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Beauty routines that are popularized on social media platforms like TikTok are reaching younger and younger girls and adolescents, many of whom are exposed to dermatological risks and unrealistic aesthetic standards that can impact their physical and mental health.
Recent studies raise concerns about the excessive use of facial products by minors aged 7 to 18, who follow viral tutorials without medical supervision. Young girls use an average of six products daily, some containing potentially irritating active ingredients that can lead to chronic allergies, sun sensitivity, and dermatitis.
"The use of cosmetics is advancing, and girls are coming to the consultation for their 12-year review wearing makeup and with painted eyes. More than the skin, what concerns us is the reason they do this, and the feeling of frustration in these girls because they do not feel 'perfect,'" said Teresa Cenarro, vice president of the Spanish Association of Primary Care Pediatrics (Aepap).
Although these practices are more common in countries where these products are widely available, the phenomenon also reaches Cuban young women inside and outside the island, through the consumption of content on social media and the growing culture of imported or resold “skin care.”
Researchers found that in many cases, routines do not include sunscreen, the only dermatologically essential product, while exfoliating acids, perfumes, and repeated active ingredients from different brands are abundant, increasing the risk of skin damage.
Beyond the skin, experts indicate that these routines reproduce unhealthy beauty ideals: associating clear and radiant skin with success, encouraging compulsive consumption from childhood, and promoting an aesthetic ideal linked to well-being, when in reality it can be harmful.
With prices ranging from $168 to $500 per month, these routines also reinforce social and economic disparities, especially in contexts where access to basic goods is limited, as is the case in Cuba.
Experts are calling for greater awareness among families and healthcare professionals, as digital platforms make it almost impossible to monitor what girls and adolescents consume online.
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