The Gen Alpha epidemic all over social media is causing chaos in Sephora stores. 2024 social media started covering Gen Alpha’s retinol and skin care craze because of their exposure to anti-aging and TikTok influencers. 

Gen Alpha is obsessed with Sephora because they have access to the internet where overconsumption is at its all-time high. Since they don’t have influencers targeted towards them like what Gen Z had growing up on YouTube, they have to focus on beauty influencers who do Sephora hauls on the new trendy makeup product or skincare.

This strips them of the childhood that they already lack. Right before Gen Alpha was born, in 2008, most tween-focused stores shut down. Making kids and tweens turn to YouTube and social media targeted towards Gen Z. 

The effects of the downfall of tweens in the future are that they are growing up faster, skipping the awkward phase that teens have faced for generations. They do what teens do and go where teens go.

The influencers they watch do Sephora hauls showing off their new products, what’s in and out, promotions, and GRWM (Get Ready With Me); Gen Alpha will use this to get with trends and fit societal beauty standards and anti-aging ideology; their parents give them access to stores like Sephora and Ulta by giving them money and taking them there.

On social media, people mostly Gen Z will blame Gen Alpha for how they act although it isn’t their fault; they are just an effect of the erasure of tweens. We as a society should focus the blame on companies like Drunk Elephant, which has appealing products, parents who let their children go to Sephora and buy them, and the lack of social media influencers targeted for Gen Alpha.