Cary Dunst is the news anchor for NTD Evening News. He is also the co-host of NTD Good Morning.


Cary Dunst

NTD Plus

News

We present news that is truthful and based on facts, outside of the political fog. Instead of focusing on the negative things happening around us, our mission is to give our viewers a good morning with empathetic and uplifting stories. Our aim is to provide an antidote to negativity by shining a light on the best side of people. We speak to inspiring people who positively impact communities, pursue topics that represent our common human values, and will never miss an opportunity to bring you heartwarming stories.

NTD Good Morning

Iranian Regime Misreading Trump, Says Middle East Expert

Stefania Cox is an NTD News anchor and national correspondent based at the network's global headquarters in New York City. Stefania anchors "NTD Newsroom," and co-anchors "NTD News Today" weekdays at 10:00 am ET.

Stefania Cox

Anchors of Hope: Mission-Critical Veterans Present ‘Amazing Opportunity’ for G1K Companies This 250th Year

NTD Newsroom comprises teams of reporters, editors, and producers assigned to cover breaking news and other stories.


NTD Newsroom

Death of Handcuffed Stabbing Victim Sparks Backlash in the UK

Daniel Monaghan is a reporter for NTD News covering culture, social issues, and education. He holds a BA in Political Science and Government.

Daniel Monaghan

FBI Announces Launch of Operation Summer Heat 2.0

The Associated Press is an American not-for-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. 

The Associated Press

Business News

Tariffs

US Says It Plans Extra Tariffs of 10 Percent or More for Most Trading Partners After Forced Labor Probe

Jackson Richman is a Washington correspondent for The Epoch Times. In addition to Washington politics, he covers the intersection of politics and sports/sports and culture. He previously was a writer at Mediaite and Washington correspondent at Jewish News Syndicate. His writing has also appeared in The Washington Examiner. He is an alum of George Washington University.

Jackson Richman

Beige Luciano-Adams is an investigative reporter covering Los Angeles and statewide issues in California. She has covered politics, arts, culture, and social issues for a variety of outlets, including LA Weekly and MediaNews Group publications.  

Beige Luciano-Adams

Melina Wisecup is NTD's congressional correspondent based in Washington, covering Capitol Hill and campaign politics.

Melina Wisecup

US News

State News

California

Bass Advances to Runoff in LA Mayor’s Race; Pratt, Naman Vie For Remaining Spot

Aldgra Fredly is a freelance writer covering U.S. and Asia Pacific news for The Epoch Times.

Aldgra Fredly

World News

Middle East

Iran

US Military Says It Intercepted Iranian Missiles Launched Toward Regional Nations, Conducted Strikes

Kelly McBride Ni is a news writer for NTD based in North Carolina. 


Kelly McBride Ni

Foreign Researchers Charged With Allegedly Smuggling Monkeypox Virus Into US

Jill McLaughlin is an award-winning journalist covering politics, environment, and statewide issues. She has been a reporter and editor for newspapers in Oregon, Nevada, and New Mexico. Jill was born in Yosemite National Park and enjoys the majestic outdoors, traveling, golfing, and hiking.

Jill McLaughlin

Scott Pelley Fired by ’60 Minutes’ After Clash With Management

Reuters is a news agency owned by Thomson Reuters. It employs around 2,500 journalists and 600 photojournalists in about 200 locations worldwide writing in 16 languages.

Reuters

Courts

Supreme Court

Supreme Court Clears Way for Alabama to Use Pro-Republican Voting Map

NTD Good Morning Full Broadcast (June 3)

NTD Good Morning Full Broadcast (June 2)

NTD Good Morning Full Broadcast (June 1)

NTD Good Morning Full Broadcast (May 29)

NTD Good Morning Full Broadcast (May 28)

NTD Good Morning Full Broadcast (May 27)

NTD Good Morning Full Broadcast (May 26)

NTD Good Morning Full Broadcast (May 25)

NTD Good Morning Full Broadcast (May 22)

NTD Good Morning Full Broadcast (May 21)

More Than 17,000 Under Evacuation Orders as Southern California Wildfire Threatens Homes

Rudy Blalock is a Southern California-based daily news reporter for NTD. Originally from Michigan, he moved to California in 2017 and the sunshine and ocean have kept him here since. In his free time, he may be found underwater scuba diving, on top of a mountain hiking or snowboarding, or at home meditating—which helps fuel his active lifestyle.

Rudy Blalock

40,000 Ordered to Evacuate as Chemical Tank Leaks, Threatens Explosion in California

Video of US Fighter Jet Shooting Down UFO Over Lake Huron Emerges in New Pentagon Files

Ryan Morgan is a reporter for The Epoch Times focusing on military and foreign affairs. He was previously a news writer for NTD. 


Ryan Morgan

Mari Otsu is NTD's White House correspondent based in Washington. 

Mari Otsu

3 US Warships Fend Off Iranian Attacks, Trump Says Ceasefire Still Holds

News you can trust from the U.S. and around the world. Critical information and insight. We cover the stories that others don’t. NTD News Today airs Monday–Friday at 11 a.m. ET.

NTD News Today

US Government Sues Chick-fil-A Over Religious Rights

Sports News

Kyle Busch, Two-Time NASCAR Champion, Dies at 41

Haika Mrema

Medical Plane Crash in New Mexico Mountains Kills 4, Sparks Wildfire

California Mayor Resigns, Will Plead Guilty to Acting as Chinese Agent

Iranian Strikes on UAE, Ships Amid US Operation to Open Hormuz Strait Test Ceasefire

Trump Calls Iran's Response to Latest US Ceasefire Proposal 'Totally Unacceptable'

CNN Newsource offers live, breaking and topical content. 

CNN Newsource

When Ayva Peña got a phone at age 10, her interest in skin care skyrocketed.

At first, she bonded over it with her mother, Giselle Peña. Together, they would have spa days with face masks and take occasional shopping trips to try out new products. But when the Rhode Island mother found a $300 anti-aging face cream in Ayva’s medicine drawer, it gave her pause.

“I got very upset. … She’s 15 years old,” Peña said. “It says it makes your skin ageless, improves fine lines, wrinkles and firmness. I was like, ‘This is not for you, girl.’”

Peña is among a growing number of parents concerned about how content on social media platforms is influencing children and teens into trying out elaborate, often age-inappropriate skin care products. Now, a study published Monday in the journal Pediatrics may confirm those parents’ worries.

After analyzing beauty routines from 100 TikTok videos by content creators ages 7 through 18, researchers found an average of 11 potentially irritating active ingredients among their regimens, many of which carry a risk of developing skin allergies and increased sun sensitivity. Only a quarter of the lengthy product lists contained sunscreens, however.

“The majority of [children] featured in these videos didn’t have any visible acne. They had perfect, clear skin,” said Dr. Molly Hales, the first study author and a board-certified dermatologist in the department of dermatology at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. “For many of them, the harms probably outweigh any potential benefits.”

Between the dozens of daily serums, moisturizers, toners and cleansers featured in the videos, the average routine was six steps long, costing about $168—with some more than $500—for one month’s worth of product, according to the study.

“When you have kids waking up at 5:30 in the morning on a school day to have enough time to layer on these complicated regimens, I think it becomes less about health and more [about] pursuing an idea of beauty that is unrealistic and problematic,” said Hales, who is also a postdoctoral research fellow at Feinberg. The findings raise serious ethical questions about how social media content influences young people in their everyday lives, she added

A TikTok spokesperson, noting that this type of content is “common across all media,” said the platform is only for users ages 13 and older, and any creators suspected to be under 13 are removed. Additionally, they said that TikTok works with third-party doctors and experts in adolescent development to implement safeguarding policies.
<h2>Red Flags in Teen Skin Care</h2>
Most of the studied skin care routines lacked a form of sunscreen but contained products that could increase sun sensitivity and risk of skin cancer, the authors found.

Common active ingredients found in recommended skin products were alpha hydroxy acids or AHAs, mild chemical exfoliants that help remove top layers of skin cells, Hales said. While they have the intended effect of evening skin tone and creating a more youthful appearance, they are known to make the skin more vulnerable to the sun’s ultraviolet rays.

“I would recommend daily sunscreen use for all ages and regimens, but especially for those using these [AHAs],” Hales said. “It’s a necessary step to prevent permanent skin damage.”

Those AHAs, as well as vitamin-based ingredients such as niacinamide, are also considered potential irritants, carrying side effects such as redness and dryness, especially with overuse.

“In many cases, the girls may not have realized they were applying the same active ingredient again and again, which just increases the risk of irritation,” said Dr. Tara Lagu, senior study author and adjunct lecturer of medicine and medical social sciences at Feinberg.

More than half the products contained fragrance—a common cause of allergic contact dermatitis—and 20 other inactive ingredients that are known allergens, according to the study.

“Misinformation is a big issue on social media, but especially for these content creators younger than 18,” said Dr. Sonal Shah, a board-certified dermatologist in Cleveland and director of pediatric dermatology at University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital. Shah was not involved in the study.

“These are sources that perhaps don’t have a scientific background and are not well read in the science behind a lot of these products, how they work, or what risks they carry,” Shah said, adding that there are board-certified dermatologists on TikTok that could offer more credible advice.

Other concerning trends Shah has seen in her practice, but were not mentioned in the study, include mechanical exfoliants, such as scrubbing wands or cleansers containing plastic microbeads, which are often too rough for facial skin.

The study also noted that many of the creators were offering tips relevant to those with lighter complexions, which may exclude the unique skin care considerations of darker complexions while perpetuating harmful ideals of “brighter” skin associated with whiteness.
<h2>What Skin Care Should Teens Use?</h2>
Both Shah and Hales recommend children under 18 who are not dealing with acne use a gentle cleanser with no active ingredients, paired with a fragrance-free moisturizer and a daily mineral sunscreen.

In general, children will not benefit from anti-aging products that promise to boost skin elasticity or eliminate fine lines, Shah said. In these young ages, collagen production is at the highest it will ever be.

As children reach puberty, however, they may produce more acne-causing hormones. In those cases, Shah recommends adding an over-the-counter product with salicylic acid or a low percentage of benzoyl peroxide.

“Their skin care does not have to be complicated and does not have to be very expensive,” Shah said. Parents “can talk to a board-certified dermatologist or pediatric dermatologist if there are skin concerns that are significant or don’t respond to over-the-counter treatment.”
<h2>The Bigger Picture</h2>
Ultimately, if parents are concerned about their child’s skin care regimen, they should talk about it, said Jennifer Harriger, a professor of psychology at Pepperdine University who studies childhood development, in a statement.

“I think that it is always best to have open conversations with children about the messages they see on social media as well as their own intentions behind purchasing particular skincare products,” said Harriger, who was not involved in the study.

It’s also important to keep an open mind, understanding the social dimension of youth beauty and wellness content, Hales said.

“These videos show a kind of playful self-expression that’s very appealing to this age group,” Hales said. “These are girls who are just starting to develop their own sense of independent identity, how they present [themselves] in the world, their gender identity, and in many cases what it means to be a girl in our society.”

Latest

Videos

04_Top Stories

Latest Clips

Management

Health News

Latest and breaking news, documentaries, movies, and lifestyle content on NTD+.
 
Empower your knowledge and elevate your spirit with NTD+, your go-to destination for truthful news, insightful documentaries, and captivating lifestyle content that enriches your life.

Teen TikTok Skin Care Craze May Be Harmful—and Expensive, Study Finds

Take Action for $7,500 Federal Credit 'If You’re Thinking About an Electric Vehicle,’ Says Automotive Expert

LA Protests Warrant ‘Deeper Investigation by the FBI’ to Determine Funding: Analyst

Barbara Weakens to a Tropical Storm as It Heads to Cooler Waters Off the Coast of Mexico

NTD Good Morning Full Broadcast (June 10)

Zachary Stieber is a senior reporter for The Epoch Times based in Maryland. He covers U.S. and world news. Contact Zachary at zack.stieber@epochtimes.com