Children's face painting: "as late as possible, as little as possible"

At a time when young teenagers swear by make-up tutorials on YouTube, children are more and more tempted to wear make-up in turn, whether it's dressing up for Tuesday fat or Halloween, or just to do like the big ones. Especially since “special make-up for children” products are multiplying on the market and are even appearing on the shelves of toy stores, worries the consumer defense association CLCV in a press release. "But beware, what might appear to be a game is not. Eyeshadow, gloss or nail polish are likely to cause allergies, but also to deposit harmful substances on the skin and nails of children such as endocrine disruptors," she says. A survey published on June 3, 2019 covers 9 products for children (from 3 years old). Thus, two lip glosses, five varnishes and two make-up cases were analyzed.

Avoid lipsticks or glosses for children

According to the results of the study, lipsticks and lip glosses should be avoided! "All lipsticks and lip glosses/gloss contain MOSHs and MOAHs, mineral oils derived from petroleum. These substances MOSHs are indeed suspected of being bioaccumulative in the liver and MOAHs are likely to be carcinogenic", specifies association. For example, the Make it Real makeup case reaches 42% MOSH, and therefore greatly exceeds the recommended dose limits (5%). It should also be remembered that these cosmetic products are applied to the lips and are therefore ingested by the child.

What about nail polishes?

Of the five nail polishes studied, three contain phenoxyethanol, a preservative which, in high doses, can have effects on the liver. Nevertheless, the majority of the products analyzed do not contain volatile solvents, specifies the CLCV, since they are often replaced by water. However, some children's nail polishes contain high levels of allergens. This is particularly the case of the Miraculous Ladybug varnish which has five. Finally, "in a product (Dream of Princess - My creative manicure), we find both phenoxyethanol and very high doses of styrene, potential endocrine disruptor", adds the study.

Avoid makeup cases for children

Makeup cases include many products: blusher and eye shadow, lip gloss, and varnish. Bad news: all the sample cases tested by the association contain phenoxyethanol, and this, in all products. “We found traces of BHT, an endocrine disruptor, and methylisothiazolinone (MIT), a powerful allergen in the make-up and varnish,” adds the CLCV. Moreover, these substances are not listed on product labels.

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At what age should you allow your child to wear makeup?

"You have to wait for the skin to be ready, to be able to defend itself before wearing make-up, even for children. It is advisable to wait until the end of puberty" specifies Isabelle Rousseaux, dermatologist and member of the Syndicat National des Dermatologists. "If little girls wear make-up regularly outside of specific events such as a party or a birthday, they risk becoming sensitized to make-up and becoming allergic," she adds. The specialist therefore insists on the fact that "children's make-up must remain occasional and not be applied to the youngest".

Beauty products to look like the grown-ups

There are a real emergence of beauty and care products for the face. Children will soon be able to do everything (or almost) like their parents. With their gourmet smells and their playful and colorful packaging, they have everything to please. Shower gels with childhood scents (chocolate, candy apple, candy…), manufacturers do everything to seduce children and their parents. Some brands, such as Too Fruit⁽¹⁾, d'Enfance, etc., offer hygiene and care products for children. Their credo? Organic products, without chemicals, 100% made in France. Even if they put forward a composition without parabens and with a neutral pH, even a French manufacture, you have to remain vigilant and always remember to look at the composition. Moreover, "there is no medical interest. This is an attempt by marketing to expand the cosmetics market and even to condition children very early to the use of cosmetics", explains Professor Laurent Misery, dermatologist*. As for the brands that offer makeup for children, there are many. Maman est jalouse, for example, offers water-based nail polishes and lip roses made in France, without parabens and without animal raw materials. This is also the case for the clothing brand Du Pareil Au Même, which also sells scented waters as well as make-up (water-based nail polish, hair chalk, lip gloss). A trend that can leave you perplexed…

Face care: what is the use of hygiene products for children?

Children aged 6 to 12 do not produce sebum. But does their skin really need to be hydrated? "Absolutely not! This is of no interest except in the case of atopic children or those who have other diseases inducing dry skin", says the dermatologist. "We can even think that the use of moisturizers prevents the production of natural skin moisturizers. It could therefore induce dry skin in those who did not have it at the start, and this especially in children. Some speak of cosmetology."

Allergy risks?

Hygiene and care products suitable for children can be used every day unless the children have one or more skin diseases. Professor Misery wonders, however, about the real interest of using skincare products daily. He also explains that he does not recommend "any product apart from hygiene products and of course, emollients, but only if the child has a skin disease". Currently, cosmetic allergies are not common in children. However, "the earlier you use cosmetics, the more allergies will appear gradually," explains the dermatologist. As for make-up, it is essential to check its composition, especially when the products contain components that can have harmful effects.

Which components should be avoided?

Before letting your child use skincare products or make-up, it is essential to take a look at the components (and this also applies to you!).

* Another very common preservative in recent years is methylisothiazolinone (MIT). However, it weakens the flora of the skin and is responsible for several allergic reactions, in particular eczema. Again, same advice: go your way!

So that your child does not sensitize his skin, avoid products that contain synthetic fragrances. Go natural! And this even if the manufacturers have the obligation to mention the allergenic fragrant substances present in a product as soon as their concentration is higher than 10 mg/kg. It is found in perfumes, nail polishes, shampoos, etc. These are 26 substances (citral, geraniol, limonene, etc.) that have been officially identified as being potentially allergenic. Needless to say, it is better to avoid them.

⁽¹⁾ Too Fruit conducted a study on the hydration of the skin of 60 children aged 6 to 12 years.

*Comments collected in 2016