It’s 2016, and I’m 9 again. I love Justice, Claire’s, and that bright turquoise I begged my parents to paint my bedroom walls. My friends and I go roller skating every other week during the school year and play mermaids in the pool during the summer. Dividing fractions and getting the newest Dork Diaries book are my biggest worries. Now, Justice has filed for bankruptcy, “Sephora kids” are on the rise, and the era of the “preteen” seems to be fading into memory.
Social Media and Preteens
Preteens, or tweens, are kids aged 9 to 12—caught in that awkward transitional period where they’re too young to be considered teenagers but too old to be seen as children. This stage is crucial for development, as it allows kids to explore how they want to express themselves before stepping into their teenage years. During this stage, preteens are usually starting puberty and going through cognitive changes. Laura Kirmayer, a clinical psychologist says that preteens are “starting to develop the ability to be aware of their own thoughts as well as others’ thoughts”. However, this new generation of tweens is skipping this essential step, leading to increasingly blurry lines between childhood, adolescence, and adulthood.
Platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts are filled with tweens posting “Get Ready With Me” videos. These videos often feature young girls applying expensive skincare and makeup while explaining where they’re going or sharing personal stories. Many of these girls could be classified as “Sephora kids,” a term referring to the surge of tweens visiting Sephora stores, often leaving a mess behind as they use testers and experiment with products. This behavior has sparked significant backlash, with older internet users expressing concern about the impact of these products—especially potent ones like retinol—on young skin. Dr. Anjali Mahto, consultant dermatologist at Self London, said that “redness, dryness, peeling and itching, particularly at the start of treatment” are possible side effects of retinol. She also noted that retinol heightens sun sensitivity, which increases the need to use sunscreen. Due to this, many internet users are calling for age restrictions at stores like Sephora to protect these impressionable kids.
“Third spaces” and self-expression
However, we shouldn’t place the blame solely on the kids. There’s a glaring lack of “third spaces” for preteens. Sociologist Ray Oldenburg coined this term to describe places that are separate from home and school—environments where people can socialize with peers and make new connections. Unfortunately, for preteens, these spaces are limited. Younger children can play freely at parks and playgrounds, while high schoolers have the freedom to hang out at restaurants and coffee shops. Yet affordable options for tweens—like bowling alleys and arcades—are becoming increasingly rare. The absence of these third spaces, coupled with the rise of beauty content creators, has made places like Sephora a popular destination for girls in this age group.
Preteens are growing up in a digital landscape dominated by TikTok and other short-form content platforms, which often feature influencers presenting a “flawless” version of themselves. The media plays a significant role in shaping the preferences and self-expression of 9-12-year-olds. These tweens look up to 20-something influencers and aspire to mirror their lifestyles. When their favorite TikTok stars flaunt items like Stanley Cups and Drunk Elephant skincare, it’s no surprise that preteens begin asking for similar products for their birthdays. The rise of “cringe culture” has also pressured them to grow up faster. Cringe culture is making fun of people and/or insulting them by calling them ‘cringey’ or ‘cringe’ for doing things that don’t harm or somehow insult anyone nor anything. This keeps preteens clear of the awkward or “cringe” phases that many of us endured. Ultimately, these kids just want acceptance in a world that often seems to value maturity over innocence.
Lasting Effects
Instead of reading magazines specifically aimed at their age group, like J-14, Twist, and Muse, preteens have turned to TikTok and Instagram to learn how to be “cool.” This shift is troubling; watching this generation of preteens makes me reflect a lot on my tweenhood and how it has been crucial for my development. They’re missing out on the fundamental experiences that define “tweenhood,” feeling pressured to grow up too quickly. I’m grateful I got to navigate those awkward years of my own life, and I would choose to do it all over again, even if it means wearing jeggings and a turquoise hoodie adorned with sparkly sequins that spell out “GIRL POWER.”
