My dear friend Leyla and her little lip gloss expert.
One of the most eye-opening experiences of my beauty career happened just before the launch of Reflections last September. I spent nearly an hour inside a Sephora in Downtown Brooklyn watching my friend Leyla’s nine-year-old daughter, Nayra, shop for beauty products.
The trip was a birthday treat. Apparently, tweens today would rather play with makeup than dolls.
I tagged along, thinking it would be a fascinating opportunity to observe the “Sephora kids” phenomenon up close—and to see what life looks like for a reluctant Sephora parent. Episode 2 captures the entire wild adventure. It was not what I expected.
Nayra’s Sephora haul.
A Few Unforgettable Moments from Episode 2
1. The stash was serious.
Before our outing, Leyla walked me through Nayra’s makeup bag. Imagine standing in a child’s bedroom and realizing you own some of the same high-end products. Some were gifts from family members. Others were quietly borrowed from her mom.
2. The store wasn’t overrun.
If you’ve been on TikTok, you’d think Sephora locations now resemble playgrounds. But when we visited, Nayra was the only child in sight.
3. The sales energy was… intense.
The Beauty Advisors weren’t just comfortable selling directly to Nayra—they were competing to do so. Stickers. Samples. Lip colors swatched on her tiny hand. By the end of the trip, Leyla was frustrated. Not once did anyone ask for her permission.
To understand the business side of the Sephora kids boom, I spoke with journalist Sara Spruch-Feiner, who has been covering the tween beauty beat since 2023. Her take? We should get used to sharing beauty aisles with the elementary school set. And we can expect plenty of new launches designed to grab the kiddos’ attention.
“The demand appears to be there,” she told me. “If things are selling out, retailers are going to keep bringing more into stores. I’m not saying that’s a good thing—I’m just saying that’s a fact.”
She’s right. All signs point to Gen Alpha becoming the industry’s most coveted consumer base. Whether that’s unsurprising or unsettling depends on where you stand.
Worth a Look
The tween beauty-related stories I’m thinking about this week.
A new skincare brand is marketing face masks to four-year-olds.
Now that kids have entered the beauty chat, Sara Spruch-Feiner predicts they’ll reshape the industry in ways we’re only beginning to see.
This engrossing profile describes a 16-year-old influencer as a “Sephora success story” and a “newly minted beauty mogul.” Sign of the times.
How old do you have to be to start a skincare line? This founder is only 13.
See you soon-ish,
B
