Sephora and Benefit used young micro-influencers to push anti-aging products on kids, Italian regulators allege. By Danielle Ong, Parent Herald Published: Mar 31 2026, 11:26 AM EDT Italy's competition authority has launched two investigations into LVMH-owned beauty brands Sephora and Benefit Cosmetics over allegations that the companies deployed young micro-influencers to promote adult skincare products, including anti-aging creams, to children as young as 10 years old. The Autorità Garante della Concorrenza e del Mercato (AGCM) announced on Friday, Mar. 27, that it is probing Benefit Cosmetics LLC, Sephora Italia S.r.L., and LVMH Profumi e Cosmetici Italia S.r.L. for what it described as "possible unfair commercial practices" tied to the marketing of adult cosmetics to minors. At the center of the probe is what AGCM called a "particularly insidious" marketing strategy, according to Beauty Packaging. The regulator said the brands appeared to use very young micro-influencers, content creators with followings in the thousands, to encourage children and adolescents to make compulsive purchases of face masks, serums, and anti-aging creams. Micro-influencers, typically defined as creators with fewer than 100,000 followers, are often viewed as more relatable by young audiences. "The investigations were opened over concerns that important information, such as warnings and precautions for cosmetics not intended for, or tested on, minors, may have been omitted or presented in a misleading manner," the AGCM said in its statement. The authority warned that frequent use of a wide range of such cosmetics by minors without proper awareness can be harmful to their health. On Thursday, Mar. 26, AGCM officers and Italy's financial police carried out inspections at the Italian offices of Sephora Italia, LVMH Profumi e Cosmetici Italia, and LVMH Italia as part of the inquiry. The regulator said these practices are fueling a growing problem known as "cosmeticorexia," a term used to describe an unhealthy obsession with skincare among young people, CNBC reported. A recent study published in the Journal of Dermatology and Therapy defined the condition as "a culturally reinforced fixation or obsession with attaining 'flawless' skin, potentially leading to excessive, inappropriate, or compulsive use of cosmetic products and procedures." Dermatologists have warned that such products can cause skin irritation, allergic reactions, and in some cases, lasting skin damage in children. The investigation comes amid the viral "Sephora Kids" trend on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram, where children film themselves purchasing and showcasing skincare products under hashtags such as "Sephora kids haul" and "Sephora kids GRWM." Sephora has nearly 23 million Instagram followers and over 2 million on TikTok. In response, LVMH said it would "fully cooperate" with the investigation but declined to comment further on the ongoing inquiry. "All companies reaffirm their strict adherence to relevant Italian regulations," the company said in a statement. The teen personal care market is projected to grow by 6.6%, or an estimated $12.75 billion globally, between 2025 and 2030, as per Fast Company.

Italy probes Sephora, LVMH for pushing cosmetic sales to minors. The companies are suspected of using micro-influencers to encourage compulsive cosmetic buying among vulnerable young people. Italian competition regulators said on Friday they have opened a probe into French luxury group LVMH and its Sephora and Benefit subsidiaries for promoting skin care products to minors. "The investigations were opened over concerns that important information - such as warnings and precautions for cosmetics not intended for, or tested on, minors - may have been omitted or presented in a misleading manner," the AGCM competition authority said in a statement. The companies are suspected of having "adopted a particularly insidious marketing strategy, involving very young micro-influencers who encourage the compulsive purchase of cosmetics among young people, a particularly vulnerable group". In a statement to AFP, the companies said they would "fully cooperate" with the authorities and "reaffirmed their strict compliance with the relevant Italian regulations". The AGCM said the products being pushed are mainly face masks, serums and anti-ageing creams. While not illegal to sell such products to under-age customers, the AGCM said "the frequent and combined use of a wide range of cosmetics by minors, without proper awareness, may be harmful to their health". Sephora and LVMH premises in Italy were raided on Thursday, according to the AGCM. The companies could face substantial fines. Stephanie Mallet, president of the French Society for Pediatric Dermatology, told AFP that the investigation was "important". "It's not normal to allow something that has no benefit for the child and can even be risky for profit," Mallet said. "When I hear people talking about 'skincare' and beauty routines for children, it makes me furious, because a child's skin doesn't need anything. It's neither too dry, nor too oily, nor too red, nor too wrinkled. It absolutely doesn't need anything other than washing with water and a gentle cleanser," she insisted. Stay current - Follow FMT on WhatsApp, Google news and Telegram

Italy investigates Sephora and Benefit Cosmetics over marketing to children. March 27 (Reuters) - The Italian competition authority AGCM has launched two investigations into LVMH-owned Sephora and Benefit Cosmetics over possible unfair commercial practices linked to the marketing of products for adults to children and adolescents, it said on Friday. AGCM said it was concerned the brands were using very young micro-influencers on social media to encourage premature use of adult cosmetics and compulsive purchasing of face masks, serums and anti-ageing creams, habits linked with "cosmeticorexia" - an obsession with skincare among minors. LVMH, Sephora, and Benefit Cosmetics did not immediately reply to a request for comment. "The investigations were opened over concerns that important information - such as warnings and precautions for cosmetics not intended for, or tested on, minors - may have been omitted or presented in a misleading manner," AGCM said in a statement. Frequent use of a wide range of cosmetics by minors without proper awareness may be harmful to their health, the regulator said. AGCM officials and the Italian financial police carried out inspections at the premises of Sephora Italia, LVMH Profumi e Cosmetici Italia and LVMH Italia on Thursday, the authority said. (Reporting by Enrico Sciacovelli and Helen Reid, Editing by Jan Harvey and Barbara Lewis)