Social media has created a number of questionable trends in recent years, and one of the most concerning is the rise of the “Sephora tween”. This refers to the hordes of pre-teens flocking to beauty retailers to buy (or, more likely, nagging their long-suffering parents to buy) skincare products they’ve seen popularised by influencers on social media platforms like TikTok.
“I believe social media is the reason for what feels like an overnight obsession with skincare,” comments skincare expert Fiona Brackenbury, who has over 30 years’ experience in the beauty industry. “More and more tweens are taking to TikTok and sharing their skincare routines, which then spirals out of control.”