Drunk Elephant sales soar thanks to 10-year-olds – but is it even suitable for kids?

There's a widespread theory on TikTok that children as young as 10 years old are dominating the aisles of Sephora on a hunt for Drunk Elephant skincare. And, some are said to be ruining the display samples in the process.

Viral clips across the platform show Drunk Elephant products that have been turned into a "skincare smoothie".

For 90s kids, Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse was the rage and cost less than £10. Now, pre-teens are adding luxury products to their wishlists including Dior lip oils, Selena Gomez's Rare Beauty, Sol De Janeiro and the famed Drunk Elephant.

"Has anyone else noticed that every time you go into Sephora now it’s just all little girls?" One TikToker asked, before adding: "I don’t know if this is everywhere lately, but I swear every time I go into these expensive makeup stores it’s just all really young little girls, which is really upsetting to see."

This inspired more TikTokers to post their own takes, including TikTok user Elina Boudin.

During a trip to Sephora, she recalls a group of girls walking in that were no "older than 10."

"They walk up to this poor woman who’s working there – trying to do her job – and they say 'where are the [Drunk Elephant] bronzing drops?'. No 'please'. No 'thank you'. Just 'WHERE ARE THEY?'"

Elina continued: "She opens the drawers, shows them that they’re out of stock and they just say to her ‘check the back’…They just kept badgering her…I just want to know: Where are these kids parents? Allowing them to have such bad attitudes and behave this way towards other people” she asks. “These kids are disrespectful, rude, and literally damaging their skin with the products."

More TikTokers were inspired to see whether the theory was true.

"Honestly the drunk elephant testers at Sephora weren't terrible but you could tell a 10-year-old had just made a skincare smoothie," Lex wrote.

With Drunk Elephant being the go-to product in 2024, the brand has turned to social media to make a statement about whether their products are suitable for younger people.

"Yes! Many of our products are designed for all skin, including kids and tweens," they wrote. However, "more potent products that include acids and retinols—their skin does not need these ingredients quite yet."

They went on to list a string of products suitable for pre-teen use, including: "Beste, Lala, Bora (it’s very rich, so this one depends on level of dryness), F-Balm, Wonderwild, Virgin Marula Oil, Umbra Sheer, B-Hydra, D-Bronzi, O-Bloos, Lippe, Pekee, Kamili Body Cleanser, Sili Body Lotion, Sili Whipped, Wild Marula Tangle Spray, Cocomino shampoo + conditioner."

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