From Playdates to Products: Inside Shay Mitchell’s New Skincare Brand

Actress and entrepreneur Shay Mitchell and co-founder Esther Song have created a skincare line, rini, designed for children as young as four years old. The mission statement reads “to nurture healthy habits, spark confidence, and make thoughtfully crafted daily care essentials and play products accessible to every family.” While this sounds fun and positive along with photographs of happy-looking children holding face masks, many are wondering if exposing young children to the world of beauty is really a detriment.

Rini was inspired by Korean skincare, which is known to be extremely popular and widely considered to be the best skincare products on the market. The word rini translates from the Korean slang for “kiddo” and was developed by the two mothers after their children expressed curiosity about their parents’ skincare routines. The brand’s debut line includes different kinds of sheet masks, with many coming in fun colors or shaped like animals.

Intentions, Intentions

The co-founders have explained that their intention with this company was to create a safe and playful entry point into skincare, especially as it becomes so popular in today’s culture and media. Mitchell described how her daughter would get curious about what she was using and they would do face masks together. However, the idea for rini did not cross her mind until she saw the ingredients and realized they were not safe for young kids. Instead of children using products that are not meant for them, they should use products that allow them to experience skincare while also using products that hydrate without stripping their skin of all things good.

The website also mentions that rini’s products are approved by U.S. dermatologists, clinically tested by science firms and made with proven ingredients. The co-founders have clearly put in work to make sure that these products are not harmful and actually have good effects.

Backlash Baby

Although Mitchell and Song have seemingly thought out the intentions and uses of their brand, social media responses have criticized what this could mean for children in a world of harsh beauty standards. Many critics have said “let kids be kids,” and are afraid that products like this are only encouraging them to grow up faster than they should. Others have noted that some of the products contain mineral-based mica, which has been linked to over 10,000 children in Madagascar mining it for everyday American products.

This backlash has not sprung out of thin air — the last couple of years of the beauty industry have been controversial. From tween beauty influencers to parents hosting Sephora birthday parties, many are concerned about the “adultification” of the new generation and the negative effects it might have.

Let’s Look at the Positive

Although rini has faced a good amount of backlash and criticism, the company also has its supporters. Some have welcomed rini as a positive, intentional alternative to unregulated viral skincare that is sweeping social media. Whether we like it or not, today’s children will be introduced to beauty and skincare at a younger age — maybe it’s better if the products are made FOR them. Mitchell has pushed the idea that the brand is about ritual, not results, affirming that it is supposed to be a playful activity rather than having noticeable effects. While this might sound good in theory, we are left wondering if rini is just playing into this new market and monetizing innocence.

What are your thoughts on rini? Let us know by tagging us @VALLEYMag on X!

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