Dove launches TikTok campaign to tackle growing use of anti-ageing products by children

Children as young as 10 are asking their parents for anti-ageing products, which Dove believes will not only harm their sensitive skin but could also promote premature appearance anxiety.

It comes as nearly one in two young girls aged 10-17 years old expect to worry more about their appearance as they age.

More than ever, children are being exposed to adult skincare content on social media, creating pressure for them to adopt unnecessary anti-ageing skincare regimens before they’ve even grown up.

Firdaous El Honsali, Global Vice President at Dove, said: "When did 10-year-olds start worrying about wrinkles and getting older? It is time to highlight the absurdity and protect their self-esteem.

"At Dove, we believe beauty should be a source of happiness, not anxiety. For two decades, we have taken action to build confidence and self-esteem for millions of girls. Today, our girls are anti-ageing before they’ve even started to grow up and need us more than ever."

@dove Girls as young as 10 are being influenced by skin care content. Together we can protect #TheFaceOf10 ♬ original sound - Dove Beauty & Personal Care

To address this, Dove has created a free resource on how to talk to young people about anti-ageing and beauty anxiety.

Created in partnership with research psychologist Dr Phillippa Diedrichs and dermatologist Dr.Marisa Garshick, the 'Gen A Anti-Ageing Talk' supports the idea that a 10-year old’s face should be a canvas for carefree fun, not anti-ageing products.

@imogenhorton I couldn’t stop myself crying when talking about this 🥹 This campaign is close to my heart and I’m so grateful to be part of the amazing @@Dove Beauty & Personal Care #TheFaceOf10 movement, check out the Gen A Anti-Ageing talk on their feed 💗 #DovePartner ♬ original sound - Imogen Horton

To support the campaign, Dove is also working with a number of creators and body confidence advocates on TikTok.

Through creative content featuring impactful, decorated faces representing #TheFaceofTen, the campaign shows that children's faces should be covered with more glitter, stickers and face paint, rather than retinol and inappropriate anti-ageing skincare products.