Cosmeticorexia: The growing obsession with beauty products among children
For many children, a school bag now carries more than just textbooks. Across India, a new trend is quietly reshaping childhood: an intense, sometimes addictive, focus on cosmetics and skincare routines. Termed “cosmeticorexia” by behavioural experts, this phenomenon is raising concerns among teachers, parents, and mental health professionals.
Consider the case of Aliya, an eighth-grader whose daily routine involves a brightening cream, kajal, and a lip-and-cheek tint. When a teacher confiscated her make-up and made her wipe her face, the girl was not just annoyed; she was visibly distraught. She spent the rest of the day with her head down, refusing to look at classmates. Her mother, a daily wage earner, sees nothing wrong: “Young women should look pretty. Shouldn’t they?” But Aliya’s own words reveal a deeper problem: “Without it, my face looks dirty and dark. If I don’t wear it, the other girls say I look sick.”
Similar stories are emerging elsewhere. An eight-year-old named Sarah discovered skincare through videos on her mother’s phone and later received a ‘princess kit’ worth about ₹3,000. Her parents checked the brand was safe and organic. Within months, her cosmetics outnumbered her schoolbooks. She began begging relatives for new products and refused any other birthday gift. Now, her dolls sit abandoned, and her parents are taking her to a child psychiatrist.
Teachers say they are seeing an alarming shift in student behaviour. A teacher in Malappuram recounted how a student suddenly withdrew from activities and used a green-tinted cream from an unmarked jar. During an outdoor event, the girl’s face broke out in red patches under sunlight. The jar had no ingredient list or brand name; it was gifted by a relative with a warning not to go into the sun. The teacher described it as “a clinical dependency” rather than a passing phase.
Experts argue that this premature fascination with adult cosmetics stems largely from social media feeds and young online influencers. Girls see flawless, filtered faces and try to replicate them with multi-step routines. What begins as curiosity can become a rigid daily ritual, fostering deep insecurities and anxiety. According to behavioural scientists, this can lead to early body dysmorphia, an unhealthy preoccupation with perceived flaws.
The physical risks are equally concerning. Dermatologists point out that harsh chemical additives, whitening creams, and heavy make-up can damage children’s delicate skin, causing allergies, pigmentation, and long-term sensitivity. The lack of regulation for many such products, especially those sold online or as homemade remedies, adds to the danger.
Parents and educators need to step in with awareness and sensitivity. Rather than punishing or shaming children, experts recommend open conversations about self-image and media literacy. Encouraging children to question the unrealistic standards they see online can help them build a healthier sense of identity.
The issue is not merely about vanity. It is about protecting childhood from pressures that children are not yet equipped to handle. As one school counsellor put it, “When a child believes her bare face is unacceptable, we have failed her in a fundamental way.”
Addressing cosmeticorexia requires a collective effort from families, schools, and policymakers. Parents can monitor their child’s exposure to beauty content and model healthy attitudes. Schools can incorporate media literacy into their curriculum. Regulators must ensure that cosmetic products are clearly labelled, especially those marketed to children. Above all, society must rethink the message that a child’s worth is tied to her appearance.
