Recently the internet and social media have been in a craze over Sephora 10-year-olds. Kids at Sephora have been destroying the tester products and being rude to the employees. It has been an ongoing rumor on social media platforms that kids under 13 will only be allowed into Sephora in the company of an adult. 

In stores like Sephora and Ulta, along with the kids destroying products, they are also using products that are too harsh for their skin. The most talked about is how kids are using retinol and vitamin C serums at such a young age. The skin care company, Drunk Elephant, has been the most publicized when talking about the use of retinol with kids because it has aesthetically pleasing and appealing packaging that catches the eyes of children.  

The kids shopping at Sephora are starting to make TikTok accounts and becoming “influencers.” A lot of these kids are barely 10 years old; some are even younger. They are using social media every day making videos and sharing them with thousands of people. The use of social media and makeup at such a young age is leading to self-esteem issues in kids who are only 10. When kids see teenagers and young adults on social media who are gorgeous and have clear skin and long eyelashes, it makes them wonder why don’t I look like that?  The trends on social media these young kids are seeing will end with both physical and emotional damage.

Sophomore Brianne Jones said, ¨I’ve seen a group of five 10-year-olds in Sephora, grabbing Glow Recipe and Drunk Elephant products off the shelves. They have arms full of products that are too harsh for their skin running around the store being rude and disrespectful to other customers and employees.¨

When children so young use retinol they damage their skin barrier and end up getting skin damage in their teenage years. Then they won’t be able to use the chemical as adults when they need it because they have already caused damage when they were young.

The attention this is getting has made people more concerned about how much they’re letting kids use social media. The Sephora 10-year-old epidemic has made people more aware of how much social media is influencing children and the effect social media will have on them. Kids see adults and teenagers use these products and think they need them to be popular and cool. In the long run, these products children are being influenced to buy can end up doing more harm than good for them.