A new Prime Time report on RTÉ One has highlighted concerns about a growing online trend that has seen children as young as seven adopting complex skincare routines.
Dubbed the ‘Sephora kids’ trend, it refers to the children and young teenagers who shop at the beauty retailer before sharing videos of their purchases and skincare routines online, like the influencers they follow.
The trend, which originated in the US, has reportedly reached Ireland’s so-called Generation Alpha – the children born after 2010. It is popular on platforms such as TikTok, along with the ‘Get Ready With Me’ or ‘GRWM’ trend, which is content that involves posting a video or series of photos showing the process of getting ready for an event or activity.
In an interview for the report by Ceri Doyle and producer Isabel Perceval, consultant dermatologist at Dublin’s Blackrock Clinic Dr Rosemary Coleman expressed concern that the trend could negatively impact children.
“It’s absolutely shocking,” she said. “We’re adding to anxiety and we’re causing problems with their skin as well.”
Prime Time also talked to a number of younger people, who said that while they enjoy creating content and engaging with others on social media about skincare, some products they have used have harmed their skin.
For example, Ava Blackmore, known on TikTok as @grwmava31, is a 13-year-old content creator from Dublin, who shares her skincare routine with her more than 75,000 followers. She said that she thinks that skincare is really important, and she has to maintain a routine to ensure her acne doesn’t get any worse.
However, she did experience some irritation from a trending toner that is popular amongst her demographic. “It burned my skin,” she explained. “I’d say for about two months that my breakouts were getting really bad and just really harsh.”
Meanwhile, a Co Waterford salon owner said she sees children as young as seven coming in for skincare advice. “They tend to go for the strong retinols, and this is something that I would like to avoid on the young skin,” said Emma Fraher Power from The Ivy Wellness and Beauty Salon in Newtown.
Retinol is a form of vitamin A that is used for treating skin conditions such as acne. In addition, it can stimulate collagen and have anti-ageing benefits. But it can also have a negative impact on at least 30% of the population, warned Dr Coleman.
“There is no role for an eight-year-old with completely normal skin to be applying a retinol as an anti-ageing product because they have heard an influencer on social media saying that the sooner they start anti-ageing ingredients, the better, and that they will prevent ageing, which, of course, is not possible.
“We don’t know the long-term damage that they may be doing to their skin if they start to use active ingredients like retinols at this age.”
Tallaght University Hospital study
According to the Prime Time report, a study from the dermatology department at Tallaght University Hospital in Dublin has been looking into the trend by examining content on TikTok, Instagram and Facebook with the hashtag #tweenskincare that targets girls aged between nine and 12.
The study analysed 150 social media videos promoting teen skincare. Just a fifth of the videos advised against using harmful products on young skin; 78% directly promoted a skincare product; and more than half of the videos promoted products such as toners and serums.
Some advertised items that contain fragrances (35.6%), chemical exfoliants (30.5%), antioxidants (12.7%), vitamin C (7.6%) and peptides (6.8%), which are active complexes for anti-ageing.
Speaking on the programme, child psychotherapist Dr Colman Noctor said he feels the ‘Sephora kids’ trend is creating anxiety and pressure to conform as children carry out multi-step skincare routines on a daily basis. He believes that “childhood is shrinking”, with social media now having an increasing influence on young people’s development and how they view themselves.
Introducing skincare can put pressure on self-worth and self-belief and may create a feeling of not being enough, which can lead to consequences such as mood disorders, eating disorders and anxiety, he noted, and he urged parents to be the counter narrative and explain to their child that this trend is not age-appropriate for them.
