New bill in California seeks to ban sales of anti-ageing skincare to children

Fourteen-year-old Emily Chan supports a bill that would potentially ban the sale of anti-ageing cosmetic products to children under 13. Photo: TNS

As a 14-year-old interested in skin care, Emily Chan thought dabbing her face with her mum’s fancy anti-ageing products would help nourish her skin.

What she didn’t know was that the creams contained ingredients such as retinol and hyaluronic acid. Both can improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles by increasing skin cell production, but they also can cause irritation that results in redness and itchiness, especially on young skin.