“It literally could be anyone [that can advertise], people just buy stuff and then review it on TikTok and then that’s how they get the money so it could be anybody that can do it.”
Girl, 16
“I think TikTok, I see a lot of these like get ready with me videos where people are just using like excessive beauty products. Those come up on my feed a lot.”
“It’s like, you don’t want this, this will fix that, and you don’t want to have weird eyebrows, so this will fix that, and this will fix your eyelashes, this will fix your lips, and this will fix your nose, and this will fix your hair, and this will fix your nails, and this will fix that.”
Girl, 17
Girl, 16
“I saw this video on TikTok saying this […] would grow your lashes back in two weeks […] it showed all these fake photos and it didn’t tell me any of the side effects. And then I got an eye infection and a stye because it didn’t show all the proper ingredients on the list. And then I searched it up and it had, … I don’t know what it’s called. It’s this chemical. It’s like a hormone chemical […] I had to go on antibiotics. […]. I did loads of research before I bought it […], all these influencers were saying that it grew their lashes back.”
“TikTok, I definitely see a lot [of adverts] for skin care and makeup, especially because they’ve got like TikTok Shop I see a lot of people like advertising with the Tik Tok shop with the videos.”
Girl, 16
A healthy influence?
Girl, 16
March 2026
Children’s exposure to appearance-changing products online
Young people are being relentlessly exposed to products that claim to make changes to your body and appearance, like skin products, supplements and diet pills. These products can have health risks if used, and seeing them online might have a negative effect on how you see yourself.
What has the Commissioner found out?
• Children are widely exposed to dieting and weight loss products, more than half of children had seen exercise and diet plans (54%) and food and drink products claiming to aid weight loss (52%).
• Black (46%) and Asian (35%) children are more likely than White children (24%) to see skin lightening products, despite many of these products being illegal to sell in the UK and containing toxic ingredients.
• Boys (43%) are more likely to see supplements for muscle building than girls (32%).
• Seeing beauty products and procedures is widespread, with two thirds of children (66%) seeing teeth whitening products online and around two in five girls (43%) seeing cosmetic procedures.
What’s the Commissioner going to do?
The Children’s Commissioner is calling for urgent action to better protect children online, including:
• Stronger regulation and enforcement of rules about online sales of age-restricted products, so that children cannot easily buy items intended for adults.
• Changes to Ofcom’s Children’s Code of Practice to better protect children.
• Restrict all advertising to children on social media.
• Further age restrictions on what children can see and do online Government and regulators should use their existing powers to limit what content children can see online.
What young people can do
1. Talk to a trusted adult about products you see online and if they are safe to use, or how they make you feel.
2. Watch out for messaging online that tries to tell you how you should look.
3. If you need health advice, go to the NHS website, or talk to your GP or pharmacist.
“As Children’s Commissioner I want every young person to grow up being safe online, but know too many of you are seeing extreme and potentially harmful content, which can have a negative impact on the way you feel about yourself. No child should be exposed to products that tell you to change the way you look, and no one should feel they have to change themselves because of the content they see online – you are great as you are!
Growing up today comes with enough challenges, that’s why I will keep pushing the government to make the internet as safe as possible, so you are not fed this content or exposed to these products online.”
Dame Rachel de Souza Children’s Commissioner for England
If you are living in care, are living away from home, have a social worker or are a care leaver you can contact the Children’s Commissioner’s Help at Hand team
