Should We Be Carding Kids at Sephora?
A new bill seeks to put age restrictions on skin-care products.
The theme of this week seems to be relitigation: on whether teens should be allowed to use skin care, on the plastic surgery habits of celebrities, on “shadow-banning” on social media. Instead of rolling my eyes and getting all “this again?!,” I’m wrapping myself up in the comfort of beauty news that feels a little familiar.
Sephora Teen Watch
If one California legislator gets his way, young shoppers might have to prove they’re over 18 before they can pick up some of their favorite Drunk Elephant products. Assemblymember Alex Lee introduced a new bill that would prohibit the sale of products containing vitamin A (aka retinol) or any alpha hydroxy acid to minors, citing increased interest in these products—which are often marketed as anti-aging—among girls despite evidence that these ingredients can be irritating for younger skin. We talked to some derms about all this hubbub and, perhaps unsurprisingly, they’re less convinced this is what our focus should be when it comes to child safety.
Familiar Faces
The new Bridget Jones movie, Mad About the Boy, is another in a streak of May-December romances, and while I have personally been focused on Leo Woodall’s face, Valerie Monroe noticed something about Renée Zellweger’s: It looks like hers. And while plastic surgery is ultimately a personal choice that doesn’t warrant unsolicited speculation—as Monroe puts it: “Life’s hard enough, and if facial fiddling is music to your ears, have at it.”—you can’t deny it feels kind of nice to see a celebrity who still looks like themselves decades after they first stepped into the spotlight.
Surgeons on Shadow-Banning
If you follow even a single content creator, you’re likely familiar with the word “shadow-banning.” People across industries have accused social media platforms of the practice, which can be summed up as intentionally limiting the reach of posts so they don’t show up in the feeds or For You pages of your followers. Plastic surgeons are the latest pro set who feel their content is being throttled, particularly when it comes to client before and afters—and in some cases, Meta and TikTok have confirmed that they are, indeed, censoring these accounts. Reporter Jolene Edgar talked to surgeons and platform representatives to get to the bottom of what’s really going on.
Brands, Brands, Brands
One creator who doesn’t seem to have a shadow-banning issue is Mitchell Halliday, founder of social media darling Made by Mitchell, the first British company to make $1 million in a single day on TikTok Shop. Now, Halliday is expanding his ultra-popular beauty brand’s offline presence.
Monique Rodriguez—the founder and CEO of Mielle Organics, a brand that has seen its fair share of juicy drama—is publishing a memoir in April.
If you buy one thing this week, make it…
In August 2023, I sent an email to Ilia’s PR team letting them know we wouldn’t be covering an upcoming eye shadow stick launch. Even though the formula was lovely, the packaging wasn’t up to snuff. The launch was put on hold (perhaps coincidentally) but nearly two years later the sticks are actually for sale—and the creamy, apply-with-your-fingers formula is just as good as the one I initially fell in love with.
Of the 20 (!!) available shades, I’m most partial to Regal, a slightly shimmery bronze that’s perfect for every day.
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