Sephora Kids and the Retinol Trend: What Tweens Really Need for Healthy Skin

It started like any ordinary sleepover. Snacks, gossip, and me – your classic older cousin – thinking I was in for an easy night of TikTok dances and horror movies. Instead, I walked straight into what looked like the beauty aisle at Sephora had exploded all over the bathroom counter.

There was a pink foaming cleanser she definitely bought for the packaging. A tiny dropper bottle of something labelled 'AHA' (deeply concerning). Eye cream she’d swiped from a YouTube tutorial. And sitting right in the middle like some kind of skincare boss fight: Drunk Elephant Retinol.

Retinol. On skin that still gets face paint at birthday parties.

She was patting it on so earnestly, like she’d been doing this for years. I had questions. And honestly? Some mild panic.

Sephora Kids Are the New Problem Child

This isn’t an isolated incident. This is the new reality.

Kids – actual children – are flooding into Sephora, armed with birthday money and TikTok hauls. 

There are entire TikTok compilations showing just how deep this obsession goes. Kids proudly show off their Sephora hauls, routines stacked with retinol and acids, and bathroom counters that look suspiciously like a 30-year-old influencer’s shelf.

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The trend is so prevalent that Google searches for 'Sephora kids' have increased by over 700% in the past year alone, with TikTok videos under that hashtag racking up millions of views. According to CNN and BBC, tweens buy retinol, glycolic acid, and vitamin C serums like they’re collecting Pokémon.

Dermatologists are panicking. Parents are baffled. And tween skin barriers? They don’t stand a chance.

Why Retinol is Incredible for Aging Skin — But Absolutely Not for Tweens

Tween skin is not adult skin in miniature. It’s still developing, still figuring itself out. Research, according to the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, confirms that kids’ skin is actively building its protective barrier well into adolescence, meaning harsh ingredients can do lasting damage.

Even older teens aren’t always getting this right. And listen — I say this as someone in my thirties who absolutely loves retinol and, yes, immediately adopted my cousin’s Drunk Elephant serum into my own routine the second it left her bathroom counter. It’s one of the most well-researched, dermatologist-backed ingredients for improving skin texture, softening fine lines, and boosting collagen production. 

There’s a reason it's considered the gold standard in anti-aging skincare. In fact, research from the National Center for Biotechnology Information shows that retinoids help increase collagen production and reduce the appearance of wrinkles over time.

The Drunk Elephant A-Passioni Retinol Cream my cousin was using? Genuinely a fantastic product — for me. For skin that’s dealing with sun damage, pigmentation, or signs of aging, it can be transformative.

But for her? It’s way too much, too soon. Tween skin isn’t just sensitive — it’s still developing its barrier function from the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. Retinol at that age can cause irritation, dryness, redness, and long-term damage to that fragile skin barrier. It’s like borrowing someone’s prescription glasses because they look cool — completely unnecessary and, honestly, probably doing more harm than good.

So, What Should Tweens Actually Be Using?

The answer isn’t complicated. In fact, for tween skin, less is almost always more.

At this age, skincare should focus on the basics: supporting their natural skin barrier and keeping skin clean, hydrated, and protected from the sun. No active ingredients. No harsh exfoliants. No anti-aging serums. Most tweens need simple, barrier-friendly skin care that keeps things calm, balanced, and fuss-free. 

Dermatologists, including guidance from the American Academy of Dermatology, typically recommend a routine built around:

• A gentle, non-stripping cleanser
• A hydrating mist (optional, but great for irritated or post-sport skin)
• A lightweight, fragrance-free moisturizer
• And, of course, daily SPF
  
  

Anything beyond that is usually marketing hype — not skincare science.

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The Essentials of Tween Skincare

Once I had confiscated the retinol (and gently explained why a 12-year-old does not need anti-aging skincare), I knew I had to help my cousin build a routine that made sense — something gentle, barrier-friendly, and easy enough for her to stick to without turning skincare into homework.

This is the routine I curated for her:

The Routine I Built For My Tween Cousin

• Cleanser: Etude House SoonJung pH 6.5 Whip Cleanser – Ultra-gentle, fragrance-free, and ideal for sensitive skin just starting a skincare routine.
  
  
• Mist: Pipa Skin Saver Mist – A derm-approved multitasker that calms redness, irritation, and post-netball flushes without stripping the skin.
  
  
• Moisturizer: Illiyoon Ceramide Ato Concentrate Cream – Lightweight but deeply nourishing to support and protect her skin barrier.
  
  
• SPF: Round Lab Birch Juice Moisturizing Sun Cream SPF50+ – Hydrating, non-greasy, and crucial for everyday sun protection (yes, even when it’s cloudy).

And that’s genuinely all she needs. The goal isn’t to build a complicated 10-step routine — it’s to teach her that good skincare is about consistency, protection, and being kind to her skin. 

The Brand Doing It Right: Meet Pipa

But perhaps you don’t have time to filter through multiple brands, don’t fret. That’s where Pipa comes in — a brand that isn’t just about making skincare look cute on a bathroom counter but about genuinely protecting young, developing skin.

Created by esthetician and makeup artist Kristina Kubler, Pipa was born from a familiar problem: her daughter wanted skincare like all her friends, but every product available was built for adult skin — or worse, just watered-down versions of harsh formulas.

Pipa's entire approach is rooted in science and safety. Their products are pediatrician-approved and intentionally formulated without endocrine disruptors, artificial fragrance, or heavy active ingredients like acids or retinoids. Instead, they focus on what tween skincare should really do: strengthen the skin barrier, soothe irritation, lock in hydration, and most importantly, do no harm.

It's skincare designed to teach good habits early — without compromising skin health in the process.

It's skincare designed to teach good habits early — without compromising skin health in the process.

Meet Skin Saver Mist ($16.95)

At the heart of the Pipa range is Skin Saver Mist, powered by hypochlorous acid (HOCl). It’s an ingredient dermatologists genuinely love for its antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and skin-soothing powers, according to research published in the Journal of Integrative Dermatology.

In a pilot study, HOCl helped reduce acne lesions without the usual side effects like peeling or irritation.

My cousin uses it after sports, swimming, and, frankly, whenever she remembers. And yes, it now lives in my own skincare stash, too.

Skincare That Doesn’t Trash Their Face or the Planet

Pipa also partners with CleanHub to remove plastic waste from vulnerable coastal communities. It’s a nice reminder that skincare doesn’t have to come at an environmental cost.

Parenting, But Make It Skincare

Skincare doesn’t have to be complicated to be cool.

Teaching kids to care for their skin doesn’t have to mean handing them a retinol serum and hoping for the best. It can be slow. It can be simple. It can start with the basics.

Brands like Pipa get this — building routines that actually honor where kids’ skin is now, not where TikTok says it should be.

Will my cousin still ask for bronzing drops? Almost definitely.

But at least now, she knows that good skin isn’t built in a cart at Sephora; it’s built in small, boring, everyday moments. Clean. Moisturise. SPF. Repeat.

That's the glow-up worth teaching – the best skincare routine at 12 is knowing you don’t need much.