Gen Alpha’s Sephora Craze Is a Hidden Opportunity
Parents can use tweens’ skin care obsession to help them think critically about TikTok influencers — and establish healthy dermatologic practices for life.
Cute on the shelf, less so in the landfill.
Photographer: Craig Barritt/Getty Images for Drunk ElephantThe other evening, I wandered into my tween’s bedroom and was startled to see a strange creature sitting before me, calmly reading a book. The being’s nose was a rainbow made of plastic; its forehead, a smear of charcoal; its cheeks and chin, mottled patches of blueish-green clay. It regarded me unfazed, blinking a few times before returning to its book.
Yes, we’re in the thick of tween skin care mania. You might have heard of it — the steady stream of hang-wringing coverage makes the topic hard to avoid. Adolescent girls (and some boys), no doubt fueled by that special synergy that comes from traveling in packs, are flocking to Sephora to try out whatever overpriced beauty products are trending on TikTok.