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At the urging of their parents, a group of teenage girls known as “Sephora Kids” have caused a stir on TikTok by filming videos wearing makeup and skincare products, with some experts believing the trend is harmful to children’s physical and mental health.
American girls aged between eight and 12 attract thousands of fans by showing off their cosmetic purchases on the video platform.
The trend is particularly focused on products from French high street brand Sephora, which is promoted by North West, daughter of reality TV star Kim Kardashian.
They slather on moisturizer, beg their parents to buy them anti-wrinkle cream, and pose in front of mirrors with their hair tied back, mimicking popular adult makeup tutorials.
Skin experts warn that some of the products used in children’s videos contain ingredients that are not suitable for young skin, such as retinol.
“A lot of ‘skin influencers’ are sometimes more trustworthy than real doctors,” US dermatologist Danilo Del Campo told AFP.
“This has led to an increase in the number of consultations related to skin reactions and concerns arising from the misuse of these products,” he warned.
“Most parents don’t realize there are any risks.”
“Sephora for Kids” imitates famous beauty experts and reviews high-end products such as moisturizers that cost nearly 70 euros ($76).
“How can these little girls spend my salary on skincare?” a Sephora salesperson in the US said in a TikTok video.
– ‘Self-esteem issues’ –
Del Campo warns that the wrong ingredients could damage young skin.
He also found that his child patients had “self-esteem issues” and that they “felt the need to correct wrongs that might not actually exist.”
Sephora employees expressed displeasure at the behavior of young customers in the store, with videos showing a chaotic makeup counter with products strewn across the floor.
Sephora, which is owned by LVMH luxury group, did not respond to AFP’s request for comment.
Michael Stora, a psychoanalyst who specializes in online behavior, said the girls in the video “are not playing with dolls the way you would imagine girls their age to be playing with dolls — they are the dolls.”
Some of the mothers in the video defended the trend, saying it was just a “game” – but Stola accused parents of “obsessing” their children.
Solene Delecourt, a professor at the University of California, Berkeley, who specializes in social inequality, agreed that the videos “can contribute to stereotypes of girls and women online.”
“They are not women, they are little girls who are already under tremendous social pressure,” she said.
Draicourt published a study in the journal Nature this month suggesting that online images exacerbate gender bias, particularly against women.
TikTok and other social media platforms have come under criticism in recent months over the impact their videos have on young people.
In January, tech giants faced a grilling by the US Senate Judiciary Committee over allegations that they had not done enough to prevent online dangers for children, including sexual assault and teen suicide.
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