Various videos have been circulating the internet, specifically TikTok, regarding young girls in Sephora. These videos, made by beauty retail employees, talk about young girls primarily in middle schools, spending hundreds of dollars on buying makeup and skincare products that are not yet suitable for their skin at Sephora.
Many users have ranted on this topic and shared their experiences. Through those shared experiences, it is evident that this issue is deeply rooted in parenting methods and social media.
An article by The Independent emphasized the chaos these young girls display in stores while creating stress for retail workers by treating them aggressively. These girls focus on following microtrends and owning products from popular brands. While it is completely fine for them to indulge in certain trends, it seems to be getting out of hand.
According to The New York Post, what happens to be concerning professionals (such as dermatologists) is the increasing purchase of retinol by tween girls. Retinol is a popular and effective vitamin used to prevent rapid aging. With that, it is meant only for women over the ages of twenty to twenty-five, not for ten-year-old girls. When this product is used before the appropriate age it can greatly damage the skin.
Despite that, the young girls keep buying it. Many of these girls do not know what retinol actually does and who it is meant for. They just buy it. And, the most expensive one at that.
After hearing so many stories from Sephora employees as well as other beauty retail chain employees, the internet is unsure of who and what to blame for this behavior.
To start off, since the height of COVID-19, it is apparent that children spend far more time on the internet than they are supposed to. No one is to blame for this: covid was a time period in which everyone struggled and raising kids in the height of a pandemic is not easy. But, seeing as though the lockdown has been over for nearly 3 years, parents still enabling excessive use of the internet is avoidable yet not avoided.
Additionally, parents seem to not be monitoring their children when taking them to brandy stores with products made for people much older than them, giving young girls the freedom to behave in a disrespectful manner if they wish.
“It’s as though the kids from the COVID-19 generation are not getting the necessary childhood experience that they need to build their character. This is allowing them to grow up too fast and “skip” to their teen years,” said Autumn Austin, a sophomore at RV.
With kids constantly under the influence of technology, they lose touch with nature and reality, and they lack manners and the ability to connect with others.
With excessive time on the internet comes excessive use of social media. Younger generations join social media platforms at an early age., and on these platforms, they are used to seeing girls who are years older than them use expensive skincare and makeup products not necessarily suitable for younger girls. They see different types of retinol being incorporated into people’s skincare routines and “get ready with me” on TikTok, videos that are often filmed by girls much older than them like influencer Alix Earle. However, these young girls don’t seem to notice the age difference or the use of filters; rather they notice the appearance they believe these products will help them achieve. They have developed a negative drive for flawless skin and a fear of aging, buying so many products that further harm their skin.
To clarify, these social media influencers are not to blame. These influencers use products meant for their skins and do what their sponsorships require. Girls’ priority to take care of their skin and themselves is appreciable to the extent that they are educated in their actions and are not hyper-fixated on their looks. Parents should limit what they allow their children to use on their faces. While still giving them the freedom to try products. Such as allowing only three to four steps in their skincare and consulting with a dermatologist before purchasing items.
Limits should also be put on what they are watching on the internet or, at least, reminding teens what they see on the internet is not always the clear-cut truth. Most times, these girls only indulge in these products because of confidence issues and because they see friends and older siblings wearing makeup. Confidence is hard to build up and it being damaged at such a young age can be harmful to their mental health. Another solution as suggested by an article published by Deseret News said no to Sephora completely for pre-teens. In hopes, it will prevent them from further following trends that are not for them just yet.
