‘It’s disturbing’: the rise in UK children wanting anti-ageing products

Driven by social media, children are using expensive creams, drops and serums that could do more harm than good

The Christmas wishlist Keshara’s daughter handed her in 2023 bore little resemblance to ones from years gone by. This time, there were no requests for toys. Instead, her child had made an extensive, meticulous list of skincare products: expensive eye-creams, anti-ageing serums, drops and oils with ingredients like retinol and polypeptides. One of the items, a Drunk Elephant eye serum to target “fine lines and wrinkles and reduce puffiness”, retails at £56. Keshara’s daughter is nine.

“I asked how she knew about them – she said it was all on TikTok, and everyone knows about it,” Keshara said. “I told her, no way, you’re really too young, it’s not appropriate and really expensive.”