The question of the day is, is it really so terrible that the testers at Sephora are so gross, that we jeopardize Gen Alpha’s happiness? The reason they enjoy skincare is because of social media. But we know social media isn’t going away, so what do we do? The answer is nothing. It is their parents’ responsibility to stop their children from ransacking and defacing Sephora. Our job as the public is to not make fun of the process of their growing up, because it is a part of everyone’s growing up to act grown up. The same influencers who are the reason that the children are buying the products, are making fun of them for doing so.
These children aren’t getting their ideas out of thin air. They have social media, and are seeing other people have skincare, making them want it. But the main problem is the social media influencers complaining about them and talking about the children they see in Sephora. There is an entire new trend coming out completely about showing the testers at Sephora and ranting about the children who were rude to them at the stores. My main concern is, what if the children see the videos of people being rude to them online? It doesn’t feel good to be talked about negatively. Imagine how terrible it would be if their favorite social media influencer made fun of them for liking the products they do. It’s very hurtful to watch the influencers be rude to children following their own influence.
The products are expensive and bad for their skin. A specific product, retinol, used for anti-aging qualities, is harmful to young skin. Not only is it unnecessary, but dermatologist Dr. Brooke Jeffy spoke about the issue saying, “This rash had been going on for so long and was so intense, it’s probably going to take at least a month, if not more, to totally resolve.”
People, especially children, are drawn to follow what other people do. There’s a common desire to follow others and be a part of a herd. The children that are labeled “Sephora Kids” may very well be acting entitled and making messes with the testers at Sephora. However, do they have another option? Where else can they get skincare that they find trendy? Another way to look at this issue might be redirection. Perhaps if there was another option for skincare for children, there would be fewer children annoying the other customers in Sephora.
If there was more awareness to both parents and consumers about the issues with their behavior and the products in Sephora, or with any skincare, maybe the issue could be solved. Sephora could also help fix the problem with warnings, either by the workers, or ideally the products themselves. Or like at most drugstores, such as Walmarts, or Targets, products could be behind glass and require asking an employee to try out the products. Some people are angered about the testers being taken away. I would rather blame Sephora, instead of the children. Of course, the children should be able to control their own actions, but every store has customers who act poorly, and I feel that a better solution to the problem would be employees helping people test the products. Maybe they could have the testers be only available when being helped by an employee, but the makeup where customers have to see what shade they are could still be available as testers. (Since there hasn’t been an unusual increase in disgusting makeup testers).
It’s unfortunate, but we have to live with it. Parents will still let their children go into stores unattended, and children will still have social media. Their desire for viral skincare products will only grow. However, hopefully, the social media attention of misbehaving children and problems with products like retinol will cause parents to be more mindful of their children’s Sephora trips. Maybe after the public continues to make a big deal about it, the trend of playing with testers and buying expensive skincare products will die down, and children can find another trend to follow that’s hopefully less annoying to the public. Just remember not to be mean to the kids online, because it’s by definition bullying.