Shay Mitchell launches toddler skincare line, sparking backlash

(NewsNation) — “Sephora kids” put a spotlight on skincare for teens and tweens, but one actress is expanding the beauty industry to include toddlers.

Shay Mitchell, best known for her roles in “You” and “Pretty Little Liars,” on Thursday launched her new brand, Rini, a skincare line developed specifically for children.

Ahead of the launch, Mitchell posted a picture of a young girl with a beauty face mask on, teasing her new product. “Something gentle, something new,” the caption read.

Social media users took to the comment section, with some enraged over today’s beauty standards.

“I thought this was an awareness campaign about the unrealistic beauty standards kids face, not an actual ad for kids’ skincare. Heartbreaking and horrifying,” one person commented.

Another said, “I struggle to find the right words to articulate how disappointing and dystopian this is 💔,” said mom influencer @mom.uncharted.

Others called the move “sick,” “out of touch” and “insane.”

Co-founded with her friend Esther Song, the beauty brand’s name, Rini, is the Korean word for “children.”

“My girls would always see me with [masks on], especially when getting prepared for any makeup to follow. They would just come into the bathroom and look at me in the mirror and be like, ‘Can I use that? What’s that?’ I’ll even pass them some deodorant—with a lid on, of course—just so they feel like they can be a part of my routine,” Mitchell told ELLE.com. “I also want them to know that skin care, for me, is about creating healthy habits and about having that self-care time—that’s important.”