What is a ‘Sephora kid’? How social media is influencing pre-teens in the US
The extent of social media’s influence particularly on children is becoming more apparent, with the rise of phenomena like the ‘Sephora Kids’.
The name Karen became a meme a few years ago, and now the term “Sephora Kids” has become a trending hashtag.
TikTok has recently seen a barrage of posts on the phenomenon known as “Sephora Kids”, a term coined to refer to pre-teens who swarm into beauty stores like Sephora and Ulta to look at or shop for products that typically target older teenagers and women. Some videos with the hashtag #sephorakids and #ultakids have collected millions of views.
According to staff members of the stores, the children, whether in groups or alone, behave poorly in the shops. The nine-to-12-year-olds are rude to salespeople, mess up the displays, and use foul language.
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Tiny bullies, age-inappropriate products
Aside from the disrespect they exhibit, another cause for concern is that the products that they sample or purchase with their parents’ credit cards are not formulated for people their age.
Pop culture website Bored Panda featured stories of exasperated employees of beauty stores, detailing incidents of being bullied by children. Some have called for imposing age limits on shoppers, or at least ensuring that young customers are accompanied by adults.
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Beauty influencers and the influenced
Beauty influencers have commented on the phenomenon on TikTok, and have called out the children’s behavior, as well as the parents’ failure to keep their children in check.
Ironically, fingers have been pointed at the influence of social media on these very kids, as they are constantly barraged by images and videos of women who talk about the latest beauty products. The items the children wish to try are the very ones that they see being celebrated on their TikTok feeds.
While the effect of social media on children cannot be denied, the role of parents can’t be either. They have a hand in how much media their kids consume, the way they behave in public, and how they treat other people, especially if they are let loose on their own.