In short

Most dermatologists agree that tweens and younger teens don't need adult skincare. Many of the products trending on TikTok and at Sephora contain retinols, AHAs, BHAs, and strong vitamin C designed for ageing adult skin. 

On young skin, these can damage the skin barrier, cause irritation, and trigger reactions. A gentle cleanser, moisturiser, and daily SPF is genuinely all most teens need.

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What is the "Sephora kids" trend?

The "Sephora kids" trend refers to the surge in tweens and young teens, often aged 8 to 13, buying high-end adult skincare from brands like Drunk Elephant, Glow Recipe, Sol de Janeiro, and The Ordinary. 

It took off on TikTok in 2023 to 2024, where huge skincare hauls, layered "shelfies," and 10-step routines became viral content.

The concern from dermatologists isn't that girls are enjoying skincare. It's that many of these products are formulated for adult, ageing skin and aren't safe for tween or younger-teen skin barriers.

Most major brands, including Drunk Elephant, have publicly asked younger users to skip their active products and stick to their gentler ones.

Why is my daughter so obsessed with skincare?

There's almost always more going on than just liking the bottles. 

Skincare gives your daughter something powerful: a sense of control, a shared language with friends, and a route to feeling grown-up at an age where almost everything else feels like it's changing.

The TikTok algorithm is a real factor, too. In a luna poll of 2,499 teen girls, nearly 1 in 2 (47%) said TikTok was their favourite social media app. 

The platform's beauty content feeds her interest the second she shows any, and TikTok skincare trends go viral without anyone stopping to fact-check them.

A few common drivers worth knowing about:

• It's a hobby she can fully own and control
• It's social currency in her friendship group
• It's tied to identity and feeling more grown-up
• It can be a quiet response to appearance worries: in a luna poll of 2,718 teen girls, more than 4 in 5 (84%) said they'd felt pressure to have a back-to-school glow up
• It can be a way of managing real skin worries: more than 9 in 10 girls (94%) say they've experienced spots
• If your daughter is comparing herself to everyone online, she may think she needs all the skincare they use

Seeing the layers underneath the hobby helps you respond to what's actually going on, not just the shopping.

Is anti-aging skincare bad for young skin?

Yes, for most tweens and younger teens, adult anti-aging products can cause real harm. 

Young skin is already producing collagen well, has an intact skin barrier, and doesn't need active ingredients designed to undo damage that hasn't happened yet.

The most common issues associated with teens using too much skincare they don’t need are:

• Damaged or stripped skin barriers
• Contact dermatitis: red, itchy, flaky reactions
• Worsened teen acne from over-exfoliation
• Photosensitivity, meaning her skin burns more easily
• Eczema flare-ups in girls who already had it

Which skincare ingredients should my daughter avoid?

Most dermatologists draw a clear line between active ingredients (which alter skin chemistry) and gentle care ingredients (which clean, hydrate, and protect). 

Usually best avoided for under-14s:

• Retinol and retinoids
• Glycolic, lactic, mandelic, and other AHAs
• Salicylic acid (BHA) at strong percentages
• Strong vitamin C serums, anything over around 10%
• Exfoliating toners and "glow" pads
• "Anti-aging," "firming," or "wrinkle" anything

Usually safe and useful:

• A gentle non-foaming cleanser
• A simple moisturiser, fragrance-free if she's prone to reactions
• Daily SPF 30 or above: the single most important product at every age

If she has persistent acne, see her doctor or a dermatologist rather than relying on TikTok recommendations. 

In a luna poll of 1,836 teen girls, 1 in 5 (19%) said spots really affected their ability to be social, so it's worth taking seriously and treating properly.

What does my daughter's skin actually need?

For most teen girls, the honest answer is: less than she thinks. The best teen skincare routine is a daily routine of cleanser, moisturiser, and SPF.

In a luna poll of 3,151 teen girls, 1 in 3 (33%) said they followed a routine with 5 or more steps. That's well over what most young skin needs, and a meaningful number of girls in that group will be using actives their skin doesn't need yet.

If she wants a "routine," keep it simple:

• Morning: gentle cleanse, moisturiser, SPF
• Evening: gentle cleanse, moisturiser
• Once or twice a week: a hydrating mask if she likes the ritual
• Safe acne treatment like pimple patches

The aim is to keep it as a feel-good moment rather than a "fix what's wrong with me" project.

How do I talk to her about it without shaming her?

Try not to make her feel silly for caring. Skincare interest often sits right next to real worries about appearance, friendships, and growing up. 

Mocking the trend, even gently, can shut down the conversation.

A few approaches that tend to land:

• Take her interest seriously: ask which products she likes and why
• Frame it as a safety conversation, not a vanity one: "these were made for skin in its 40s, and they can actually hurt yours"
• Look at the ingredients list together, most teens find this genuinely interesting once they get into it
• Show her dermatologist videos on TikTok and Instagram rather than lecturing yourself
• Offer tween-appropriate alternatives so she still gets a routine she's excited about
• Watch for the deeper layer: if she's spending a lot of time worried about her skin, ask gently how she's actually feeling about her face

If her interest in skincare is starting to look more like anxiety about her appearance, it's worth a conversation with her doctor or her school's wellbeing team.

What about the cost?

The financial side is its own conversation. Many trending products cost £30 to £75 each, and a full TikTok-style routine can easily run to £200 or more. 

It's reasonable to set a budget without turning it into a punishment.

A few approaches other parents find useful:

• Agree a monthly or birthday allowance for skincare or beauty
• Suggest she saves toward one product she really wants rather than several cheaper ones
• Steer her toward brands that are both safe and affordable: Cerave, Bubble, and La Roche-Posay are commonly recommended for younger skin
• Treat it as part of growing-up money skills, not a battle

FAQ

Is retinol safe for my daughter?

Dermatologists generally don’t advocate for teen retinol use unless prescribed by a doctor for a specific condition like acne. 

Young skin doesn't need it, and over-the-counter retinol can damage the skin barrier and cause irritation that takes weeks to settle.

Can my 10 year old use Drunk Elephant?

Drunk Elephant themselves have publicly stated that several of their products (the ones with retinol, AHAs, or strong vitamin C) are not suitable for under-13s. 

They've named which products are fine (their cleansers, moisturisers, and sunscreens) and which aren't. It's worth checking their website with her.

Should I just ban Sephora trips?

Banning often backfires at this age and turns skincare into forbidden fruit. 

A clearer approach is usually: she can shop, with a list of ingredients you've agreed she'll avoid, a budget, and a few brand suggestions to choose from. That gives her agency without putting her skin at risk.

What's a good first skincare brand for a tween?

Dermatologists commonly recommend Cerave, La Roche-Posay, Bubble, and Avene for younger skin. They're gentle, affordable, and don't push actives. 

Bubble in particular markets to tweens and teens specifically.

My daughter has spots, can she use stronger products?

If she has persistent acne, the right next step is her doctor or a dermatologist, not stronger over-the-counter actives. 

Acne in tweens and teens often responds well to prescription treatments that are both more effective and gentler than the routines trending on TikTok.

A gentle next step

Your daughter's interest in skincare isn't a bad thing. It's actually a chance to teach her how to look after her skin properly, spot marketing nonsense, and feel good in her own face. The aim isn't to kill the hobby. It's to make it safe and keep it healthy.

If body image worries are starting to sit underneath the skincare interest, luna's guide on supporting your daughter's body image is a good next read.

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