Childhood. This word used to be associated with activities such as blowing bubbles, biking with friends, or even making mud castles. But nowadays, the simplicity of growing up is gone. Childhood today consists of social media, Starbucks, and skincare. Instead of children asking their parents for toy cars or slime for their birthday, they ask for serums or lipgloss. This leads to a worldwide questioning of whether kids are actually living how they should for their age. 

One of the main concerns for childhood in this day and age is the rise of “Sephora Kids.” This is the term to describe Gen Alpha’s who have an “obsession” with skincare and makeup products. Influenced by social media beauty influencers, they gravitate towards viral skincare and makeup products, flooding beauty retailers. Sephora and Ulta Beauty stores are seeing an increase of ten-year-olds, being invaded by tween girls who hunt for Drunk Elephant, e.l.f cosmetics, and Glow Recipe products. 

Many have taken the issue to social media, voicing their opinion. On TikTok and Instagram, teens and adults alike have been complaining, showing Sephora stores destroyed, with sample displays ruined, and reenacting disrespectful encounters they’ve had or seen with little girls in stores. Some have even shared how kids have been stealing products right from shoppers’ carts and hands. 

Sophomore Sara Mundorf shares her opinion on the subject: “Kids shouldn’t be so concerned with how they look at such a young age. They should be enjoying their childhood and playing outside. Also, some of the products that they are using are made for people older than them. If they use these products, it could harm their skin.”

That’s another main concern. Many of the products purchased by the young demographic aren’t made for them in the first place. By purchasing these potent products consisting of harsh chemicals and acids at such a young age, children are doing more harm than good. With retinol specifically being an anti-aging ingredient, many dermatologists are criticizing the use of these products in a young tween’s everyday routine. 

Some argue that during these growth years, tweens are still trying to find an identity for themselves. They are concerned with their appearance, being very self-conscious of their bodies as they go through development. Others argue that easy access to the internet and social media makes younger age groups more susceptible to makeup and jewelry trends, even if it wasn’t made for their age demographic. These two factors combined have been shown to be the main driving factors behind the high sales of skincare and makeup products. 

A study done by Statistica shows that revenue in baby and child skin care is expected to show an annual growth rate of 5.74%, resulting in a projected market volume of 0.5 billion U.S. dollars by 2028. This has caused many to worry about the direction that childhood has taken and will continue to take. 

For those who grew up watching Disney or playing with barbies, you might find yourself asking: is childhood even childhood anymore?