From a safe haven for adults and teens to shop for all their beauty products to a nightmare led by 10-year-olds, Sephora has fallen victim to Generation Alpha’s wrath. As the younger generation begins to join popular social media apps such as TikTok, many of them have tended to take after famous influencers’ habits. Some argue that Kim Kardashian’s daughter, North West, initiated the “Sephora kids” by posting a video of her morning routine with products like toner, sheet masks and lip masks at just 9 years old; many of those products not being appropriate for children. Since then, children between the ages of about 8 and 13 have been going viral all over social media for causing a ruckus at Sephora stores and making makeup and skincare routines online with brands sold at Sephora, such as Drunk Elephant, Rare Beauty, Glow Recipe and more. If it’s just kids playing with makeup, why is everyone making such a big deal about it?

  Well, these children have been notoriously known for being more on the bratty side, and many Sephora workers have opened up about their interactions with these children. Additionally, parents online have been flamed for letting their children use retinol, fragranced skincare products and many more products that are meant for older people and can be especially harmful to a childrens skin. The Sephora kids have been mocked online for their “basic” behavior and for being especially indulgent when it comes to following trends. While this online fad has become a meme to many, it’s important to acknowledge the underlying message it’s giving off to society, even if some don’t recognize it. 

  Many say that they want to be a kid forever, but children these days are trying to grow up too fast. Honestly, it barely even seems like they have had a childhood because they are preoccupied with which crop top they’re going to wear that day, what color Stanley cup to bring to school and what mascara is in. Especially since Covid, society has nurtured these behaviors. Kids are going feral in Sephora and parents are just accepting their impudence because of the circumstances of Covid, but personally, I think it’s selfish to accept that excuse. 

  Furthermore, some kids have even gone viral for doing blackface in stores with makeup, which is especially concerning that parents are allowing that kind of behavior in public. Not only is it offensive, but it is also wasteful of the products. On top of that, even the kids who aren’t participating in that offensive behavior are still overusing expensive product. Some of the most popular makeup and skincare products are typically priced at least 30 dollars; there is so much wastefulness with the Sephora kids “trend”. 

  Society as a whole is far too accepting of the excessive consumerism that has prevailed throughout the world. During Covid, people acted selfishly when it came to buying supplies because many thought their world was ending, but since then, people just given into fast fashion and buy everything in sight. It has gotten out of hand, and this is how the world is raising the future’s children? Instead of teaching children to be selfish in stores like Sephora, we should be teaching children to donate to those in need. Of course, there’s no issue in treating yourself every once in a while, but the Sephora kids that have taken over the internet represent the selfishness, ignorance and materialism that has overtaken society. 

  So, although Sephora kids have flooded TikTok and Instagram with entertaining memes, the jokes represent a much larger issue in society. An issue that will be difficult to reverse.