‘Sephora kids’ and social media: Why are girls as young as 9 asking for active skincare products?

Thanks to TikTok, countless preteens are flocking to Mecca in search of Drunk Elephant and Glow Recipe products. Photo / Getty Images.

The so-called ‘Sephora kids’ phenomenon has well and truly made its way to New Zealand, thanks to social media. It started with Gen Z and millennial TikTok users bemoaning the fact that more and more preteens were taking to beauty retailers like global chain Sephora, and wreaking havoc on store shelves in search of trending brands like Drunk Elephant. And with increasing concern over children and adolescents’ obsession with skincare, and the seemingly limitless growth and virality of beauty content online, what are active products really doing to preteens’ skin — and their self-esteem?

If you grew up in the noughties, chances are you slathered your face with St Ives apricot scrub to wash off your Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse, pored over your mum’s Avon magazines for free beauty samples, and had Zoella’s autumn makeup routine on repeat until you nailed that smoky-eye look.

But in 2024, the kids aren’t looking to YouTubers or magazines for beauty advice — skincare is the obsession, and the likes of Seventeen and Girlfriend have been replaced by influencers sharing their elaborate daily routines on TikTok. The video-sharing app is notorious for serving up endless micro-trends to young, impressionable users at a faster pace than before. Advice and product reviews are more accessible than at any time, but it’s not necessarily professionals who are offering up their recommendations.

Now, girls as young as 9 are reportedly flocking to Sephora and Mecca in search of Drunk Elephant and Glow Recipe skincare, with active ingredients like retinol and peptides trending on the app.

In recent months, many Kiwi and Aussie parents have taken to the Facebook page Mecca Chit Chat to ask for advice on whether they should be buying their kids active skincare products.

One mum writes that her daughter, soon to turn 13, is begging for products from Mecca, particularly the pricey Drunk Elephant brand.

“I feel like many of them are not necessary or suitable for a 13-year-old,” she continues, adding that her daughter’s wish list included “anti-wrinkle” and “firming and smoothing” products.

“She says she needs to use them to not get wrinkles and saggy skin … but surely not at that age?”

“It’s really sad that teens feel they need anti-wrinkle and smoothing products. Honestly, I’m so glad social media was in its infancy when I was a teen,” one response reads.

“I’m all for skincare to be a part of your routine from a young age but I wouldn’t personally be buying Drunk Elephant or Glow Recipe for my daughter,” another writes.

Whether it’s the brightly coloured packaging or the brand’s not-so-subtle messaging that its products are for all ages, it’s clear that Drunk Elephant is aware it’s popular with the younger demographic and is making the most of it — but it’s not the only brand the tweens are asking for.

Another writes that her 11-year-old daughter has been using Dr Dennis Gross’s $700 LED face mask, designed to target acne and promising “smooth, wrinkle-free” skin.

Noticing her daughter was left with pimples after using the mask, she queried whether it was okay for her to be using an LED mask at her age.

Viva beauty editor Ashleigh Cometti points out that while this particular LED mask doesn’t specify an age limit, it should. Other FDA-approved masks, such as those made by Omnilux, Trudermal Glow, and Boost, recommend a minimum age of use of 14, 16 or even 21.

“Preventative ageing has gone a step too far, with tweens now reaching for too-invasive or too-costly skincare or devices prematurely,” Cometti says.

“I shudder at the number of TikToks I’ve seen that involve children as young as 9 years old crying over their parents refusing to buy them retinol, and rightly so. It points to a wider issue around the proliferation of skincare information across social media platforms, mostly notably how misinformation and poor advice can quickly mislead the vulnerable or impressionable.”

At this age, a complicated skincare routine involving countless costly products isn’t necessary, she adds. “For tweens, a tight edit of three products is more than enough — a simple cleanser, moisturiser and SPF30 or higher.”

Is TikTok to blame for the rise in preteens seeking active skincare products? Photo / Getty Images

A concerned Kiwi woman, who wished to remain anonymous, tells the Herald she finds it “off-putting” to see preteens flocking to Mecca stores. “There are young kids in there, and I’m not talking about 17, 18-year-olds — these kids are very young,” she says. “Kids are ruining their skin barrier and silly parents are spending hundreds, if not thousands of dollars, on products not suitable [for them].”

The Australian-founded beauty giant has noticed the increase in young customers, and shared some advice on its website.

“When you want the best for your skin, it’s easy to want to start with the ‘big guns’,” Mecca’s customer education manager Francesca Hyde writes. “For skin-savvy tweens and teens, retinol, for example, may seem like a must-have.”

Hyde explains that retinol helps boost the skin’s cellular turnover, a naturally occurring process that slows with ageing. “So, if your skin hasn’t started to show any signs of ageing, like fine lines or loss of firmness, there’s no reason to use it yet.”

In fact, most dermatologists advise against starting retinol until you reach your mid-late 20s or early 30s.

Auckland-based cosmetic doctor Sarah Hart tells the Herald the trend is “absolutely” driven by TikTok, adding that she’s heard from her own daughter, 13, that “there are 30-year-old influencers talking about treating fine wrinkles with retinol, and then the younger ones copy this”.

Hart points out that the ingredients that help fight acne, which many teens struggle with, also appear in anti-ageing skincare — think vitamin A, vitamin B and AHAs. “So, teenagers can be venturing into the world of skincare to help manage acne and get confused about what formulation is best for them,” she explains.

Cosmetic medicine expert Dr Sarah Hart warns against letting your preteen or teenager use active skincare such as retinol products. Photo / Supplied

As for the demand for “viral” products at Mecca and Sephora, that’s also down to the power of social media, she says.

“Brands like Sol de Janeiro really appeal, for example. They all know about Drunk Elephant. Basically, it’s brands that have a good social media presence that clicks with the younger crew.”

But, according to Hart, “teenagers absolutely don’t need anti-ageing skincare”.

“Mecca have done some social media saying, ‘All you tweens need is SPF’ and I have to say I couldn’t agree more.”

Dermalogica’s head of education Caroline Parker echoes this, telling the Herald that “it’s great to develop skincare habits from a younger age. But a simple regimen is all that’s needed”.

“Keeping skin clean is step one in having healthy skin and then protecting our skin from the sun is also essential. Hormonal changes for teens and tweens can trigger some breakouts and there are great products such as breakout-clearing serums or medicated patches to help heal and reduce breakout activity when needed.”

Parker wants tweens and teens to know that their skin is “unique”.

“What works for our friend or someone we follow on social media doesn’t necessarily work for us ... it’s definitely best to get the advice of a skin therapist to learn what’s really best for our skin.”

Bethany Reitsma is an Auckland-based journalist covering lifestyle and entertainment stories who joined the Herald in 2019. She specialises in telling Kiwis’ real-life stories, money-saving hacks and anything even remotely related to coffee.