Those who grew up in a certain era might recall Bonne Bell Lip Smackers and Caboodles carrying cases as essentials in their early beauty routines. Today’s youth, however, are far more sophisticated, earning the nickname “Sephora tweens.” Many local kids proudly fit the description.
“My mom got me a cleanser when I was 5, and I really liked it, so I got into skin care,” says Ellie Capel-Davies, 9. “I went on YouTube and started seeing all the good products, and that’s how I started getting more and more.”
According to the consumer insights company AYTM, in 2023, kids between the ages of 9 and 15 spent a whopping $4.7 billion on beauty products, more than any other demographic. Of course, kids’ interest in makeup and skin care isn’t anything new, but these days, they have access to social media and platforms like YouTube and TikTok, where influencers document their product hauls and favorite discoveries. A 2023 Gallup poll showed that 51 percent of teens spend at least four hours a day on social media.
YouTube alone is home to millions of videos in which creators promote all sorts of cosmetics labels, and offer makeup and skin care tips. The video platform is Capel-Davies’ primary source for information about which products are going viral and how to best apply her creams and serums. She says most of her friends are also into skin care and that they talk about what they like and try one another’s recommendations. “When we’re having sleepovers, we’re not talking about only skin care, but we do talk about the new stuff that came out, and if one of us gets a new thing, we tell each other about it,” she says.
“I normally get my skin care at Ulta and my makeup at Sephora,” says Capel-Davies, who saves up her allowance to buy products and prefers going to the store rather than shopping online. For example: “When Sol De Janeiro came out with a new product, it wasn’t online yet, so I begged my parents to go to the store and I got it.” Not all products are winners. “There are some I can’t use because they irritate my skin,” she explains. One product made her face red for three whole days.
Capel-Davies’ morning routine consists of moisturiser, serum and facial mist. Her nighttime routine can be a little more involved. “Sometimes I just want to do [a whole skin care routine],” she says. “So I put on body butter, I do a cleanser and I use scented soap.” She particularly loves the facial mists. “They feel so refreshing,” she says. “Like, if I get stressed out at school and I think about homework or tests or projects, putting on mist makes me feel relaxed and forget about everything. It, like, resets my mind, so then I’m on a blank page and I get to restart everything.”
When Capel-Davies has a little bit of product left, she often gives it to her mom, and she also gives both her mom and dad at-home facials using her collection of products. Talking to Capel-Davies feels less like talking to a fourth grader than like consulting with a bona fide aesthetician. Does she think she’s going to be devoted to applying skin care and makeup forever?
She pauses. “I don’t know if I’m going to do it when I’m, like, 40,” she finally says. “But probably until I’m at least 30.”
