In 2017, a child reportedly destroyed over $1,000 worth of makeup in a Georgia Sephora, a retailer of personal care and beauty products. The same has been happening again and again lately, according to countless videos of 10-year-olds abusing products like toys, disrespecting employees, and opening brand-new packaging.
Posts on Sephora’s Beauty Insider Community web page, a forum for questions and advice for consumers, have claimed that this phenomenon has mostly been seen with Drunk Elephant, a skincare brand that has gained attention through social media. Dermatologist Brooke Jeffy, founder of teen and tween skincare brand Btwn, said in a BeautyIndependent article that Drunk Elephant products were originally created for adults, which makes sense given the presence of retinol in many of its products.
Retinol, a form of vitamin A, is known for its anti-aging effects and ability to clear acne. But then why have children as young as 9 been pining for these products? Why are they so drawn toward products that are unnecessary and potentially harmful for their skin?
The most obvious answer seems to be social media, and more specifically for a lot of people, Tiktok. In a Glamour article detailing a tween obsession with Drunk Elephant products, media psychologist Don Grant mentions that tweens experience a parasocial effect, where they start to be more affected by the decisions of their peers than their parents. But that effect has evolved into something different.
“Now, I call it the parasocial-media effect,” Grant said. “Kids are looking at influencers and their followers as their peers.”
Tween girls have supported this statement as well. In an article from online publication Mashable, a girl named Alexia said that the girls her age tend to follow the actions of girls who are in their 20s in addition to their peers. So, when older content creators use products that contain ingredients like retinol, none of them know any better than to use the same products even if they don’t need them. These kids see older influencers with products from Sephora on platforms like TikTok or Instagram, and end up wanting the same products.
It’s true that Drunk Elephant has stated that it has products that are harmless and beneficial for younger users like cleansers, moisturizers, and sunscreens. But as children, it’s easy to ignore that. Their desire for skincare and makeup isn’t because of a need for it, it’s because of the fact that certain products are trending among older girls.
However, social media shouldn’t be the only thing at fault. Some parents should be as well. There’s nothing wrong with parents bringing their children into makeup stores. The problem is with how these kids have treated products and other people in the store with barely any restraint.
A part of a parent’s job is teaching a child what is wrong or right, and what is too far. It’s okay for kids to want products and have full access to these beauty trends on social media, as long as their parents are supportive. It’s also okay to indulge in their desires, and purchase some makeup or skincare if it is deemed safe for children to use. But allowing them to walk into stores like Sephora and abuse testers and unopened products is too much.
As time goes on, social media will continue to be a huge part of childhood for many. Yes, it is a place to share memories with friends and family, and yes, it includes a massive network of information. That network exposes children to trends and influences that no one really has control over. But one thing that can be controlled is their choices — and given what has been happening lately, parent’s should consider guiding their kids to make better informed choices and to treat everything, products and people included, with care.