A mother in Wales rushed her 10-year-old daughter to the hospital after discovering she had put nail polish remover in her eyes while copying a YouTube beauty hack.
Per The Sun, the incident occurred on Monday, October 12, 2026.
Rebecca Soal, from Caerphilly, noticed a strong chemical smell while taking her younger daughter to bed. She discovered that her daughter, Phoebe Jones, had also applied the remover to her lips.
A YouTube Beauty Hack Led to the Hospital Visit
Jones had reportedly watched YouTube videos presenting nail polish remover as an alternative to eye drops and a way to achieve fuller lips.
Soal described how her daughter followed the instructions.
“She went into the bathroom, grabbed my nail varnish remover, tapped it on a cotton bud and wiped it all over her lips. Then she dropped [some] drops in each eye,” the mother said.
Recalling the discovery, she added, “I was going upstairs to take my youngest daughter to bed and the smell was horrific.”
Her daughter initially hesitated to explain what happened. Her mother noticed redness around her eyes and lips. “She was in pain, but it took her a while to confess everything to us,” the mother said.
The remover was acetone-free but reportedly contained ethyl acetate, isopropanol and Bitrex. Its packaging warned against eye contact.
Doctors Treated Her Eyes for Chemical Exposure
Soal took her daughter to the hospital, where doctors reportedly flushed each eye with a liter of saline solution and examined her corneas for potential damage.
“I did fear she was going to go blind […] and I was thinking of the worst,” the mother recalled, adding, “Doctors said she was really lucky.”
Jones also sustained a chemical burn on her lips. Her family began using Vaseline to prevent further cracking. “We’re waiting for a specialist appointment for her eyes, so we don’t have the full picture at the moment,” the mother said.
Permanent damage had not been confirmed when the incident was reported.
Poison Control recommends immediately rinsing eyes exposed to harmful chemicals with water for at least 15 to 20 minutes and seeking urgent medical care for severe or persistent symptoms.
Mother Called for Greater Online Safety Measures
Following the incident, Soal banned her children from social media and encouraged other parents to monitor online videos. “They use water in the videos to gain likes; they’re joking, but kids take it literally,” she said.
The incident comes as the U.K. government prepares to restrict social media access for children younger than 16, with implementation expected in spring 2027.
Per The Sun, YouTube confirmed it was investigating the videos.
Soal urged parents to consider how easily children could imitate online content. “I know you trust your children, but do you trust them enough not to be influenced?” she concluded.
