Sephora is the new Chuck E. Cheese for tween girl birthday parties
Forget Chuck E. Cheese — all the trendy tweens are hosting their birthday parties at Sephora.
Spa and makeover sessions have always been a hit at young girls’ birthday parties, and despite the controversial rise of skin-care-obsessed tweens — dubbed “Sephora kids” by supporters and foes who believe they’re too young to be clogging the aisles and using pricey serums and lipsticks — celebrating at the beauty brand’s stores has earned respect from moms and daughters alike.
The mall staple is one of 10-year-old Mia Schwartz’s favorite places to shop in her hometown of Boca Raton, Florida.
“I follow her like I’m following a puppy, and she just goes from product to product,” Jenni Schwartz, Mia’s mom, told The Post.
That’s why she decided to put together a scavenger hunt for her daughter’s ninth birthday last year when the pre-teen asked to host her annual celebration at the beauty retailer.
“It’s hard to find a birthday party that someone hasn’t already done,” Jenni said.
Sephora locations across the US are permitted to host parties, but it’s at the discretion of each shop. Several stores in New York City, from Tribeca to Midtown, told The Post that they had planned parties, but noted that the decisions are made by local management. And stores do not allow children under the age of 18 to receive a beauty service unless a parent or guardian is present.
Schwartz said she called her local store, coordinated with staff and arrived with a gaggle of 15 girls. She separated the youngsters into groups and gave them questions to answer about their favorite brands, like “How many different Sol de Janeiro scents are there?”
The girls were then given a $20 gift card — which many complained didn’t cover the cost their favorite products, the mom said. They also got a branded baggie of samples Schwartz knew would be ogled and traded like playing cards.
Her daughter doesn’t really care what the product is — she simply wants the things her friends have or what she sees in the media.
While some parents have expressed concerns about their kids growing up too fast, Schwartz thinks her daughter’s love of Sephora is “a tale as old as time” — reminiscent of her own tween days playing with her mom’s lipstick and bronzer.
Some moms have a bit more experience.
Aesthetician and content creator Rokeya Thomas has been teaching her daughter Raegan about skin care since she was old enough to use it — which the expert decided was 6 years old.
Since then, Raegan’s love for beauty products has only grown: She’s now a “TikTok and Sephora girly.”
So when it came time to plan Raegan’s 11th birthday party, Thomas called the Sephora near her in Charlotte, North Carolina. Five friends came to the fête — the first ever held at the location.
Raegan explained that she typically uses a cleanser, serum, moisturizer and “any sunscreen product that makes my face glow.” But her birthday was a special occasion, so age-appropriate makeup — which Mom decided was a little bit of eye shadow, mascara, blush and lip gloss — was allowed.
“It was extra for the celebration,” Thomas explained.
The girls then went out to brunch and were given a lesson in etiquette.
“I really liked the birthday party,” Raegan recounted. “It was a nice surprise for me and my friends.”
The mom noted that she spoke with the parents of all the children beforehand and said “the only concern they had was to make sure that the makeup part was age-appropriate.”
But beyond some parents’ panic about their daughters becoming “Sephora kids,” the store’s employees seem to have the biggest issue with these parties, whether they happen before, during or after store hours.
On Reddit, an anonymous Sephora worker said hosting parties is “the f – – king worst,” complaining that “the parents think it’s a free-for-all place like a Chuck E. Cheese, thinking their kid has fair game of anything they want.”
Another person on Reddit said, “Personally, that’s the last thing I want to see walking into a store.”
However, the store manager who helped Thomas plan Raegan’s party was so into the event that she spent her own money to get the girls pink balloons, tiaras and pearl necklaces. The theme was then upgraded from “Sephora” to “Tiaras and Pearls With the Girls.”
To avoid overwhelming workers and shoppers, some families have transformed their homes into Sephora stores, or hired party planners to help control the makeup mayhem.
Texas party planner Meghan Warren has planned several birthday parties at Sephora stores for 8- to 11-year-olds and fully supports the fabulous fun.
Warren, who owns Meghan Warren Events, thinks it’s “a trend that’s gonna stay for a while,” as requests for Sephora birthday parties began rolling in at the end of last year and haven’t let up.
“It’s a very controlled and age-appropriate environment,” Warren told The Post, noting that the tween segment has been missing a perfect party scene.
The planner enthused that birthday parties at Sephora are “a hidden gem,” calling it “the most affordable birthday party” option for small groups.
It’s also a smart move on Sephora’s part, as they can potentially create lifelong customers.
Florida birthday girl Liz (name changed for privacy) was totally over having an annual backyard pool party, so she wanted something different to celebrate hitting double digits last summer.
She asked her mom to host her 10th birthday bash at their local Sephora — just like her best friend did.
“In Florida, there’s a pool party every day, so I think it was just exciting for the girls to have something else to do,” her mother, Jaime, who requested to keep her last name private, told The Post.
While she was intrigued by the “unique” idea, she wanted to guarantee it was age-appropriate — an increasingly common parenting concern sparked in Jaime’s household when Liz came home from a sleepover with a list of 15 products she wanted.
“A 15-step skin care routine is not appropriate at their age,” Jaime said.
Liz doesn’t usually shop for herself at Sephora — though she loves tagging along with her mom — but was inspired after her best friend had her birthday party at the store.
“Girls who are 10 are kind of in this in-between phase of being over the young princess play makeup, but then also too young for true grown-up makeup,” Jaime explained. “I didn’t want them pushing certain products to the kids.”
So Jaime tapped the Sephora store manager to collaborate on goodies pre-approved by Mom.
On her birthday, Liz and her eight closest girlfriends were taught about skin care, including their favorite products by Summer Fridays, handed gift cards to buy Laneige lip gloss or a Sol de Janeiro lotion set, and hung out while they got their makeup done three at a time — all before the store opened to the public.
“They all were excited to get pampered for the day, so she loved it. It was exactly what she wanted,” Jaime said of the birthday girl.
The mom felt accomplished — especially because it was the cheapest birthday party she’d ever thrown.
The South Florida Sephora charged Jaime $15 per child — charged as a lash extension, because parties aren’t an official service — and she provided each girl a $25 gift card, tipped the three makeup artists and purchased a cake and a pack of water bottles.
“I’ve spent quadruple the amount having birthday parties — at my house,” Jaime revealed.
Jenni Schwartz agreed, admitting Mia’s Sephora birthday party was “the most affordable” one she’s ever had.
“It sounds super bougie, but it wasn’t,” she said.
Most of all, Schwartz is glad her daughter is being educated about what she’s putting on her face.
“She has a nicer skin care routine than I do; I’ve been using the same Kiehl’s moisturizer for the last 15 years,” Schwartz laughed. “I should probably take tips.”
