HOUSTON — If you have been on TikTok recently, you might have noticed the hashtag #sephorakids trending.
Young girls, some looking like they are still in elementary school, are swarming the beauty retailer looking for high-end makeup products usually used by grown women. According to mental health experts interviewed by USA Today, there is one answer for the trending topic -- social media.
Most of us are familiar with beauty influencers. Makeup tutorials have been all over social media for years. According to a psychotherapist who talked to USA Today, those social media influences are expanding their target group, meaning algorithms are now targeting younger and younger users.
Now those children may feel pressured to mimic what they are seeing in the posts in order to fit in. But is a makeup obsession for pre-teens really a bad thing?
According to the Cleveland Clinic, there is no set age for when you should start wearing makeup, but it is important to have a discussion with your kid as soon as they show interest. That way, you can manage expectations and set limits. And when they do start, remember that less is more. Heavy makeup can cause skin irritation and aggravate acne prone skin.
Check ingredients and steer towards products with fewer ingredients.