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PRESS RELEASE
“Keep it simple!” - Cosmetics Industry body launches guidance for parents and carers over growing skincare trend for children
With over two in five parents admitting their child knows more about skincare than they do, the guidance from the CTPA aims to help parents navigate this discussion with children aged 8-14.
As skincare trends become increasingly popular among children and young people, many parents and carers find themselves navigating a fast-changing landscape of advice, products and social pressures. Skincare conversations with their children are now a regular occurrence for 85% of parents, and nearly a third (32%) discuss it several times a week*. Launching today, the CTPA guidance SkinCare Simplified – A Parent’s Guide, developed in partnership with Consultant Dermatologist Dr Anjali Mahto, is designed to support families with clear information and answers to the most common questions.
The challenge is real. According to parents, young people today show greater interest in skincare than they themselves did at the same age (65%) and, notably, 42% admit their child knows more about skincare than they do*. When it comes to choosing and purchasing products, parents feel that their children are influenced by social media (33%) and peers (28%), but primarily by themselves, the parent (54%) *. In this context, key advice and messages around age-appropriate ways to look after young skin are needed. The CTPA campaign aims to empower parents to guide their children, building knowledge and confidence on how to care about their skin in an age-appropriate way.
SkinCare Simplified - A Parent’s Guide
The guide is now available on CTPA’s consumer website – SkinCare Simplified - A Parent's Guide.
It contains several sections addressing the most frequent questions raised by parents, including general advice on skincare for young people of different age groups, questions on common skin issues and information on ingredients and labelling. SkinCare Simplified - A Parent’s Guide clearly addresses the topic of anti-ageing skincare and another section covers common conversation topics and offers guidance for supporting your child to develop healthy skincare habits.
Input from Consultant Dermatologist Dr Anjali Mahto throughout brings another layer of advice, ensuring recommendations are rooted in the latest clinical expertise.
Infographic leaflets with key advice are also available for download on the campaign hub, including in a mobile, easy-to-share format.
Keep it Simple
The CTPA, as the voice of the UK cosmetics and personal care industry, clearly reiterates its position that anti-ageing products or complex routines should not be used on young people’s skin as they are not designed for this purpose.
“SkinCare Simplified - A Parent’s Guide” recommends, as key advice, to keep skincare simple for young people:
- Gentle cleansing: Wash the face, or if needed use a cleanser suitable for children or for family use to keep the skin clean
- Moisturising: If needed, use a lightweight moisturiser to keep the skin hydrated
- Sun protection: Protect exposed skin when the weather requires it, including using a sunscreen that is at least SPF 30 and has UVA protection
Providing Parents with Clarity and Confidence
Parents are trying to talk to their children about the nuances of using different products and 40% of parents have discussed the overuse of products*. There’s a particular unease around anti-ageing products in this context. A total of 78% of parents think that they are unnecessary for children, that their use could cause possible risks to young skin or that children feel pressure from trends or social media to use them*.
Children are increasingly playing an active role in their skincare choices. Over half of children (53%) choose the products they would like, with either a parent purchasing (38%) or the child buying through gift vouchers or pocket money (12%) *. For parents, it’s not just individual product use that is important, but also the timing: 60% are open to their children using skincare but acknowledge the need for guidance*.
Dr Emma Meredith OBE, Director-General, CTPA, said: “The CTPA, as the voice of the UK cosmetics and personal care industry, does not support young people using anti-ageing products or complex and unnecessary routines. With this new SkinCare Simplified - A Parent’s Guide campaign, we want to play our part in helping address this societal trend. Our aim is to ensure that products are used appropriately for each age range, helping young people understand how to develop healthy and age-appropriate skin hygiene habits and supporting parents in discussions with their children. I'm especially grateful to Consultant Dermatologist Dr Anjali Mahto, whose expertise and partnership have been instrumental in creating a resource that truly serves parents and carers.”
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* This online survey of 2000 UK parents of children aged 8-14 was commissioned by the CTPA and conducted by market research company OnePoll, in accordance with the Market Research Society's code of conduct. The gender and region spread of the sample generally reflects UK population proportions. Data were collected between 31 October and 11 November 2025. Please refer to the Appendix below for additional statistics from this survey.
Appendix
Notes to Editors
- Imagery available on demand
- Please note the deliberate spelling of 'SkinCare' in the campaign name. This choice is intentional: it goes beyond simply referring to skincare products or routines. The capital ‘C’ in ‘Care’ highlights the campaign’s broader focus on truly caring for your skin as part of overall well-being, not just the act of applying products.
Further Statistics
- 46% of parents choose most of the skincare products for their children and purchase them
- Cleanliness and hygiene are the most discussed topic between parents and children (53%)
- Two-thirds (66%) of parents agree that healthy skin habits support good hygiene and cleanliness, while more than half (55%) believe it helps establish lifelong self-care habits and builds confidence and self-esteem (53%)
About CTPA
CTPA (the Cosmetic, Toiletry and Perfumery Association) is the UK trade association representing all types of companies involved in making, supplying and selling cosmetics and personal care products. As the credible authority for a vibrant and innovative UK industry trusted to act responsibly for the benefit of the consumer, CTPA promotes best practices and advises companies about the strict legal framework for cosmetics and personal care products. Representing industry views to the UK Government and external stakeholders, CTPA also provides information to the media on many topics relating to cosmetic products and the cosmetics industry in general.
CTPA website: www.ctpa.org.uk
CTPA consumer website: www.thefactsabout.co.uk
CTPA media contact: [email protected]
