Dove has unveiled its #TheFaceof10 campaign, in response to the growing number of young girls being exposed online to adult skincare content.  

Exposure to adult-targeted anti-ageing skincare is increasingly building societal pressure and creating appearance anxiety for young girls. This can negatively impact self-esteem, now and in the future, and cause children to adopt unnecessary skincare routines.  

An online survey conducted by Edelman DXI to over 9,000 girls aged 10-17 years olds in 20 countries showed that nearly 50% expect to worry about their appearance as they age and 33% expect to have cosmetic work or plastic surgery to alter their appearance as they age.  

The #TheFaceof10 campaign highlights Dove’s belief that a 10 year old’s face should be a canvas for care-free fun, not anti-ageing products. Without clearer guidance on which types of products are age appropriate for young girls, children will continue to misuse and glorify inappropriate anti-ageing products.  

Dove aims to expose the absurdity of this issue and raise awareness of it through thumb-stopping creative content featuring impactful, decorated faces representing #TheFaceof10 and showing that the face should be covered with glitter, stickers and face point – not retinol and other inappropriate skincare ingredients and products.  

Alongside Dr Philippa Diedrichs, Research Psychologist at the Centre of Appearance Research at the University of West England, and body image expert and certified dermatologist Dr Marisa Garshick, Dove has created the Gen A Anti-Ageing Talk, a free resource aiming to educate young people about anti-ageing and beauty anxiety. 

Dr Phillippa Diedrichs says: “Today, girls are exposed to adult skincare content online and pressures to look a certain way at a very young age, to the extent that they’re adding products designed for adults to their wish lists and skincare regimens, without understanding the possible consequences for their physical and mental health. All of this contributes to a toxic culture of unrealistic beauty standards and pressures.” 

The Gen A Anti-Ageing Talk is pinned on Dove’s TikTok channel.