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Dermatologist reacts to ‘Sephora Kids’ trend; Viral TikTok phenomenon and its negative effects debunked
The viral Sephora Kids TikTok trend is not only disastrous for the beauty products retailer, but raises actual skincare red flags too.
January 2024 has led to the rise of yet another viral TikTok sensation: the 10-year-old Sephora Kids trend. While the beauty product retailer's employees are fed up with the disruptive phenomenon, adult skincare experts have released their takes on the matter too.
How safe is this supposed skincare TikTok challenge for kids? Dermatologist weighs in.
Sephora Kids TikTok trend explained
As per the latest TikTok development, tweens and even pre-tweens have been leaving a big mess at the skincare retailer for weeks. Frustrated shoppers became first-hand witnesses to the disastrous unfolding. Their peaceful Sephora experience was taken over by a rowdy group of troublesome preteen girls mobbing the store. In their frenzy rampage for expensive skincare, the kids were seen grabbing at various products by Drunk Elephant, Rare Beauty and more.
During their time spent at the mall disrespectfully, these 10-year-olds at Sephora reached out for trendy products endorsed by influencers and celebrities. Without any expert insight into how these products would react to their skin, the kids continue destroying testers, while others were also spotted mixing Drunk Elephant products to churn out “smoothies”.
Sephora employees have done their bit in some regions by removing or emptying the testers completely. On the contrary, adult shoppers have raised a distress sign about the negative impacts these beauty experiments will lead to for the young shoppers. They've even urged the concerned parties to instate a ban against these tween shoppers from entering the space altogether.
Also read: What is Ketchup Challenge? Viral TikTok trend explained
Online personality and skincare expert Cassandra Bankson reports on the ‘disgusting’ skincare TikTok trend:
TikTok users @meganlacey19 and @chloevanberkel also opened up about how upset they were to see expensive makeup stores crowded with little girls.
Dermatologists react to the Sephora tweens trend
Dr Brooke Jeffy has called to action the significant harm this trend can have on young skin (Bergen Record reported). In addition to challenging the current culture of tweens wanting to fit in with their peers, she also highlighted how kids have been led to follow influencers blindly.
In the last few years, Dr Jeffy has met with many young patients dealing with the rough end of having used these harsh products. Here's what she advises tweens and teens:
Shoppers should avoid ingredients such as retinol, exfoliating acids, peptides and vitamin C serums if they have young healthy skin. These may lead to irritation on skin, and end up causing more trouble than imagined in the future.
Skin damage is interlinked to the skin barrier being hurt. The same barrier acts as a shield against sun damage, which in-turn leads to aging skin. Therefore, while kids want to use these products for clearer skin and whatnot, their actions may reel in the exact opposite result.
Jeffy also reminded that if one has acne, then products with retinol, or prescription retinoids might be recommended since these will benefit the skin, and not risk it. In case there's no acne, tweens can resort to using simple cleanser, moisturizer and sunscreen combination to follow the “in-vogue” trends. In simple words, products targeting normal or sensitive skin are most-suited in such a scenario.
Following unrealistic beauty standards without enough information and awareness on the matter can lead to severe mishaps. Instead of driving the kids' attention to the expensive beauty line, parents can intervene and inform them well about healthy skin habits. Not everything works for everyone. Making better decisions, keeping one's age and skin type in mind should play an essential part in this discussion of wanting to stay up-to-date with social media trends.
