My nine-year-old daughter’s demanded expensive skincare for her birthday, it’s other mums’ fault I feel rotten

GROWING up, most of us were probably guilty of going through our mum's make-up bag and giving her expensive products a sneaky try.

But in recent months, there has been a rising trend in young girls wanting skincare items of their own to 'look after' their faces.

Young girls have been demanding expensive skincare productsCredit: Getty

Many of the pricey serums and moisturisers on their wishlists, however, contain retinol.

Although there is no right or wrong age to incorporate this skincare essential, beauty experts typically advise to use retinol as you enter your late 20s to prevent the first signs of ageing.

As its formula is relatively harsh, repeated use of retinol at a young age can '' begin to thin out your skin and will eventually make you more susceptible to UVA rays'', Into the Gloss reported.

Vitamin C is yet another ingredient deemed ''too strong'' for a kid.

But many parents have been faced with distraught children who are being "left out" because they refuse to expose them to the harmful ingredients.

Taking to social media, one mum said: "My soon to be 10-year-old wants a full skincare regime for her birthday! Like what the…..!!!

"I refused at Christmas and she was devastated as all her friends all got and now it’s the only thing she’s asked for for her birthday.

"Is there anything on the market that anyone has found that is more suitable for their skin?"

She added: "They all sit on FaceTime and do skincare together and I feel rotten when she doesn’t have any.

"Just to give yous a little giggle these were on her list ..Drunk Elephant, Glow Recipe, Byoma and Bubbles and Dior lip oil. And here’s me using Aldi’s moisturiser.

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"She was genuinely the only one out her friendship group that didn’t get some sort of skincare at Christmas! I couldn’t believe it.

"I never thought I’d be a follow the crowd parent, but when you see them left out it breaks your heart so thought I’d try hunt down something gentle enough she can use to join in."

Beauty fans and other parents have immediately sympathised with the mum but urged her to stay away from items that could damage young skin.

"I’m pretty sure most of those brands aren’t suitable for kids skin", one said.

A second wrote: "There are probably lots of skin products more suitable for younger skin.

"Sadly social media encourages younger and younger girls to want to be 'trendy and cool' when a lot of these products can be damaging to younger skin."

A third echoed: "So sad that this day and age of social media is pressuring young kids (and their parents) to be using products that a) they don’t need and b) are totally inappropriate for their young skin."

Meanwhile, a fourth added: "I feel it’s more of a competition now and who would be the 'cool' kid but it’s unfair as most of the stuff isn’t affordable for many."

SKINCARE WARNING

Children should not use retinol on their skin, unless advised otherwise by a doctor

Retinol is a form of vitamin A added to skincare products for it's anti-ageing effects, but it can have nasty side effects.
These include dry and irritated skin, burning, itching and flaking. Users can also experience peeling or scaly skin, as well as increased risk to sunburn.
Childrens' skin is still developing and thus doesn't need such potent ingredients. There are plenty of child-friendly skincare products on the market.
As youthful skin is still producing optimal amounts of collagen and yet to develop fine lines, the benefits that can be drawn from retinol will likely be lost.
In some cases, doctors will prescribe a retinol-infused cream to a teenager to help with acne. If your teen is suffering with spots and/or scarring, speak to your GP before trying over-the-counter reitnoids.

Others chimed in with an ingenious idea that will keep everyone happy.

One said: "I seen somewhere that you can buy the empty bottles of the more expensive brands and just fill them with normal cheaper creams that's suitable for kids skin and the kids will never know.

"Win win they will think they have the same skincare as their pals but they're actually using the right stuff for their skin"