Actress and entrepreneur Shay Mitchell, who is best known for Pretty Little Liars and her travel brand Béis, recently launched a new skincare line called rini.
Featured VideoMarketed as “a safe, fun and simple way to gently nourish developing skin,” the skincare line is aimed at children as young as 3 years old.
According to the brand, rini encourages sharing skincare routines with children through sheet masks, cleansers, and moisturizers. Nearly instantly, many online questioned why toddlers would need a skincare routine at all.
And as the comments rolled in on Mitchell’s Instagram post, it became clear that few found the concept cute.
AdvertisementWhat are rini’s products?
Mitchell co-founded rini with Esther Song, drawing inspiration from K-beauty routines and their daughters’ curiosity about skincare. The name “rini” itself comes from Korean slang for “kiddo.” The collection’s first lineup includes mild sheet masks and moisturizers created, as the founders described, to be safe for young skin.
AdvertisementIn interviews, Mitchell and Song explained that rini was never meant to push beauty ideals on children but to create a “safe, playful entry point” into self-care.
“My girls would always see me with [masks on], especially when getting prepared for any makeup to follow. They would just come into the bathroom and look at me in the mirror and be like, ‘Can I use that? What’s that?’” she explained to Elle in an interview.
“I also want them to know that skin care, for me, is about creating healthy habits and about having that self-care time—that’s important.”
Backlash against beauty products for toddlers
Still, many parents and commentators found that reasoning unconvincing. Folks on Reddit and TikTok panned the products as forcing beauty standards on toddlers.
AdvertisementOne Reddit user, u/Cool-cat-199, wrote, “I’m at a loss for words at this point. Why on earth do children need FACE MASKS? I’m so sick of these out of touch influencer celebrities.” Another added on Instagram, “Yikes. Maybe read the room? People are losing healthcare and food benefits…maybe not the best time to sell skin care for toddlers.”
“Seriously??? Teaching young girls from a very sensitive age that they need things to be and feel prettier like they are NOT ENOUGH is disturbing. DO BETTER,” wrote yet another person.
AdvertisementAs one concerned commenter noted, “What a way to teach our tiniest of minds that their worth depends on appearances.”
On TikTok, entertainment lawyer and creator Sana (@sanabanaanaa) summed up the disbelief. She said, “Just when you thought the news couldn’t get any worse, Shay Mitchell has announced she’s launching a skincare line for children. Because why should your body dysmorphia start in your teens when it could start as early as birth?”
AdvertisementIn her caption, Sana continued, “Her team obviously saw the articles about children buying drunk elephant and thought how can we take advantage of this? It’s really sad. I can’t believe we are at this level of cash grab, as if money comes above all.”
@sanabanaanaa Her team obviously saw the articles about children buying drunk elephant and thought how can we take advantage of this? It’s really sad. I can’t believe we are at this level of cash grab, as if money comes above all. #skincare #children ♬ original sound – Sana 📚📘✍️
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