What’s up with the ‘Sephora Kids’ phenomenon?
When primary school children ask for retinol serums…
There is a moment when it just clicks. When you know what cleanser doesn’t make you break out, understand that face masking is an indulgence and not an everyday occurrence (sorry, 10-step Korean skincare fans, that’s too much for me!) and maybe start to see why people talk about ‘that glow’ and ‘Vitamin C’ in tandem.
Society-and in particular, fashion magazines, have long covered skincare routines, touting brands (think Augustinus Bader, Drunk Elephant and Laneige) and exotic ingredients (snail mucus or bakuchiol) like so much chocolate for Halloween. Adverts show attractive young women of diverse origin, faces upturned, with a thin trickle of amber liquid or an artistic white splodge highlighting already sharp jawlines and flawlessly retouched skin. The moment you are old enough to covet those looks is probably when you are old enough to raid your mother’s make-up bag.
But this is usually where it stopped for most of us. I remember wanting a certain type of fruity lip gloss or mascara but that was it-a passing frenzy, eclipsed by books, clothes, films and fun with friends. As a person of Indian heritage, I was blessed in that I went through puberty with virtually no pimples and zits, so I had little to complain about, my aspirations towards skincare investment comfortably pushed to the far future.
Yet now, more and more boys and girls are asking for skincare fridges. Eight-year olds put retinol boosters and AHA peels on their Christmas list, with tweens in some instances even getting vanity dressers to display their ‘collection’. It’s not as much of a fringe phenomenon as one would think, considering the proliferation of Tiktok videos made by beauty influencers like Kourtney Kardashian, the ten year old daughter of Kim Kardashian. These videos of the ‘Get ready with me’ type only serve to foster Generation Alpha’s obsession with Sephora, the French brand known for selling higher-priced beauty products.
What also plays into the obsession with self-image is the global craze for K-pop, with famous (and not so famous!) K-pop idols like Twice’s Jihyu and Jeon Somi producing videos for Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar highlighting their nightly skincare routine. Buzzwords like ‘glass skin’, ‘honey skin’ and ‘10-step’ regimen have long entered the mainstream, facial masks, toners and serums available in South Korea to be found in our own drugstore aisles as well. Though certain brands like Drunk Elephant have cautioned against customers younger than twelve using their products, with CBD skincare brand Mantle even imposing age restrictions, others, like Dior, have gone so far as introducing a signature skincare line for babies.
Beyond the expense, the effects of this trend on pre-adolescent skin health are concerning. Dermatologists have reported treating children and pre-teens for rashes, flakiness, sun-sensitivity, allergic reactions and even skin burns. This is because many products with actives like retinol and Vitamin C are specifically formulated to suit mature skin needs. It’s a no-brainer that when someone who already has young, smooth, plump and hydrated skin applies products to gain the self-same attributes, the best case scenario is that nothing happens. (In reality, what pre-teens need are good hygiene habits, a gentle cleanser, a hydrating moisturiser and sunscreen. Everything else is overkill.)
I was in my mid to late twenties when I started to research brands like Glow Recipe, Farmacy, Ole Henriksen and Drunk Elephant and I’m still convinced that without the universal break that the pandemic afforded all of us, I’d be far less well versed. I know friends who still are. Being spoilt for choice with affordable brands like Weleda (touted by Hollywood stars like Julia Roberts), The Body Shop, Garnier, Neutrogena, CeraVe and Caudalie being easily available, I’ve never considered that unfortunate. If more ‘potent’ products are what Generation Alpha is after, why not opt for a hyaluronic acid serum from The Ordinary? To be had for a bit more than a tenner, this is a powerful acid that can be safely used by all, there being no additives either. (Granted, the bottle looks clinical but why should you have to subsidize pretty packaging when you only want something that works well?)
But in the long term, addressing the underlying issues that render the idea that a serum can ensure future happiness would be more productive. In an era where deepfakes are universal, impossibly dewy skinned AI influencers abound and frankly disturbing hour long tutorials involving the use of facial prosthetics for makeovers go viral on YouTube, it might be a tall order. Yet it is clearly an issue that needs to be considered if an increasing proportion of the 22 million people who make up our global population continue to be diagnosed with age anxiety.
‘Old is Gold’ is the adage printed on the cover of one of my father’s old audiocassette tapes. But collectively, the first sign of a grey hair or crow’s feet is enough to have some people in their late twenties or early thirties speculate about the effectiveness of preventive botox injections. The lesson? Premature aging is bad and aging, once set in, needs to be combatted at all costs.
Before pointing fingers and calling younger generations spoiled and shallow, it would be important to remember what values society has so far unconsciously promoted and instilled in the adults of tomorrow.
