Assembly Bill (AB) 728, introduced by California legislators on February 18, 2025, calls for a ban on selling over-the-counter skincare products to anyone under the age of 18 years.1 This bill is aimed at trying to curtail the sale of specific skincare products to the so-called Sephora Kids.
CA AB728 pertains to skincare products that contain the following active ingredients:
- Vitamin A and its derivatives, including, but not limited to, retinoids and retinol
- An alpha hydroxy acid (AHA), including, but not limited to, glycolic acid, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), or citric acid.
“This is misguided and not logistically possible,” says Dr. Rebecca Baxt, Medical Director of BAXT CosMedical®, located in Paramus, NJ. While the ‘Sephora Kids’ trend has been fueled by social media and some skincare companies, banning the sale as a law will not prevent the children from purchasing these products. “The system isn’t foolproof as minors can purchase products on their parent’s accounts, and many minors may lie about their age to make profiles to get onto websites, so knowing someone’s age does not help enforce this law,” continues Dr. Baxt.
What is the real reason behind the ban? Are they trying to protect kids from inappropriate products? Are they trying to help children with their self-esteem? Are they trying to prevent the kids from getting excessively obsessed with their skin? If these are reasons, they cannot be legislated. “These are family concerns,” says Dr. Baxt.
Furthermore, Dr. Baxt stresses, “many of these topical retinoids work well to address acne and many products are labelled as antiaging, and all they are is moisturizers. Moisturizers are known to reduce wrinkles, so now children cannot purchase moisturizers. I really think the law might have noble intentions, but is unlikely to be enforceable, and will potentially cause some harm preventing some children who need antiacne and moisturizing products from getting what they need.”
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1https://cosmeticsbusiness.com/california-bill-could-ban-anti-ageing-skin-care
