Pretty Little Liars actress Shay Mitchell’s new business has been in the news for all the wrong reasons. Mitchell, who founded the apparel brand Béis in 2018, has come up with a new brand called Rini. It is a skin care line that targets children as young as two years of age. Mitchell’s everyday sheet masks for children have brought a new controversy against her.
The brand offered 100% cotton face masks for young children, which come in the designs of puppy, unicorn, and panda. However, the panda masks have caused quite the controversy in the online community. Fans called out Mitchell’s use of panda due to its alleged symbolism.
According to online users, the panda symbol is associated with child abuse. It allegedly symbolized the panda eyes, which is allegedly a condition that children who have been abused face. Some fans claimed that it was a complete ignorance on Mitchell’s part to use the symbol for a childcare product.
🔥🚨BREAKING: Hollywood Shay Mitchell is under backlash after releasing skin care line for kids as young as 3 and unveiling the product with a commercial that has children in panda face masks in addition to ‘all seeing eye symbolism.’ The backlash stems from pandas being a hidden… pic.twitter.com/WxjskVnuK5
Mitchell was previously associated with the Somaly Mam Foundation, a non-profit organization that fought s*x trafficking. The Dollface actress has two daughters with Matte Babel, born in 2019 and 2022, who inspired her to start the childcare beauty brand.
Dermatologists Have Slammed Shay Mitchell’s Brand for Kids
While Shay Mitchell claimed that her brand Rini was 100 percent safe for kids, some dermatologists are skeptical. Dr. Sandy Skotnicki was not on board with Mitchell’s idea of a safe-for-kids brand, sharing her doubts about the long ingredients list. She shared with the New York Post:
The formula is definitely not good for young skin. There are 68 ingredients, give or take — I had a hard time counting them all. Your tiny child’s skin has to consider this many chemicals on their thin, skill-developing skin. These are potential irritants and allergens. Taken all together, there are a lot of ingredients the thin skin of a 3-year-old would have to deal with.
While Mitchell promises that the product doesn’t use the harsh ingredients used in adult beauty care, like retinol and chemical exfoliators, the doctor didn’t trust the ingredient list. Another pediatrician, Dr. Jeffrey Karasik, shared that while he saw the upsides of the harmless ingredients, he was completely against the social and emotional messaging.
Dr. Skotnicki also addressed the wrong message that it potentially sends out, sharing, “It is simply the absolute wrong message to send to little girls. Focus at this age is skin health not beauty standards. Sun avoidance is the main skin care.” Mitchell claimed on Instagram that her brand taught kids that “taking care of themselves can be fun, gentle, and safe.” However, Skotnicki argued:
Kids should be outside digging in the dirt, enjoying nature, growing plants, playing games — not putting on sheet masks. Do we need another personal care product that kids think they need to feel good about themselves? Do we need another personal care product that kids think they need to feel good about themselves? Shame on this whole enterprise.
The response to Mitchell’s brand has been overwhelmingly negative, with many parents and social media users sharing the same concern as Dr. Stoknicki. Mom-influencer, @mom.uncharted, shared on Instagram under Mitchell’s post, “I struggle to find the right words to articulate how disappointing and dystopian this is.”
How Did Shay Mitchell Respond to the Backlash?
Shay Mitchell hasn’t addressed the backlash directly. However, her Instagram post revealed her perspective on the matter. She shared, “Kids are naturally curious and instead of ignoring that, we can embrace it. With safe, gentle products parents can trust, and sweet moments that bring us closer.” However, her explanation didn’t sit well with the masses.
Mitchell told Elle that the brand was inspired by her own daughters, who wanted to put on the makeup that their mother used. While she didn’t allow them to use her products, she shared that she wanted them to know about how skin care was all about creating healthy habits. She shared:
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. 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.
Rini currently lists products, including Hydrating Hydrogel Facial Mask, After-Sun Hydrogel Facial Mask, and Everyday Facial Sheet Mask. Rini’s press release statement shared that the brand was collaborating with chemists and laboratories in South Korea. The statement read:
Rini offers dermatologist-tested products designed to inspire curiosity and confidence while supporting healthy habits from an early age.
The brand’s launch happened on November 5, and the backlash associated with it started the previous day when Mitchell teased the idea of a childcare face mask. She founded the brand alongside her friend, Esther Song.
What do you think of the moral implications of Shay Mitchell’s new brand? Let us know in the comments below!
