Beauty brand P.Louise is facing criticism for its recent 'back to school' marketing campaign, which features influencers as young as 11 promoting products like lip gloss pens and salon services. Critics online and within the beauty industry are questioning the brand's targeting of children, despite previous assertions that its products are intended for professional makeup artists.
Recent P.Louise campaigns have included young girls advertising products with hashtags like #backtoschool. One influencer, Summer, appeared in a paid TikTok video for the brand, stating, "Come with me to P.Louise City to get my hair done ready for school tomorrow." Another advertisement described the brand's new lip gloss pens as "perfect for back to school" and "new school essentials."
Mum-influencers have also promoted the products to parents. LaurenJ told her 25,000 followers that the lip gloss with a pen was a must-have for daughters heading back to school. Suzie filmed her daughter getting a "curly blow-dry" at the P.Louise City salon in Manchester ahead of her first day back.
The brand's business practices at its P.Louise City site in Manchester include advertising "Under 12s wash, blow and curl" appointments, "Under 12s Upstyles," and makeup masterclasses for under-16s. Birthday parties at the venue offer children makeup sessions, hair styling, and the opportunity to create their own party bags with P.Louise products. The Makeup Academy also provides courses for under-12s and under-16s.
One prominent young figure associated with the brand is 12-year-old Lacey M., who began posting makeup content on TikTok in September 2024 at age ten. Her account, which gained thousands of followers, predominantly young girls, attracted the attention of P.Louise founder Paige Louise Williams in October 2024. Lacey became a brand ambassador, appearing in promotional videos and receiving her own P.Louise makeup collaboration. Her 12th birthday was marked by a lavish event at the P.Louise BOXPARK retail space in Liverpool, which included a DJ, dancers, and VIP areas. Tickets for the public cost £38, and the event was estimated to potentially generate up to £54,000 in ticket revenue.
Following her 12th birthday, Lacey's TikTok account was temporarily removed, as TikTok requires users to be at least 13. She now appears to operate under a new username with a biography stating "PARENT RAN [sic] ACCOUNT." Despite this, she continues to be involved in P.Louise content, posting videos of visits to P.Louise City for hair appointments and doing skincare and makeup routines with the brand's products.
Insiders have expressed concern, with one source stating, "Paige has said before that the make-up isn’t targeted towards kids but professional make-up artists. Yet the packaging, who she pays to promote her brand and the P.Louise empire in Manchester says otherwise." The source added, "The empire is full of children, and the staff do a lot of activities specifically for children to attend."
Other figures in the beauty and influencer community have also voiced criticism. American influencer Mikayla Nogueira unfollowed P.Louise, stating it had become "too catered to kids." Professional makeup artist Robert Welsh and beauty commentator Jen Luv have also criticized the brand's targeting of children.
Concerns have also been raised about the atmosphere at P.Louise's Manchester site. One social media user commented on birthday parties for young children where attendees received goodie bags with phrases like "bad b***h energy." Influencer Megan Pickford recently took her young daughters to P.Louise City, describing it as "pamper heaven for little girls."