Italian regulators are investigating Sephora and Benefit Cosmetics over the apparent use of “covert marketing strategies” to sell beauty products to young girls that might be fuelling an unhealthy skincare obsession known as “cosmeticorexia”.

The Italian Competition Authority said it was looking into promotions for skincare products such as face masks, serums and anti-ageing creams that in some cases appeared to target girls under 10.

“These practices are linked to the broader issue of ‘cosmeticorexia’ – an obsession with skincare among minors,” the authority said.

The cosmetics brands, which are both owned by the French luxury group LVMH, appeared to have adopted a “particularly insidious marketing strategy”, it said. This involved using “very young micro-influencers who encourage the compulsive purchase of cosmetics among young people, a particularly vulnerable group”.

The watchdog said that its officials, with the help of the Italian financial police, had carried out inspections at the premises of Sephora Italia and other LVMH offices on Thursday.

Upmarket beauty brands aimed at women have surged in popularity among very young social media users, creating a phenomenon known as “Sephora kids” – a catch-all phrase for the intense attachment between preteen children and high-end beauty products.

The trend is driven by skincare content produced by beauty influencers – many of whom are tweens and teens themselves. Apps such as TikTok and Instagram are filled with videos of young girls and teenagers talking about skincare and makeup.

Sephora has previously sought to distance itself from this trend. Artemis Patrick, the chief executive of Sephora North America, stated in a 2024 interview that “we do not market to this audience”.

The trend has met a backlash from dermatologists who argue that children do not require beauty products and this early focus on appearance can create anxiety over how their skin looks. Children’s skin is more sensitive, and exposing it to unnecessary chemicals increases the risk of irritation and sensitisation later on, they say.

Cosmeticorexia refers to an obsession with achieving “flawless” skin that can lead to excessive, age-inappropriate or compulsive use of cosmetic products.

“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,” said the regulator.

While not illegal to sell such products to underage customers, the regulator said: “The frequent and combined use of a wide range of cosmetics by minors, without proper awareness, may be harmful to their health.”

LVMH said that it, Sephora and Benefit would “fully cooperate with the authorities” but declined to comment further. “All the companies reaffirm their strict compliance with applicable Italian regulations,” it added.