Sephora Kids 10-Year-Old Beauty Trends – Insider View

Last Updated on July 16, 2024

Storytime! If you’re on TikTok, you probably have heard about the latest phenomenon called Sephora Kids. The young girls of Gen Alpha (think 10 years old and up) are flocking to the beauty retailer for viral skincare products thanks to beauty influencers on social media. Local Sephora stores are being overrun with little girls and young teens looking for Drunk Elephant products, Glow Recipe Dew Drop Serum, and Bubble Slam Dunk Moisturizer. My daughter Zoe (she’s 11) has given me an insider view into the lives of young makeup enthusiasts and their skin care routines, so I thought I’d share my thoughts on her journey of self-expression and the beauty products that are worth the money. 

What Is A Sephora Kid?

I made a pretty big deal about Zoe’s first-time visit to Ulta Beauty and Sephora. Shopping for makeup at legit beauty stores as a young girl is a milestone. It’s exciting. A step into womanhood if you will. But what surprised me was that Zoe didn’t want to look at makeup. She walked right by the eyeshadow and straight for lotions and face potions. I mean, she beelined for the skincare brand Drunk Elephant and knelt before the kiosk alter. 

That night, she came home, gave herself a spa night full of self-care awesomeness, and filmed a GRWM nighttime routine video for her YouTube channel. She also uploaded a beauty haul video. It made me pause. Did I just take my child to Sephora so she could join the ranks of online beauty influencers? 

The other night, she stalled on going to bed because she wanted to watch me perform my evening beauty routine. Sorry to break it to ya kiddo. It’s pretty boring. But instead of dismissing her, I used it as an educational moment. I pulled out my Farmacy Green Clean Makeup Remover, taught her the reasoning behind a double cleanse, and explained why I like Cetaphil face wash, Tretinoin, CeraVe PM moisturizer, and followed it all up with a few drops of a bomb ass facial oil. I then told her if I’m feeling fancy (or an important appearance is around the corner), I’ll use my NuFace microcurrent device or LED red light mask. 

Saturday morning, she watched me apply makeup and about lost her marbles when I pulled out my new Tower 28 foundation. “YOU HAVE TOWER 28?!?!?! OH MY GAWD MOM! LUCKY!” Wait, wut??? I hadn’t even heard of Tower 28 until last month. Why are you having a meltdown like a Swiftie getting concert tickets? BTDubs, that foundation is awesome for older skin because it’s not heavy (it has the consistency of a BB Cream), plus it’s SPF 30…thank you, random Reddit user, for the suggestion. 

Anyhoo, as Zoe’s fascination with skincare grew and Sephora Kids began to trend on social media, I knew it was time to have a conversation about harmful ingredients in products — especially after I read her Christmas wishlist for Santa. It was filled with chemical exfoliants, skincare for fine lines, and higher-end products she had no business dabbling in. 

Don’t Shame Sephora Kids Or The Parents — Instead, Let’s All Be Responsible

My message to this new generation of beauty influencers (like Safiya Nygaard, who franken-mixes all the lipsticks from Sephora together for fun) is to please be more responsible, and as parents, we need to be aware of what our children consume online. Telling me my 10-year-old is too young for social media is not the most constructive solution. Why, you ask? Well, I tried. Of all the kids in Zoe’s class, she’s probably the most restricted. And as a fellow content creator whose job is to post online, you’d think I’d be an advocate, right? WRONG! 

I opened Pandora’s Box when I allowed her to have YouTube Kids during a trip to Germany. Because when you’re 6 years old, don’t speak the language, and you’re sitting at Oma’s house with no toys, things get boring. Fast forward to last year, I was chatting with a dad who said, “My daughter said Zoe only has YouTube Kids, and I said, ‘How boring is that? That must suck to be Zoe.'”. Yup, I caved to parental peer pressure, and the following morning, I told Zoe she could have regular YouTube with parental monitoring. Shame on me. But once you open the door, there’s no closing it. 

There’s also a sense of inclusivity on the playground when the kids are on the same level. For example, when Stranger Things Season 4 came out, all of Zoe’s friends were chattering about it, and tears were shed nightly because she was excluded from the conversation — frustration and feelings of being left out when the other girls wanted to reenact scenes during recess, and she was clueless on how to play this game. As a parent, this crushes you, but at the time, my kid was 8 years old, and mental health wise, she was not prepared to handle the violence of Vecna’s curse. Heck, I wasn’t prepared at the age of 48, but I digress. Let’s get back to the Sephora Kids. 

Whether we like it or not, Generation Alpha is growing up on iPhones and social media (just like Millenials grew up on the internet and Gen X grew up on cable TV), and if your little girl doesn’t know the ins and outs of a skincare smoothie, heatless curls, and other makeup trends, I guarantee she will feel left out. So, how do millennial parents, beauty influencers, Sephora workers, and adult customers deal with the invasion of young girls standing at the beauty counters testing products? At the bare minimum, help them find age-appropriate makeup and skincare — oh, and lots and lots of patience.

Rather than these kiddos relying on advice from beauty influencers, I would love to see Ulta Beauty and Sephora start educational programs (think Home Depot and their Saturday morning building class for kids, or Michael’s weekend crafting sessions). Teach them what to look for in new products and popular brands. I mean, from an economic perspective, can you imagine how sales would soar on Saturday mornings if Ulta Beauty created classes on how to create a siren eye using kid-safe products? Heck, I would even sign up for that class! 

I’ve watched countless TikToks of grown adults and frustrated Sephora workers complain about immature 8-13 year olds in the stores and how these little girls should, “just go to Claire’s and buy Lip Smackers.” Woof! That’s a bit harsh. Some suggest age restriction or ID checking to prevent makeup testers from being destroyed. That’s a bit extreme. But maybe take a step back and consider how to educate these younger customers/consumers. 

A Little Girl’s Self-Expression Through Beauty Products

One thing I’ve noticed with Zoe and her obsession with beauty products is self-expression. She films GRWM (get ready with me) videos, talks about her day, and shares them on YouTube. Now, am I thrilled my kid is posting her face on YouTube? Nope, but there are worse things she could be doing. I’m trying to see the positive, though. She is learning new video editing skills (which are quite impressive), social media marketing, copywriting, voiceovers, and an appreciation for self-care. And at this age, any appreciation for good hygiene is a plus in my book. When I was her age, I was not willingly showering daily, let alone washing my face twice a day and moisturizing. 

RELATED: Refresh your closet with the latest Spring Fashion Trends 2024.

What’s On My Sephora Kid’s Wishlist

Let’s go beyond store etiquette and adult supervision. Zoe is a well-behaved, polite young lady, but before her last trip to Sephora, I asked her to write down the products she was interested in so we could research the ingredients together. We also settled on a max budget of $40. Here’s everything she sent me:

Sol de Janeiro 62 Spray, aka Brazilian Crush — This viral hair and body fragrance spray retails for $38. This was on her Christmas wishlist, but Santa did not deliver. Zoe purchased the mini size for $24 to stay within her budget. After reading up on the ingredients, we found out this beauty product is free of parabens, sulfates, and phthalates, so that makes me feel better, although the smell itself is quite overpowering, and my entire second-floor stinks like what I imagine a Brazillian beach to smell like. The price you pay when you live with a Sephora Kid. 

Laneige Sleeping Lip Mask — This nighttime lip mask retails for $25 and tops any Sephora Kids wishlist. It contains Vitamin C, which Zoe really doesn’t need, but she saw mine, and I hadn’t used it for a while, so I just gave it to her. If anything, it prevented her from wasting $25.   

Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Pore-Tight Toner — This hydrating toner costs $35 and contains hyaluronic acid, PHA to exfoliate gently, and BHA to cleanse pores for smoother, clearer-looking skin. Does a 10-year-old have large pores? Nope! Does a Sephora Kid need an exfoliator? Nope! Did she want this viral product in her skincare routine? Yup! Did come home with her? Nope.

Drunk Elephant D-Bronzi Bronzing Drops with Peptides — This bronzing moisturizer is $38 and trending hard on social media. We looked it up together on the Sephora site, researched the product, and read the reviews. She passed because it maxed out her budget, but she also learned this product was good for anti-aging, uneven texture, dark spots, and loss of firmness – none relevant for a younger girl. She decided to test the Saie Illuminator in-store instead. 

Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm — This lip balm was included in the Favorite Things Gift Ideas gift guide and is definitely a fan favorite. I can see why Zoe loves it. She bought the Vanilla, and I bought the Sweet Mint.

Drunk Elephant Mini B-Hydra Serum — This serum costs $38 and contains 5% niacinamide, which is helpful if you have cystic acne (Zoe does not). After reading the reviews, we decided this was not an age-appropriate product for her. Side note: this is one of the main ingredients beauty influencers use in their skincare smoothies — where you mix several skincare products together and apply the mixture to your skin all at once. 

When researching a product, I like to scroll down to the ingredients section and then down to product questions. The first question on the Glow Recipe Toner page asks, “Is it safe for children?” The answer from username rubiAlonso, who received a free product (meaning this was gifted to her as an influencer), “I would say like 10 and up. Anything below you probably won’t need it, but it can be for any age”. WHAT? That is an awful answer, and Sephora and Glow Recipe should be monitoring this incorrect information. Do better.

The second question asks, “Can a 10-year-old use this? I want to get this as a surprise for my daughter’s 10th birthday!” Username AnnabelleTyler (who also received free product as an influencer) has a better answer, “Absolutely not! This toner has super harsh actives and exfoliations that will KILL your daughter’s skin barrier by the time she is 14. If you ever wanna get a 10 yo skincare, stick to the basics: cleanser, moisturizer, and SPF. I would look up brookejeffery (Dr. Brooke Jeffy — see next paragraph) on Instagram because she’s a teen and tween dermatologist. Also, 10 is a little early to start using skincare, in my opinion.”  

Meet Dr Brooke Jeffy — She Is Doing God’s Work

If you don’t know who Dr. Brooke Jeffy is and have a Sephora Kid in your household, please follow her on Instagram to help educate your little lady and yourself. Dr. Jeffy is a tween and teen dermatologist that is trying to cut through the beauty influencer bullshit as a responsible healthcare provider. She understands that sometimes a kid HAS TO HAVE a certain skincare brand — back in the day, I HAD TO HAVE Guess overalls and a Guess denim skirt, or I wouldn’t be popular — but with clothing, my mom didn’t have to worry about retinol, vitamin C, and harsh exfoliants damaging my skin. This video for the Sephora Kids who needs Glow Recipe products is a great example of creating an educational atmosphere. This video, where Dr. Jeffy builds a routine for acne-prone skin using only the Bubble skincare line, is another great example.  

Helping Sephora Kids Be Responsible And Informed

If you are a beauty influencer reading this, can we chat, low-key influencer to mega influencer, slash mom to influencer? Please post responsibly. Sephora Kids are watching and want to look beautiful, just like you. Children’s skin differs greatly from a woman in her mid-20s and older. An influencer’s analytics show the followers’ age range and other demographics. If it skews younger, you are responsible for teaching your younger audience about the safest skincare options. Post your regular content, but maybe add an age disclaimer for products with harsher chemicals. Erica Taylor is an awesome example; every few posts, she says, “I’m a makeup artist and specialize in this age bracket.” That’s it. That’s all it takes. 

If you’re a mom reading this, look at the ingredients and educate yourself. At first, I was like, what’s the big deal? She’s watching makeup tutorials and learning how to do a facial. But one day, Zoe asked for The Ordinary Exfoliating Peeling Solution, which made me pause. I use this peel every so often, and if left on too long, it burns like the dickens! Heed my words and know that your little girl could be breaking down her skin barrier, damaging it for life. These products are harsher than the Noxema or Stridex we grew up on. They are asking for adult skin care products.

If you’re a Sephora worker reading this, have patience with these young girls. Teach them about age-appropriate makeup applications, and if you see a child walking around the store with $200 worth of products filled with retinol, think beyond the commission and redirect them to products better suited for young skin. During Zoe’s first visit to Sephora, I had her products mixed in with Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Firming Refillable Moisturizer, which was recommended to me by Hyram (love him!). Anyhoo, a Sephora worker stopped me and asked if that particular product was for Zoe. I said no, and she said, “Oh, thank god, because that would be inappropriate for her skin.” You have no idea how that stuck in my head and how much I appreciated the heads-up. BTDubs, I like that moisturizer, but I’m unsure if it’s any better than my drugstore go-to, CeraVe. 

When I was Zoe’s age, my mom would give me $10, and I could walk around the local shops or the mall on a Saturday afternoon. I’d come home with an assortment of stickers, Lip Smackers, mascara, press-on nails, nail polish, Aquanet, and Binaca. Times have changed, and I think the most disturbing thing about the whole Sephora Kid phenomenon is the unsupervised behavior of a few bad apples being shown on social media and how it reflects on these young shoppers. 

When I was walking around the drug store looking at blue mascara, sales clerks would follow us around like we were shoplifters. Being profiled sticks with you. Not all little girls wreak havoc on the testers and display samples. Before Zoe’s latest visit, I talked with her about what has been happening in the local Sephoras. Zoe’s a good kid, but as a little girl, she will be watched like a hawk, so we discussed appropriate behavior in a store, and I explained why. There would be no making of skincare smoothies in the store displays, and if I found out otherwise, she’d never set foot in a retail store again. I also told her, “If you see another child messing up the testers, walk away and please tell a sales clerk.” 

I hope this insight into the world of the Sephora Kid was helpful. Zoe rarely makes an appearance on the blog, but after reading so much negativity on the topic of little girls and Sephora, I wanted to offer up a different perspective. Zoe has other hobbies besides making GRWM videos. She loves fishing and pheasant hunting with her dad. She also roller skates and loves crafting. Since her first Sephora beauty haul, Zoe has to save her allowance for future shopping trips. Oh, and for any outbreaks, she recommends Starface pimple patches.

Discover More Personal Muses Written By Yours Truly

Would you believe that I applied to a local country club, and they rejected my application? Get inside the Barrington sewing circle and find out what all the fuss was about with me and the Biltmore Country Club.

I recently attended my 30th high school reunion. After this one, I had a major personal revelation.