Does your child want to wear makeup? Market trends say the answer may be yes. According to a press release from Market Research Future, the global children’s cosmetics market could notch a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) as high as 6.79 percent by 2026. In the new generation of Insta-driven parents who are beauty bloggers, influencers and content consumers, children’s cosmetics are no longer as frowned upon as they once were—as long as they hold true to the following factors:
1. Safety
By far, safety is the number one concern and non-negotiable prerequisite in makeup for kids, as their skin is sensitive and not fully developed. “Many cosmetics, including those labeled ‘natural’ and ‘organic,’ aren’t regulated to the standards parents might expect,” one expert told Cleveland Clinic Health Essentials. In China, where children’s cosmetics are booming, safety is an obsession and key point of regulation.
To formulate safe makeup that parents can trust, Sensient uses its Ariafine certified dyes on a tricalcium phosphate substrate. These dyes are made without the thickening agent aluminum. Despite being deemed safe to a certain concentration, aluminum can be overly abrasive for a child’s skin.
2. Compliance
Aluminum has been the source of much discussion and movement in the regulatory landscape. In 2021, new limits for aluminum went into effect in Europe. Perhaps even more so than penalties, brands cannot afford damage to their reputations when it comes to the universally precious priority of children’s health. One misstep can make it extremely difficult to recover in the growing and promising children’s cosmetics market.
The Ariafine range is compliant with the new migration standard for aluminum in Europe as well as lip, face and eye product regulations across Europe, China, Japan and the U.S. The dyes pass 12 heavy metal limit specifications including for copper, lead, nickel and zinc.
3. Fun!
With safety and compliance covered, the last must-have is fun! By shifting the positioning of makeup from cover-up to creative expression, it becomes much less controversial for kids’ psychological health and development. Cleveland Clinic encourages parents to ease children into it, writing, “For a preteen, maybe start with lip-gloss. Over time, add powder foundation or other products. Don’t dive in with heavy lipstick and eyeliner.” And like any child’s activity, parents will need to set the boundary between fun and done.
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With pure, vibrant shades of Pink, Lazuli Blue, Citron and Sunset Yellow, Ariafine dyes make it easy for brands to explore and create, including mixing and matching the core colors for unique shades, just like the way kids learn to paint. Sensient’s Fairy Lipstick and Hair Fun Chalk Stick are just two examples of formulations with Ariafine. Contact us to learn more about safe, compliant and fun makeup formulations for kids.
