Princess Madeleine of Sweden says her tween daughter Princess Leonore inspired the creation of her new skincare line minLen

Princess Madeleine of Sweden says she was inspired to create her own skincare line after shopping with her eldest daughter who, like millions of young girls, is into anti-ageing products.

Speaking at the launch of minLen, Princess Madeleine said rather than ignoring their children, parents should try and offer “an alternative” that’s more age-appropriate for delicate skin.

She was referencing the so-called ‘Sephora kids’ trend, named after a flurry of videos showing tweens converging on the beauty store searching for anti-ageing products they’d seen on social media, in particular TikTok.

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It’s sparked numerous warnings from dermatologists who say children shouldn’t be using products containing retinoids or alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) because they will do more harm than good.

In California, a bill has been proposed that would ban the sale of skincare products containing such ingredients to under 18s.

Last year in Sweden, pharmacy chain Apotek Hjärtat introduced age restrictions on anti-ageing skincare, stating consumers had to be over the age of 15 – or have parental approval – to purchase.

Princess Madeleine says her daughter Princess Leonore, 11, has an interest in skincare like so many other young girls.

“It was hard to find something that, number one, I felt could trust,” Madeleine said at the launch of her line at a beauty fair in Duesseldorf, Germany, on Friday.

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Madeleine, 42, said she wanted a product containing “natural ingredients” that were “high quality but also something that [Leonore] would enjoy and have fun with, the colours, the scent”.

She worked with Swedish skincare giant Weleda to develop minLen which, Madeleine said, was “created with the needs of both young and growing families in mind”.

Madeleine said a lot of work went on to “give us parents some reassurance that [children] can have fun and explore because that is what the kids should do, they should try and explore”.

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Referring to the ’Sephora kids’ trend, Madeleine said: “Kids see so much on their phones”.

“They want to buy the products on TikTok. Instead of not giving them anything at all, or letting them buy exactly what they want that has beautiful packaging and is trendy on social media, it’s better to give them an alternative.”

Speaking to Swedish magazine Aftonbladet Madeleine added: “I struggled as a parent because of course she [Princess Leonore] dragged me to the store. It was hard to find products there that I could trust and that she liked with the right colours and scents and all that.”

Her three children – Princess Leonore, Prince Nicolas, 10, and Princess Adrienne, seven – have tested the creams and even helped come up with the names.

Madeleine’s husband Christopher O’Neill – a banker – provided financial advice.

He was at the launch and later spoke of his support for Madeleine’s new business venture.

“It gives me a lot of pride seeing Madeleine growing into a different form of herself, it was really wonderful,” he said.

The range will be on sale from September and will include face creams for both adults, children and babies, shampoo and conditioner, body wash, serums, body oil and lip balm.

They are natural, sustainably sourced and cruelty free. Prices will range from $17-$60.

The brand has been named minLen, from the Swedish words min (my) and len (soft). Len is also the nickname of Madeleine.

It is being sold under the name ‘Madeleine Bernadotte’ due to the brand being “a private initiative” and a commercial endeavour.

Princess Madeleine is the daughter of Sweden’s King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia. Her sister, Crown Princess Victoria, is heir to the throne.

She’s the latest in a number of royals (European and British) who have their own brands or commercial endeavours, allowing them to make money in lieu of taxpayer-funded allowances.

Madeleine previously wrote a book under the same, private name.

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When the skincare line was announced last week, Sweden’s royal court said the decision to launch the brand had been made “in consultation” with Princess Madeleine, adding that “this private enterprise is compatible with Princess Madeleine’s role as a Royal Highness”.

The palace added that Princess Madeleine had not received any funding provided to the royal family from the government and that “she participates in and carries out official engagements as needed and based on the King’s requests”.

Princess Madeleine recently returned to Sweden after living in Florida for nearly a decade and isn’t a working member of the royal family, unlike her siblings Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Carl Philip who, along with a business partner, created design studio Bernadotte & Kylberg in 2012.

Responding to the issue of her royal title and her new venture, Madeleine said: “I am who I am. I understand that people talk about me as a princess, but it is as Madeleine Bernadotte that I created this company”.

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