Social Media and the Rise of “Sephora Kids” - Gender Performance and Beauty Practices among Female Children
(2025) BUSN39 20251Department of Business Administration
- Abstract
- Keywords: Children and Consumption, Children and Social Media, Sephora Kids,
Kidfluencer Culture, Digital Consumer Culture, Beauty Norms, Gender Socialisation, Gender Performativity, Social Media, TikTok
Thesis aim: The aim of this study is to explore how young children perform beauty practices on social media platforms. Particularly, this study aims to deepen the understanding of the
phenomena of Sephora Kids and how gender norms and beauty ideals are constructed on
digital platforms.
Theoretical Perspective: The three main theoretical perspectives used are Butler’s Gender
Performativity (1990), Goffman's Theory of Performativity (1959) and the Meme Theory by Dawkins (1976).
Methodology: A qualitative research method was... (More) - Keywords: Children and Consumption, Children and Social Media, Sephora Kids,
Kidfluencer Culture, Digital Consumer Culture, Beauty Norms, Gender Socialisation, Gender Performativity, Social Media, TikTok
Thesis aim: The aim of this study is to explore how young children perform beauty practices on social media platforms. Particularly, this study aims to deepen the understanding of the
phenomena of Sephora Kids and how gender norms and beauty ideals are constructed on
digital platforms.
Theoretical Perspective: The three main theoretical perspectives used are Butler’s Gender
Performativity (1990), Goffman's Theory of Performativity (1959) and the Meme Theory by Dawkins (1976).
Methodology: A qualitative research method was chosen for the study, and 50 TikTok videos were analysed. The empirical results were collected and analysed with the help of the theories and research on the topics of children and consumption, children and social media and gender in consumer research.
Main Findings & Contributions: This study defines three themes through which female
Sephora Kids perform beauty practices on social media: Embodied Emulation, Gendered
Socialisation, and Commercialised Self-Care. The research shows that female children navigate digital consumer culture from a young age, particularly through beauty practices and brand promotion as kidfluencers. Through the beauty routines, female children face an early gender socialisation, with the mothers playing an important role in reinforcing femininity and beauty consumption at an early age, while digital platforms serve as amplifiers of gender and beauty norms. In addition, the research contributes to how children’s engagement with beauty
products influences their understanding of their body and their need to meet societal expectations through their appearance. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9206251
- author
- Jonser, Laura Elisabeth LU and Llop Slomma, Nastassja Patricia LU
- supervisor
- organization
- course
- BUSN39 20251
- year
- 2025
- type
- H1 - Master's Degree (One Year)
- subject
- keywords
- Children and Consumption, Children and Social Media, Sephora Kids, Kidfluencer Culture, Digital Consumer Culture, Beauty Norms, Gender Socialisation, Gender Performativity, Social Media, TikTok
- language
- English
- id
- 9206251
- date added to LUP
- 2025-06-30 12:12:05
- date last changed
- 2025-06-30 12:12:05
@misc{9206251,
abstract = {{Keywords: Children and Consumption, Children and Social Media, Sephora Kids,
Kidfluencer Culture, Digital Consumer Culture, Beauty Norms, Gender Socialisation, Gender Performativity, Social Media, TikTok
Thesis aim: The aim of this study is to explore how young children perform beauty practices on social media platforms. Particularly, this study aims to deepen the understanding of the
phenomena of Sephora Kids and how gender norms and beauty ideals are constructed on
digital platforms.
Theoretical Perspective: The three main theoretical perspectives used are Butler’s Gender
Performativity (1990), Goffman's Theory of Performativity (1959) and the Meme Theory by Dawkins (1976).
Methodology: A qualitative research method was chosen for the study, and 50 TikTok videos were analysed. The empirical results were collected and analysed with the help of the theories and research on the topics of children and consumption, children and social media and gender in consumer research.
Main Findings & Contributions: This study defines three themes through which female
Sephora Kids perform beauty practices on social media: Embodied Emulation, Gendered
Socialisation, and Commercialised Self-Care. The research shows that female children navigate digital consumer culture from a young age, particularly through beauty practices and brand promotion as kidfluencers. Through the beauty routines, female children face an early gender socialisation, with the mothers playing an important role in reinforcing femininity and beauty consumption at an early age, while digital platforms serve as amplifiers of gender and beauty norms. In addition, the research contributes to how children’s engagement with beauty
products influences their understanding of their body and their need to meet societal expectations through their appearance.}},
author = {{Jonser, Laura Elisabeth and Llop Slomma, Nastassja Patricia}},
language = {{eng}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{Social Media and the Rise of “Sephora Kids” - Gender Performance and Beauty Practices among Female Children}},
year = {{2025}},
}