California Bill Proposes Children Skincare Ban

A new Californian bill proposes to ban selling certain anti-aging skincare products to kids younger than 13 years old. The bill would apply to products advertised as anti-aging and that contain either Vitamin A derivatives like retinol or alpha hydroxy acids like glycolic acid, ascorbic acid or citric acid.

California bill AB 2491 was introduced by Assembly member Alex Lee, and passed the Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee on April 23. An appropriations hearing for the bill is scheduled to take place.

“Kids don’t need anti-aging products, and AB 2491 will protect children and preteens from the potential harms of using products that may lead to short- or long-term skin challenges they wouldn’t otherwise have,” Lee said.

But trade association Personal Care Products Council, which represents about 600 cosmetic and personal care companies, said the bill would be “largely impossible” to enforce.

“By proposing sales restrictions for a wide range of cosmetics and personal care products, including basic essentials like sunscreens, moisturizers, and cleansers, this bill threatens to overregulate products that are safe and essential for healthy skin care,” Personal Care Products Council said in a statement, adding that member companies are trying to educate tweens and pre-teens about using age-appropriate products.