North is ‘so young’ for so much skincare & makeup – it can ’cause issues,’ Kim Kardashian should have her ‘keep basic’
Dr. Thosani broke down the products that should be avoided altogether by preteens
WITH a beauty brand boss for a mom, it’s no surprise North West gets into more makeup and skincare than the average 10-year-old.
That doesn’t mean she should be the blueprint for other kids, though, and a dermatologist has warned that videos by Kim Kardashian’s daughter shouldn’t be treated as tutorials.
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Dr. Maya Thosani, who works as a dermatologist, highlighted some of the negative effects of the Sephora 10-year-old trendCredit: Dr. Maya Thosani
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Kim Kardashian’s daughter North West has gained a following on TikTok after posting clips trying out her mother’s beauty productsCredit: TikTok kimandnorth
Kim and Kanye’s oldest daughter, North, has been in the spotlight since birth but has amassed a following on TikTok in recent years.
While she often shares dance videos with friends, it’s North’s beauty looks that have gained the most traction.
In February of 2023, she showed off a super sped-up beauty and makeup routine.
Naturally, she had her mom’s line, too with Skkn’s cleanser, toner, hyaluronic acid serum, and eye cream.
Fast-forward to this January and Northie was posing for photos while getting a professional facial.
In one of her most recent clips, she painted her entire face and neck bright pink using her mother’s extensive makeup collection.
KID GLOVES
Dr. Maya Thosani, a certified dermatologist and cosmetic surgeon, spoke exclusively to The U.S. Sun about the damaging effects of overusing cosmetics on developing skin.
“When you’re talking about 10-year-olds, 12-year-olds, these tweens, their skin is young, moist, supple, it has all that it needs,” she said.
“It is absolutely luminescent, and does not have wrinkles, there’s no lack of collagen.
“Many of these skincare products that they are using are much too harsh for them.
“They’re actually tearing down the skin barrier and ruining it.
“So long term, they’re going to actually have more problems later.”
As for the heavy-duty makeup, Dr. Thosani explained that the technique North uses and the frequency with which she does it could be damaging her skin.
She’s just doing it all the time … and it just can kick up and cause a lot of issues.
Dr. Maya Thosani
“She’s layering on all of these makeup [products], she’s having fun with it and that’s great, but it really is so young to start contributing to all of that,” Dr. Thosani said.
“And it’s not necessarily for Halloween, she’s just doing it all the time, it’s very heavy on the eyes, very heavy on her skin, and it just can kick up and cause a lot of issues.”
LISTEN UP, KIM
Dr. Thosani advised Kim to make sure North is using appropriate products.
“I would say that if Kim were to do anything it would be to promote keeping a skincare regimen with gentle cleansing moisturizer and sunscreen,” she said.
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Dr. Maya warned Kim to explain to North that her skin is too young and delicate for harsh productsCredit: Getty
She added that Kim should clarify to North that because she is older, her skin can tolerate more cleansers and serums than her daughter’s.
“Young, beautiful skin doesn’t need anything, let’s keep it basic, and just promote good habits,” she said.
SEPHORA TWEENS
North may be in the spotlight, but she’s just one of many young girls who have been dubbed “Sephora 10-year-olds” for their obsession with the beauty giant.
Experts have warned that this trend isn’t such a great thing for children.
Dr. Thosani explained that most skincare products in Sephora are targeted toward older people with a “need for more chemical and physical exfoliation.”
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North regularly shares videos of herself trying various skincare routines, which professionals say can be harmful to developing skinCredit: TikTok kimandnorth
While many pre-teens are under the impression that such beauty items can help with issues such as acne, Dr. Thosani said that they have the opposite effect.
“In many of these cases, these are products that are geared more towards older people that need pore filling, skin filling, fine line filling, and so they’re actually more reclusive,” she said.
According to the expert, most 10-year-olds don’t need anything more than a basic skincare routine to tackle acne and should book an appointment with a dermatologist if the problem persists.
“It should be something like a gentle salicylic acid wash if needed, and a good moisturizer that doesn’t have all the additives, that’s all they need,” Dr. Thosani said.
She attributed the 10-year-old Sephora trend to influencers on social media taking extensive steps in their beauty routines.
“They watch these TikToks of famous people who have five, or six, or even eight layers of products that they’re putting on, whether it’s toners, astringents, double cleansing,” she said.
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Dr. Maya explained that the frequency with which North messes around with layers of makeup can be damaging to her complexionCredit: TikTok kimandnorth
“They’ve got mini-fridges in their bathrooms so that they can keep their products cold, and then do a special eye mask.
“The under-eye skin can is so delicate, you can’t be putting things like this on the skin at that young age, it’ll cause so much irritation and so many more problems.”
THE ULTIMATE INFLUENCER
Dr. Thosani recommended that parents make sure kids treat North’s videos as entertainment rather than tutorials.
“This 10-year-old beauty trend is part and parcel with a celebrity and their child and it’s entertainment so we cannot forget that,” she said.
“So when parents have children that are asking for that, it’s OK to say, ‘No, this is not good for your skin.’
If you saw somebody on one of those reality shows where they do stupid things like jump off a building or eat a ball of fire, you would never tell your kid, ‘Oh, you better do that.’
Dr. Maya Thosani
“Part of the problem is parents feel like [their] child needs it because this famous person is doing it.”
Dr. Thosani compared this line of thinking with indulging your child with any dangerous or unhealthy request simply because they asked for it.
“If you saw somebody on one of those reality shows where they do stupid things like jump off a building or eat a ball of fire, you would never tell your kid, ‘Oh, you better do that,'” she said.
“You understand the entertainment value in jumping off a cliff or skydiving with no safety net but that is not what we want to do with kids and these products.
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North often posts about her extensive skincare efforts, including getting professional facialsCredit: TikTok kimandnorth
“When we do things too young or too early it exposes them and then they start a cycle of having skin problems that they otherwise might not have had.”
STAY AWAY
Dr. Thosani broke down the products that should be avoided altogether by preteens.
“Definitely no retinol, no harsh cleansing exfoliators, like the apricot scrubs,” she said.
“Retinols are in a lot of these anti-wrinkle products and they are just not appropriate for 10-year-old skin, they’re super harsh, they’ll cause major irritation, and they’ll cause breakouts and rashes.”
This can lead to hyperpigmentation or dark spots as younger kids tend to spend more time out in the sun than most adults.
“It makes them more sun sensitive and these kids don’t realize that they’re running around at recess while we’re not,” Dr. Thosani said.