In a moment that was branded everything from “gross” to “grifting”, Shay Mitchell launched a skincare brand specifically for kids.
Called Rini, Shay Mitchell’s skincare brand for ages three and up is currently selling a single product: An everyday aloe vera “recovery” mask. The marketing and packaging are aimed at children, with the sheet masks themselves being a unicorn, a panda, and a puppy. Naturally, people lost their sh*t on just about every social platform.
“Shay Mitchell made some f*ck ass skin care ‘products’ for children down to three years old, consisting of a disposable face mask for ‘after-sun’ care. If your children are cooking in the sun and need an after-sun product, you are absolutely failing them and their skin care from the get,” one person wrote on Twitter.
Another said: “Shay is so weird for creating a whole skincare line for kids like WHY DO THEY NEED IT?”
“‘This is incredibly dark. How disappointing,” someone else said on Instagram. “I struggle to find the right words to articulate how disappointing and dystopian this is.”
Though she’s yet to respond to the backlash specifically, she did post some explanations on Instagram that detailed her thought patterns behind the child skincare.
Shay Mitchell’s skincare brand for kids is NOT about beauty
View this post on Instagram
Perhaps predicting some backlash about a beauty brand specifically aimed at kids, Shay Mitchell detailed her reasoning behind Rini when she announced the business.
“So excited (and honestly, so relieved) that I can finally talk about Rini. This has been three years in the making, inspired by my girls, their curiosity, and all the little moments that made me realise how early it starts. From birthday parties and face paint to wanting to do ‘what mommy does’ with her face masks… it was only a matter of time,” she said.
But as experts have already pointed out, while kids might want to replicate what they see their parents using on their faces, most adult skincare products are not suitable. Many contain harsh ingredients that could damage youthful skin, so Shay saw a gap in the market to offer a safer alternative.
Shay Mitchell made some fuck ass skin care ‘products’ for children down to 3 years old consisting of a disposable face mask for ‘after-sun’ care. If your children are cooking in the sun and need an after sun product you are absolutely failing them and their skin care from the get
— boop (@sm0kef4iry) November 8, 2025
She continued, explaining why it’s more about self-care: “Rini isn’t about beauty it’s about self-care. About teaching our kids that taking care of themselves can be fun, gentle, and safe.
“Our first product, the aloe vera recovery mask, actually came from a spring break moment in Mexico when one of the girls got too much sun and needed some extra TLC. I wanted something that worked, but was still clean enough for my kids and now it’s finally here. 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.”
Save the Sephora Kids. Shay Mitchell has launched rini, a new kids’ skincare brand (yep, you read that right), that is already sparking a media revolt. Save the children
pic.twitter.com/pC9ewYfUXX
— VintageOlisa ® (@VintageOlisaLLC) November 8, 2025
So yes, while Rini might contribute to the never-ending hamster wheel of overconsumption, surely it’s the lesser of two evils? Gen Alpha kids are already using skincare, so why not offer an alternative that isn’t going to spark issues for them later in life? People seemed to brush past this in the comments of Shay’s Insta post.
“This is so tone deaf for so many reasons,” one person wrote.
Another said: “This seems like a new black mirror episode. ‘Skin Care for Toddlers’. Seriously? @shaymitchell do better.”
Despite the backlash, I’d bet my own collection of sheet masks that they fly off the shelves.
For more like this, like The Tab on Facebook.
Featured image credit: Nathalie Benshmuel/BFA.com/Shutterstock
