Have you stumbled upon terms like '10-year-olds at Sephora,' or 'Tweens invading Sephora' on social media lately? The conversation around this topic carries a negative undertone, reflecting the discontent among adult women regarding a recent development; young girls—mostly around the age of 10—indulging in the purchase of beauty products designed for adults, like those from Drunk Elephant. What's more alarming is the accompanying display of entitled and 'mean girl' behavior towards store employees, and damaging sample products, leaving a trail of chaos behind them.
Some TikTok users and commenters have even jokingly suggested banning these young girls, or playfully proposing having a bouncer at the entrance to ID customers. The internet has its way of finding humor in every situation, and the idea of 10-year-olds "invading" Sephora is certainly one of those moments.
However, there is an actual issue here; young girls engaging in purchasing skincare products designed for adults or splurging $900 on a basket of beauty products. Additionally, the increasing number of firsthand accounts highlighting instances of rude and disrespectful behavior among these young girls is worrisome. The question that lingers is: What might be contributing to this?
Culprit 1: Social media and in particular, influencers.
Social media is accelerating kids' exposure to adult suited content, accelerating their “maturity” and steering them away from traditional childhood activities as the accessibility of entertainment on devices keeps them indoors. Influencers have significant influence on young girls, sometimes neglecting the age demographics of their audience and inadvertently promoting unsuitable products. Young girls are constantly watching content by these beautiful, youthful influencers, and that coupled with kids' natural inclination to imitate adults, may lead to choices without a full understanding of consequences due to their inherent naivety.
Culprit 2: As the saying goes, "the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.''
The disrespectful behavior observed in some young girls is often linked by creators and customers to parents who appear indifferent and reluctant to establish boundaries or consequences. This lack of intervention creates an impression that such rude behavior is acceptable within the family dynamic.
This lack of intervention is creating a stressful shopping experience at Sephora. Many believe that if parents were more strict and actively regulated their children's behavior, the overall experience would be more enjoyable for everyone.
Shifting focus, let's consider this: are these kids just being kids? The conversation of tweens dominating Sephora has led to a surge in online videos. Creators share experiences, TikTok users critique behavior in stitched beauty hauls, and some even filming these young girls unknowingly. This prompts concerns about potential harm to these 9 to 10-year-olds. Today's youth faces heightened scrutiny for actions deemed unacceptable in society, exposing the negative impact of social media, especially on young girls. The influence of TikTok and cancel culture raises questions about lasting effects as these girls grow up.
Is this behavior genuinely new, or is it just magnified by phones and constant filming, misrepresenting typical child behavior as something more drastic than it actually is?