good social response to some of the trends that we're seeing? When we see our adult behaviors mirrored back to us by children, we can see some of the absurdity of it, and we can see some of the danger of it. I don't think the correct or useful response is to be like, Okay, we've got to stop young girls from doing this. We have to look at ourselves. We have to look at the adult beauty culture that we have created and we're participating in and we're perpetuating. And if we don't think that is something for a young girl to see or to participate in, we have to be part of the project of dismantling that, not just for young girls, but for all women.
New York Post
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
If you're not sure whether you're hot, ask ChatGPT — because it's brutally honest: ‘I guess I needed to hear it'
Hot or not — ask a bot! Since ChatGPT's launch in 2022, it's helped users write emails, resumes and meal plans — and now, glow-up guides. From analyzing photos to recommending specific products, some users say the bot has become their brutally honest beauty coach, according to the Washington Post. Advertisement 3 ChatGPT is giving users straight honesty when it comes to their appearance. AlexPhotoStock – Yes, people are now turning to AI for straightforward feedback on their appearance. Across social media, people are posting screenshots of ChatGPT's assessments of their looks, complete with product suggestions that range from hair dye to Botox. Advertisement Some are even spending thousands to take on those recommendations. Michaela Lassig, 39, was desperate to look her best by her wedding day — while staying within her $2,500 budget. She asked ChatGPT for a personalized skin-care plan for 'flawless, youthful skin.' It gave her a full, detailed list and even correctly estimated how many units of Botox her injector would recommend. Beauty critic Jessica DeFino approves of the new use of the technology. Advertisement 3 There could be issues when it comes to asking humans these questions, since those on the other side may not want to offend. New Africa – 'If we're trying to optimize ourselves as beautiful objects, we can't consider the input of a human who is, say, in love with us,' she noted. Chatbots, she adds, offer the kind of blunt objectivity only another object can provide. However, some experts warn of the detriments of this supposed objectivity. Advertisement 3 Across social media, people are posting screenshots of ChatGPT's assessments of their looks, complete with product suggestions that range from hair dye to Botox. Rizq – The AI is trained on vast, often biased internet content — including Reddit forums and beauty blogs that reflect unrealistic, even harmful, beauty standards. 'We're automating the male gaze,' Emily Bender, a computational linguist who specializes in generative AI, said. But just because it's ChatGPT approved, doesn't mean it's FDA approved. As OpenAI and other AI companies integrate product suggestions and shopping links into their bots, some experts warn users may unknowingly be guided toward commercial interests. But for now, many consumers don't seem to mind — they're just happy someone, or something, is giving it to them straight. Haley Andrews, 31, summed up the appeal: 'I told it, 'Speak like an older sister who tells the truth because she loves you and wants the absolute best for you, even though it's a little harsh.''
Irish Examiner
16-05-2025
- Health
- Irish Examiner
Dermorexia: ‘My pursuit of clear skin has cost me time, money and pain, but how far is too far?'
I am gripping the sides of the bed, my knuckles white. 'I am sorry,' the esthetician says, 'it'll be worth it.' I am receiving a BroadBand light laser treatment. Priced at €500 for a single session at my usual clinic, I was offered a session free of charge if I sat as a model for a staff member in training. Lucky me, I think, as tears spring. I easily spend over €1,000 a year in this clinic to keep skin breakouts at bay. My esthetician knows that's my limit — I can't afford to spend more. We both know that if I could, I would. The €1,000 just about covers a salicylic acid peel I get once a month. It's a quick, noninvasive chemical peel that exfoliates and removes dead skin cells for a smoother and brighter complexion. I try to stretch it to every two months if I can — but the esthetician scolds me because for 'best results' you are supposed to get it every four weeks. The peel, which burns to the point where I need a motorised fan to help me bear it, is one element of my overall routine. Alongside the monthly facial appointment, there are the skin nutrition supplements. Bought in bulk, they come in at €476. I've recently added a probiotic after it was suggested this might be the missing element to the elusive clear skin I've been chasing for years. If I stick with the probiotic, it will cost an additional €438 a year. That's almost €2,000 a year before I look at the skincare I use daily, from cleansers to toners, serums and moisturisers, SPFs and retinol. For my sanity, I refuse to tot up what it costs annually. Let's just say, I wouldn't get change from a €50 note, and that's just for the retinol, which lasts a few months. According to market research company Kantar, Irish consumers spent €15.4m on skincare between April 2024 and April 2025, a 4.9% growth from the previous year. Over 200 Irish aesthetic clinics are listed on In cities like Dublin, Cork, and Galway, there seems to be one on almost every street corner. In my hometown, with a population of 850, the local beautician has rebranded and now offers treatments like micro needling and medical-grade peels. Every other ad I get on social media is for Botox or Profilo, with influencers of all descriptions undergoing procedures and marking their bright and breezy Instagram stories #ad, #gifted, #invite. That's not to mention trends like 'the morning shed' and children going viral with 10-step skincare routines. Given the wrap-around pro-beauty feeds, it's hard to take a step back and recognise what a normal skincare routine — and 'normal' skin — should even look like. An unhealthy obsession Beauty critic Jessica DeFino recently suggested we should consider introducing a medical term, dermorexia, to describe those engaging in 'obsessive behaviours' related to skin care. Likening it to orthorexia, a term used to describe an excessive preoccupation with eating healthy food, she argued, 'The same is happening with beauty today. It warrants medical attention.' Facialist and aesthetician Eavanna Breen believes there is 'definitely' space for the term. 'It's something I see in the clinic quite frequently,' she says. Clients come in 'obsessing' about faults they perceive with their skin, when they are presenting with 'perfectly' healthy skin. Eavanna Breen at her Skin & Laser Clinic in Dublin. Picture: Moya Nolan She frequently hears female clients complain about their big pores: 'I'm looking at their skin, and on a scale of one to 10, their pores are maybe a two. 'They also say that they've got congested skin, and it's just a little bit of texture.' Caitriona Ryan, a consultant dermatologist at the Institute of Dermatologists and Blackrock Clinic, has had similar experiences. 'Healthy skin habits and an interest in skincare can be empowering, but there are people who see imperfections that aren't there,' she says. She has 'occasionally' seen patients who exhibit worrying signs of an unhealthy preoccupation with their skin — 'they are constantly seeking the next procedure or product.' Both practitioners believe social media has a lot to answer for when it comes to perpetuating unrealistic skincare goals. 'Education is really important,' Ryan says. 'Especially for teenage girls, and boys. What they are seeing on social media, filtered, AI images, that isn't real.' The rise of so-called 'Sephora kids', where girls appear to be turning to expensive skincare products at an increasingly young age, has been the topic of much conversation in the media over the past year. Professor Caitriona Ryan: 'Healthy skin habits and an interest in skincare can be empowering, but there are people who see imperfections that aren't there." For Ryan, the concern is less about the products damaging young children's skin barriers and more about 'that preoccupation starting so young'. 'It's a culture we need to turn around,' she says. 'I worry about nine and 10-year-olds being so focused on their appearance at such a young age.' Breen believes she may already be seeing the impact in her clinic. 'My clients who are 45, 50, upwards, are not obsessed with their skin. It's the girls who are in their 20s and 30s who are obsessed,' she says. 'Yesterday, I had a client who had three little pimples on her chin, a hormonal breakout, and she was obsessing about it being full-blown acne.' Emotional distress Clinical psychologist Malie Coyne says identifying whether your obsession with skincare has gone too far is about the degree to which it's impacting your daily life. 'Is there any emotional distress around minor or imagined flaws that might lead to avoidance of social situations? Are there compulsive behaviours like mirror checking and picking skin? Is your self-worth directly tied to how your skin looks?' When I look at my relationship with my skin, it can be hard to work out whether I am just engaging in self-care — our skin is an organ, shouldn't I care for it to the best of my ability? — or whether I am obsessing over small imperfections due to our society's increasing obsession with 'flawless', poreless skin. Clinical psychologist Malie Coyne: 'Compassion focused therapy [designed to reduce self-criticism and shame] suggests we have three emotional circles — drive, threat, and soothing." Coyne suggests we think about what drives our motivation: 'Compassion focused therapy [designed to reduce self-criticism and shame] suggests we have three emotional circles — drive, threat, and soothing. Is your drive to engage in skincare coming from a place of threat, where you feel, if I don't get that microneedling, if I don't get that Botox, that means my skin won't look at its best, and I won't be at my best, and I'm not good enough. 'When something comes from a soothing place, it's more like, I have an hour off on Tuesday, and I really love getting a facial, so I'm going to go ahead and get that because I know I'm going to feel good afterwards. And it's not about feeling less good than other people. 'If you didn't get those treatments or procedures, would you be OK?' For parents who might be concerned about their children's relationship to skincare, Coyne advises having a gentle conversation with them about where their interest in their skin has come from. 'My daughters are 11 and 13. I know what they're being fed on social media — what every woman gets fed — you're not good enough, and you should try this product in order to be better,' she says. 'Watch out for deeper signs of distress — if they're spending a lot of time looking in the mirror, avoiding photos, or expressing dissatisfaction with their face or overall appearance. At that stage, it might be time to bring them to a mental health professional.' Achievable goals Breen, who works with a roster of celebrity and influencer clients, says it's important not to compare our own skin to what we see on social media. 'When I'm doing videos to the camera [for social media], even when I'm not using a filter... that isn't how I really look. If you look at my skin up close, you can see the imperfections, pigmentation, pores,' she says. 'There is no such thing as perfect skin. We're setting ourselves up for a standard that's impossible to reach. Skin is full of texture and character, and we need to embrace that more. 'One of the nice things about my job is to be able to say to someone, don't worry about that, that is not an issue.' While something may seem like a minor imperfection to others, Breen says addressing it can make an individual feel better about themselves: 'I had a client the other day who had a little growth on her nose, a little red dot, and her doctor dismissed it and said, 'it's nothing to worry about'. But she felt like Rudolph. I just did a little bit of diathermy [a deep heat therapy] and got rid of it. 'It's about seeking out a professional who has the compassion and the understanding to know whether something is an issue, that's the key.' This is me Looking back at my younger years, I recognise some of the red flags Coyne identified. I feel empathy for the girl who gave up swimming, the teen who wouldn't get in the selfie, the college student who dreaded nights out because she wasn't comfortable in her skin. At 27, I am developing a healthier relationship with my skin. I see the facials and supplements as part of my self-care regimen, but when I have a breakout, I don't let it stop me from living my life. I have been helped in large part by following positive skin influencers like Izzie Rodgers and Sophie Dove, who embrace skincare and make-up without covering their blemishes or using filters. Inspired by their impact, I recently sat for a photoshoot without any make-up. It was terrifying, and it's taken me a year to look at them without shame. Today, they are printed alongside this piece. It's my battle cry against a world that keeps telling me I am not enough as I am. Izzie Rodgers (@izzierodgers) Sophie Dove (@skinwithsoph) Institute of Dermatologists (@instituteofdermatologists)
