Cosmeticorexia and dermorexia are pathologies that began in the United States and which have spread especially in Europe thanks to social media.
THIS IS A REAL ONE and obsession in girls, even aged 6-7 and up, for creams and beauty products. A phenomenon against which the Competition and Market Authority (Agcm) has now taken action, launching, for the first time in Europe, two investigations: one against Sephora Italia srl and the other against Benefit cosmetics llc, Sephora Italia srl and Lvmh perfumes and Cosmetici Italia srl, for «possible unfair commercial practices relating to the early use of cosmetics for adults by children and adolescents, even under the age of 10/12 years, encouraging compulsive purchases of face masks, serums and anti-aging creams.”
At the basis of these two investigations are “the omission or misleading, even on the web and in Sephora stores, of relevant information – such as warnings and precautions on cosmetics not intended for or tested on minors – in particular for the Sephora collection and Benefit cosmetics lines”.
The fact, explains the Agcm, is that “the unaware, frequent and combined use of a vast range of cosmetics by minors could also have harmful effects on their health”.
COMPANIES IN THE FOCUS Furthermore, the Authority allegedly adopted «a particularly insidious marketing strategy, involving very young “micro-influencers” who would encourage young people, particularly vulnerable subjects, to compulsively purchase cosmetics».
AGCM officials also carried out inspections at the offices of these companies with the help of the Special Antitrust Unit of the Financial Police. But we still don’t know what the outcome will be.
JUST TAKE A TOUR on various social networks, starting with Tik Tok and Instagram, searching with the hashtag #sephorakids to understand the extent of the phenomenon. Very young testimonials create tutorials on how to apply make-up, perhaps with products given away by the companies they advertise; on what to buy in Sephora stores for Christmas or for a birthday and on how to use creams and make-up from mothers, who in some cases are accomplices of their daughters.
According to one of the most recent reports by Cosmetica Italia, the National Association of Cosmetic Companies, the total turnover of the sector in 2025, at least in Italy, would be continuously growing and would reach 18 billion euros. A profit partly made, literally, on the skin of these “little girls without childhood”, as several psychologists who raise the alarm define them.
MANY HAVE SEARCHED to run for cover. In Sweden, for example, the main pharmacy chain, Apotek Hjärtat, has been banning the sale of cosmetic products to children under 15 for about two years. And several awareness campaigns have also been created against this phenomenon which generates, in addition to the pathologies already mentioned such as cosmeticorexia, also diseases such as age anxiety, i.e. the fear of growing old which, already present in 5-6 year old girls, makes them understand the trauma to which they are exposed. Not to mention the physical problems such as eczema and allergies that the use of anti-aging products can cause on very young skin.
THE INITIATIVE OF THE AUTHORITY Italian could lead the way in Europe. Not only to counter such a dangerous phenomenon as that of sephorakids, which over the years risks leading to body dysmorphia which is the obsession with alleged physical defects, with all that entails, but also to place limits on social media which are its great accomplices, inducing an endless “scroll” in girls and teenagers.
A few days ago, a California jury convicted, in a historic decision, Meta and Google for creating addiction and psychological damage among younger users. Europe could now also do its part.
