Shay Mitchell is officially stepping into the chat. After the internet dragged her new children’s skin-care brand, Rini, the actress pulled up to Today to clear the air. And let’s just say she came prepared.
Sitting down with Olivia Munn and Jenna Bush Hager, Shay explained why she wanted to make skin-care products for kids as young as three, a concept that caused instant chaos online.
Why Shay Says Kids’ Skin Care Makes Sense
Shay told the hosts she wanted to create something that wasn’t adult beauty in mini sizes, but actually safe and gentle for little ones.
“I thought, why couldn’t there be something that was gentle and safe enough for them that could be fun and functional?” she said. “How I see it is, this is really about self care. It really is a positive introduction into a healthy relationship with skin care.”
She added that the whole idea came from her own life as a mom to daughters Atlas and Rome with partner Matte Babel.
Shay Calls Rini ‘Age-Appropriate’
For Shay, the concept isn’t as wild as people are making it out to be. She says parents already do skin care, just not in the “serum, toner, 12-step routine” vibe social media pushes.
“Skin care starts from birth, you know, we moisturize, we soothe, we comfort their skin as newborns,” the Pretty Little Liars star said. “This is the same thing, it’s just in a different format that’s more fun, and—I feel—very age-appropriate.”
Why She Says It’s Not About Beauty
Shay doubled down on the idea that Rini isn’t trying to turn toddlers into influencers.
Elsewhere in the interview, she explained that Rini is “not a beauty thing.” She added, “Kids don’t look at masks and think of fixing; they think of a cooling sensation and a shared moment.”
The Products Sparking the Conversation
Rini launched on November 6, and the backlash came almost instantly from both medical professionals and everyday parents. The brand currently offers:
“I struggle to find the right words to articulate how disappointing and dystopian this is,” one IG user commented. While another said, “Seriously??? Teaching young girls from a very sensitive age that they need things to be and feel prettier like they are NOT ENOUGH is disturbing. DO BETTER.”
Despite the criticism, Shay is sticking to her philosophy.
“Again, skincare, when we think about it, is just face, whereas for kids, it’s head to toe,” she said. “And it starts from babies, you know?”
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