Erin Burchill ‘25, Copy Editor
Every now and again, the internet will take hold of a particular social trend and blow it out of proportion, bringing it to the public’s attention and exposing some hidden controversy. Increasingly common is the targeting of younger generations, specifically in terms of the behavior they exhibit.
Sephora employees and shoppers have been posting a plethora of videos on TikTok complaining about the flocks of preteens terrorizing the stores. Their behavior is generalized as entitled, disruptive, and immature, and the overall attitude towards them has been sarcastic and extremely judgmental. Rather than considering the cause of this phenomenon, social media users make fun of children for all the Internet to see.
The majority of Sephora kids are presumed or confirmed to be preteens, meaning they are on the cusp of Gen Z and Gen Alpha. Kids from the ages of 10 to 13 typically fall under the category of ‘iPad kids,’ a stereotype of preteens who were raised heavily on technology. Typically, due to their technological dependence, these types of kids have an underdeveloped understanding of how to properly behave and interact with others in social settings. This is what most people link their poor behavior in Sephora stores to, but many more factors lie beneath the surface.
The ‘iPad kid’ dilemma is more than just crusty screens and short attention spans. Using electronics as a way to appease younger children and avoid tantrums creates a slew of problems down the line, mainly in terms of behavioral issues. Because these kids are often ignored, they lack the experience to properly and politely interact with those around them. This is from which the rudeness of Sephora kids likely originates; however, their obsession with skincare and makeup stems from something more specific.
Dependence on technology also inevitably leads to the consumption of influencer content and advertisements, both of which are brimming with product placement and societal pressures. The almost alarming amount of beauty influencers makes them a difficult group to avoid, and their content—often consisting of makeup tutorials and skincare tips—pushes certain brands and products into the spotlight for their viewers. Not to mention the seemingly endless ads and commercials catered to women and girls and their appearances, which only drive the craze further. When putting this in front of impressionable young girls, the results are unsavory at best and harmful at worst: children obsessed with obtaining the highest standard of beauty before they have even encountered the throes of puberty.
An interesting theory behind Sephora kids that further explains the phenomenon is modern society’s lack of third places. Coined by sociologist Ray Oldenburg, third places refer to social locations visited by people when they are not at home—the first place—or at work or school—the second place. Past generations have relied on third places for social interaction, especially before the spread of technology. In an era where social media is replacing recreational centers, online gaming is replacing arcades, and e-shops are replacing malls and small businesses, the benefits of third places are lost to younger people.
In this context, Sephora is acting as a third place for today’s preteens, and its promotion by beauty influencers online has made it more significant than typical gathering places. However, Sephora is not somewhere for children to congregate and socialize, especially not in the way that Sephora kids have been utilizing it. By using a cosmetics retailer as a social setting, these preteens disrespect the establishment itself, its employees who are responsible for the merchandise, and its other customers who simply wish to purchase beauty products without the addition of pre-pubescent
The most unfortunate aspect of Sephora kids is what encourages this trend: the harsh world of female beauty standards. Anti-aging has become a hot topic for women online, and its influence is spreading to young girls, some of whom are not even old enough to menstruate. Girls at this age have no reason to worry about wrinkles, and in fact, these products do more harm than good. Many popular skincare products use ingredients such as peptides, retinols, and salicylic acid to target skin imperfections. However, according to UCLA Health’s Dr. Carol Cheng, MD, “for tweens and teens, these ingredients can do damage, irritate the skin and cause the reverse effects they are hoping to achieve.”
The sad reality is that our world is teaching these young girls that they need to harm their skin and modify their natural appearances in order to be considered beautiful. The current technological dependence of our youth exacerbates this pressure with exposure to influencers and advertisements which push strict beauty standards onto women. Sephora’s grasp on preteens is not entirely the fault of the company itself: the real culprit is, as usual, the society that is raising future generations with feelings of inadequacy. Such a large-scale conflict is not easily solved, but the smallest step of limiting exposure to influential content can cause a chain reaction of positive difference.
Lyon Life 