Move Dave and the Basterds. Tweens is currently hosting birthday parties at beauty brand stores such as Sephora and Ulta. It’s part of the Alpha Generation skincare trend.
Forget the Piñata, birthday parties have a beauty twist these days. Alpha, a generation born after 2010, is obsessed with skincare, and they trade at Bounce House for Beauty Bash.
“I went to Ulta and said, ‘Hey, I’m coming here in a pink hummer limo with 18 little girls throwing a 9th birthday party and they’re going to shop in your store,” Paola Hayes said.
Like many tween girls, 9-year-old Layton loved skincare, so her mom suggested hosting a birthday at beauty retailer Urta.
“Let me go to Ulta and see if I can bring 20 little girls to shop there. Honestly, I spent less if not the same, if not the same, throwing a party for her,” Hayes said. Armed with gift cards, the girls arrived at the store in style and flocked to the aisle.
“Even if I wear sunscreen, it’s prone to getting sunburn on my nose. So I use skincare and stuff, but I have sunscreen,” said Leighton, 9. For Layton, it’s about protecting her quite a bit of skin. Many of these tweens are inspired by social media videos.
Annual skincare sales have exploded from $7.8 to $9.2 billion over the past few years.
But what about people who think they’re too young to worry about their skin?
“I think that’s a good foundation for the future. Honestly, I wish I had more focused when I was younger. Maybe not this young person, but I checked the ingredients before I let her buy certain things,” Hayes said.
Dermatologists encourage excellent skincare routines at all ages, but say young people need to stick to basics like cleansers and sunscreen.
“To be honest, I don’t think it’s focused on the appearance. I think it’s more fun for her, Hayes said.
Despite social media trends, Sephora told NBC6 that it “does not offer formal party programs to customers of all ages, anywhere.” Ulta did not respond to requests for information.
Once upon a time, little girls played with mommy makeup, but now it appears that this generation has their own kit.
“I’ve always got hers. She has better skincare than me,” Hayes said.
As for Layton, she said it was her “favorite party to date.”
