Children are no longer just children. That’s the sad reality of recent months. Young children, aged between 3 and 12 years old, predominantly girls, have adopted adult skincare routines. These routines are inspired by what they see on social media, incorporating peptides, retinol, collagen, and more. They are sadly known for raiding major cosmetics retailers to buy products at exorbitant prices. Beyond the uselessness of such a beauty routine at this age, this practice poses a real threat to their skin health.

To raise awareness about this concerning issue, Kiehl’s decided to remind everyone of what a child’s routine should truly entail. Through four visuals, the campaign urges people not to let children miss out on the beautiful and innocent moments of childhood. It targets not only parents but the whole of society, which must mobilize to ensure that our children do not grow up too fast and, above all, stay healthy.

What began as a post on Kiehl’s social media platforms quickly gained traction and was widely shared not only in the United States but also across the globe, from Mexico to Italy to Vietnam. Kiehl’s supported widely its message with a OOH, a DOOH and a print campaign (including The New- York Times). In addition, Kiehl’s used LED trucks for passing by schools and famous beauty retailers. These tactical locations were an opportunity to better catch the attention of the ones concerned.

This campaign created by Kiehl’s agency, Marcel Paris, has been widely praised for addressing this issue, with many positive responses from the public and a warm welcome from experts, including pediatricians and dermatologists.

But it’s not a single brand engagement. Putting kids before sales is now officially a commitment of the entire L’Oréal. The beauty group, that owns Kiehl’s, pledged to not intentionally market their products to kids under 16 years old unless they meet a very specific need like eczema or acne. Additionally, L’Oréal will not partner with influencers under the legal age to sign a contract.