Cosmeticorexia: How girls are falling down a skincare rabbit hole

Article excerpt

Teenage girls are spending hours perfecting elaborate skincare routines and thousands of pounds on products designed for adult skin, fueled by TikTok trends and Instagram influencers hawking serums and moisturizers to minors. Dermatologists warn that this "cosmeticorexia", an obsessive focus on skincare, may damage young skin, erode self-esteem, and normalize the idea that appearance requires constant chemical intervention. The skincare industry has seized on this demographic, with brands launching youth-targeted product lines and marketing campaigns that blur the line between self-care and compulsion. Experts worry the psychological effects of this pressure, the anxiety, the perfectionism, the financial strain on families, may echo into adulthood.