TikTok Or Parenting: Who's To Blame For The Sephora Teen 'Epidemic'?

There are tons of TikTok videos sharing teens' obsession with Sephora. Some share their shopping hauls, and other videos show their bad attitudes when they can't buy something they want.

Is this new Sephora teen "epidemic" being caused by social media influencers and the many TikTok makeup and skincare tutorials, or is this more of a parenting issue? Depends on who you ask.

Natalia Herrera, a Sephora employee, recently shared a TikTok "Storytime" to share an experience she had with a 10-year-old customer.

"These 10-year-old girls at Sephora are crazy, but what's crazier are the parents that aren't parenting," she said as she began her story. "So, the other day when I was working, we were kind of busy so the line was kind of long, and this little girl walks up to me and her basket is literally overflowing."

Herrera continued by saying the little girl was between 9 and 11 years old, "definitely way too young to be shopping at Sephora."

Herrera noted that the child appeared to be by herself as she was checking out. Her total came to almost $900! After hearing that, the little girl gave Herrera a "nervous look" and looked to the left to an older lady who appeared to be her mom and a younger girl who was her sister. They were checking out at another register.

"And the little girl calls the sister over, and the sister's like, 'What? Like how much is it?' And she's like, 'Well, how much was yours?' And the sister goes, '500,'" she continued. "She said that so normal. She literally looked at her and said yeah $500. So the one that I'm helping out goes, 'Well, mine is almost $900.' So then her sister is like, 'Well, do you have enough?' and she was like, 'No, but I'm probably just gonna use mom's money.'"

All of this is happening right at the register with a long line forming. The little girl called her mom over and when she heard the total she "freaked out." The mom made her daughter take something out and an argument begins between the mother and daughter. Ultimately, the daughter told her mom, "But that's the last thing I'm taking out."

"The problem isn't the kids, it's the parents," Herrera said. "Because why aren't you guys sitting there saying, you know, holding your ground? These iPad kids, these little girls have never heard the word no, and they kind of just get what they want so they can shut up and the parents can just move on with their day."

Herrera's video has received more than 34 million views and has tons of comments.

"Spent $130 at Sephora last week and I’ll be in financial ruins for years to come," one person wrote. Another added, "Take something out??? My mom would’ve been taking me out lmaooo ??." 

Many talked about parenting as the real issue.

"Parents don’t parent anymore. They let the kids run the show. It’s absolutely absurd," said one person. "As an educator, thank you! PARENTS NEED TO PARENT!!!!" shared another.

"Real Housewives of New York" alum Bethenny Frankel chimed in about the Sephora teen epidemic in a recently shared TikTok video.

"I find Sephora to be very pricey and often unnecessary, as unpopular as that may be," she said. "And Sephora is thriving because social media has put them in another stratosphere."

Frankel explained that her daughter may get something special from one of the major brands as a gift or reward, but many of her daughter's friends have "more of this stuff, a lot more of this stuff."

"So whether 10 years old or 14 years old, it's on the parenting," she said. "And I certainly don't let my kid hang out all weekend at Sephora spending money on my credit card."

Many of Frankel's followers shared their thoughts on the Sephora chat in the comment section with most people thanking Frankel for her take and agreeing with her.

"10000% parenting," one person wrote. Another said, "You nailed it - thank you."

"I'm the mom that took their 10-year-olds to Sephora," Stephanie Eadie began her now viral video. "Two respectful 10-year-olds. Girls had fun, spent their own money, were respectful. I actually had no idea that there was drama around Sephora."

She explained that the 10-year-old in other TikTok videos is not her daughter. She then showed her daughter's Sephora haul - lip oil, bronzer, contour, concealer and powder. She also explained that her daughter only wears makeup occasionally for fun.

"Do you need to wear makeup?" Eadie asked her daughter, who responded, "No, it's just fun."

While many comments were about wearing expensive Charlotte Tilbury bronzer "for fun," others could respect Eadie's parenting and video.

"Parenting is diff for everyone! But I support this! Would want my future kids to be this open to me. Plus this is fun girl bonding," one person wrote. Another said, "If all moms were like you there wouldn't be a Sephora issue to be talked about. Good job momma ?."