Breathe
By Ana Cecilia Pérez
The "Sephora Kids" phenomenon and the normalization of precocious femininity.
When we were little girls, childhood smelled of play dough, freshly lined books, crayons melting in the sun. Today, for many girls, childhood smells like vitamin C serum, anti-wrinkle cream and gel eyeliner.
The phenomenon of "Sephora Kids"-girls between the ages of 8 and 12 who flock to luxury beauty stores to test products, buy complete skincare routines and replicate TikTok tutorials-is not just a fad. It is a painful reflection of how we are transforming childhood into a showcase of consumption, aesthetics and perfection.
They are not responsible. They are the mirror of a system -and of many adults- that has turned image into the center of identity. They are daughters of a digital culture that taught them that "glow" is more important than play.
And yes, they are also daughters of many social media accounts managed by mothers -the so-called "mom running accounts"- who have exposed them as babies as content: showing their clothes, their room, their face, their day-to-day life. From there to becoming mini-influencers, aspiring "glow girls," it's just one step.
The problem is not the makeup. It's the pressure.
It is femininity reduced to filters, likes and anti-aging creams before the end of elementary school. It is to adultify our daughters before their time. It is sexualizing them without realizing it, when we celebrate them dressing "like grown-ups", doing "perfect transitions" on TikTok or posing like models.
And in the meantime, they grow up with impossible standards. They learn that to be valued you have to look perfect. That to get attention you have to show off. That the body must always be available to the gaze of others.
This not only damages their self-esteem. It also exposes them to real risks: grooming, harassment, sexualized comments and the normalization of an external gaze on their own bodies. A silent wound that many will carry for years to come.
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