Are the Tweens Taking Over Sephora Too Young for Skincare Products? (2024)

Andrea Gorlyn’s 12-year-old twin daughters, Sloane and Siena, are obsessed with skin care. So much so that they go to Sephora twice a week. From Drunk Elephant cleansers to Laneige lip balms, the two preteens are already shopping for products aimed at adult women.

They’re “Sephora tweens,” a label TikTokers use to describe 9- to 12-year-olds who make large, expensive purchases at the beauty store to fuel skincare routines that may seem years ahead of their time.

“I’m afraid I’ve created ‘Sephora monsters’,” Gorlyn joked. The 43-year-old mother said she monitors her daughters’ purchases and feels comforted by Sephora’s clean beauty movement, but still has concerns about what her girls are putting into their skin and systems.

Infants and children typically have soft and smooth skin because the outer layer of the skin is thinner and produces less oil. However, this can make their skin more sensitive to the environment and prone to conditions like eczema.

During teenage years, hormonal changes may increase oil production, which can lead to acne or excessively oily skin. As people reach early adulthood and hormonal fluctuations stabilize, they may start to notice signs of aging, such as fine linesand sun-induced hyperpigmentation.

So is skin care necessary for preteens whose skin hasn’t been affected by aging or hormonal changes?

There’s nothing wrong with having a skincare routine as a tween, but at that age, simpler is better, according to Connie Yang, MD, a cosmetic dermatologist at PFRANKMD in New York City.

“A tween should stick to a very basic three-step skincare routine consisting of a cleanser, moisturizer, and sunscreen,” Yang told Verywell.

Outside of this three-step regimen, additional skincare products can negatively affect a tween’s skin, depending on the ingredients.

“Most active ingredients such as retinols, chemical exfoliants, and vitamin C can be skipped, as these are not necessary until collagen production starts to decline in your twenties,” Yang said.

The aim of these ingredients is to accelerate cell turnover—a process that slows down with age—in order to address and prevent issues like fine lines, uneven skin tone, and texture irregularities. “Unnecessary exposure to active anti-aging ingredients can lead to irritation, allergic reactions, and increased skin sensitivity,” she said.

Alain Michon, MD, a cosmetic dermatologist and medical director of Project Skin MD Ottawa in Canada, said it’s best to steer clear of abrasive exfoliants, including cleansers containing tiny beads, as they can cause micro-tears in the skin.

“Other active ingredients such as salicylic acid, glycolic acid, hyaluronic acid, and benzoyl peroxide are fine to use in small doses, but usually not necessary unless your tween needs the extra exfoliation to help remove dirt that is stuck in pores,” Michon said.

Michon added that hormonal acne may not come into play until one’s teenage years; that’s when their skincare routine can be supplemented with acne treatment.

“[They] may want to try to work in an AHA-based exfoliator a few times a week if they’re over about 12 years of age,” Michon said. “The needs of each teen will vary a lot as the exact hormonal changes they experience and the effects on the skin will be different for each child.”

Cleansers with salicylic or glycolic acid can help manage acne, but strong salicylates might be too harsh. If they’re experiencing more intense acne, a medical professional should be consulted.

“Though 2% topical salicylic acid over-the-counter poses no risk, higher concentrations should be avoided until age 20,” said Deeptej Singh, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and founder of Sandia Dermatology.

Oftentimes, your skin can tell you what’s working and what isn’t, Singh added.

“Allergic and irritant reactions can occur with any skincare product,” he said. “Monitoring your skin’s response is crucial in developing an effective skincare regimen, emphasizing the importance of discontinuing products that cause irritation.”