Italy Opens Antitrust Investigation into Sephora and Benefit Owner LVMH Over “Sephora Kids” Influencer Marketing

Key Highlights
Introduction
What the AGCM says: scope and alleged practices
The “Sephora kids” trend: how social media turned skincare into content
Micro-influencers and covert marketing: why the strategy matters
Dermatological risks of adult cosmetics for children
Cosmeticorexia: psychological and behavioral dimensions
Legal and regulatory backdrop: what rules apply and what can enforcement do?
Industry response and corporate compliance
Broader cultural context: children, aesthetics, and commercial pressure
Practical guidance for parents, caregivers, and educators
What this means for influencers and content platforms
Potential outcomes and wider impact
International context: how other jurisdictions approach similar risks
Recommendations for brands and retailers
How researchers and public health advocates are responding
Closing reflections: commercial power, youthful audiences, and the emerging norms
FAQ

Key Highlights

Italy’s Competition Authority (AGCM) has launched an inquiry and carried out inspections at LVMH and Sephora over alleged marketing strategies that may have targeted children under 10, using young influencers to promote adult skincare products.
Regulators and dermatologists warn that adult cosmetics can harm children’s skin and that covert influencer campaigns can obscure product unsuitability and encourage compulsive purchasing behavior, sometimes described as “cosmeticorexia.”

Introduction

Italy’s antitrust watchdog has moved against one of the world’s largest luxury conglomerates amid fresh scrutiny of how cosmetics firms market to minors. Officers from the Italian Competition Authority (AGCM), together with financial police, inspected the Italian headquarters of LVMH and Sephora after concerns that Benefit and Sephora used young, online micro-influencers to promote skincare products that are not appropriate for children—possibly even anti-aging treatments aimed at youngsters under the age of ten.

The investigation centers on whether advertising and promotional practices misled consumers about product suitability for children, omitted key safety warnings, or encouraged compulsive purchase patterns among young social media users. The action forms part of a broader public debate about social media’s influence on children’s body image and consumer habits, and the responsibilities that brands, platforms, and regulators share in curbing potentially harmful commercial practices.

The events in Italy highlight a collision of trends: the meteoric rise of influencer-driven commerce, the popularity of “kid-friendly” beauty content on platforms such as TikTok and Instagram, and growing concern among health professionals about early and intensive use of cosmetic products. This article traces the AGCM probe, explains the marketing mechanics behind the “Sephora kids” phenomenon, outlines health and legal risks, and offers practical guidance for parents, regulators, and companies navigating this terrain.

What the AGCM says: scope and alleged practices

The Italian Competition Authority framed its action around “possible unfair commercial practices” that may have encouraged the premature use of adult cosmetics by children. Inspectors searched LVMH’s and Sephora’s Italian offices after identifying promotional material that, according to the authority, may have failed to make clear products were not intended for children. Instead, the material may have appeared to promote purchases through covert strategies that deployed young micro-influencers—those with relatively modest but often highly engaged followings.

Key elements the AGCM is probing:

Whether product labeling, on-site information, or promotional content failed to explicitly indicate that particular cosmetics are not intended for prepubescent children.
Whether the marketing content—including paid or unpaid influencer posts—encouraged children to buy or compulsively use serums, face masks, and anti-aging creams.
Whether warnings intended to protect minors were omitted or presented in a misleading manner on product pages or advertising.

The authority singled out concerns that some promotions could have targeted children under ten, a demographic generally regarded as having more sensitive skin and limited capacity to understand marketing intent.

AGCM investigations can lead to administrative sanctions, orders to change marketing practices, or other remedial measures if unfair practices are proven. LVMH said the company would “fully co-operate” with the investigation and reiterated compliance with Italian regulations; it declined further comment because of the ongoing probe.

The “Sephora kids” trend: how social media turned skincare into content

The term “Sephora kids” describes a wave of social media content in which children post videos showing their skincare purchases, routines, and product hauls—often filmed in the format known as “Get Ready With Me” (GRWM). Sephora’s platform presence is substantial: nearly 23 million Instagram followers and more than two million on TikTok, making it fertile ground for trends to spread rapidly.

Typical elements of “Sephora kids” videos:

Children visiting a Sephora store or browsing online and sharing their latest skincare “haul.”
Tutorials or routines where children apply cleansers, serums, masks, and moisturizers while narrating or reacting.
Product recommendations framed as personal favorites or must-haves, sometimes accompanied by unboxing sequences and packaging close-ups.

Such videos attract high engagement because they combine relatable peer behavior, aspirational aesthetics, and the platform-friendly brevity of short-form video. The commercial value for brands is obvious: youthful authenticity, high engagement rates, and organic reach.

Two features of these videos particularly concern regulators and health professionals:

The visual and narrative framing often normalizes adult skincare behaviors for very young viewers, presenting multi-step routines and anti-aging products as ordinary.
The influencer economy makes it difficult for audiences—especially children—to distinguish between genuine personal content and content that functions as advertising or product placement.

When a large retailer or brand benefits from thousands of organic, unpaid videos made by minors, the marketing effect can be substantial, even if the brand did not commission each video. Regulators are now asking whether brands have an obligation to disincentivize or clearly label content that may encourage unsafe or inappropriate product use by minors.

Micro-influencers and covert marketing: why the strategy matters

Influencer marketing has diversified. Micro-influencers—often creators with follower counts in the low thousands—deliver strong engagement rates and perceived authenticity. Brands frequently collaborate with them for product seeding, gifting, or targeted campaigns.

Three ways micro-influencer ecosystems can produce covert marketing:

Seeding and gifting: brands send products to creators without formal paid agreements, then benefit when creators post organic content. Disclosure practices vary.
Encouraging UGC: campaigns that promote hashtags, challenges, or customer-generated content can produce mass unpaid promotion, with brands re-sharing top posts.
Youthful creator networks: minors or young teens create product-focused content that spreads through peer networks; these creators may not clearly label posts as sponsored even when products were provided.

Italian authorities have expressed concern about whether such tactics are being used to market products unsuitable for children. Covert marketing becomes particularly problematic when combined with child-targeted aesthetics and narratives that frame consumption as a pathway to belonging, popularity, or self-worth—factors that research links to compulsive behavior.

A practical example: a brand launches a limited-edition product. The product is seeded to a network of micro-influencers—including young teens—who then post unboxing videos with a campaign hashtag. Parents and preteens searching the hashtag are flooded with joyful, aspirational content showing peers using and endorsing the product. Few posts reveal the products were gifted or are unsuitable for young skin. The brand gains reach; regulators later question whether the campaign indirectly targeted underage consumers.

Regulatory frameworks increasingly require influencers and brands to disclose commercial relationships. The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) enforces disclosure guidance that requires clear labeling of sponsored content. European authorities and national advertising watchdogs have similar guidance, though enforcement and rules differ by country. The AGCM’s inquiry is testing how these frameworks apply when the marketing network includes minors as creators and target audiences.

Dermatological risks of adult cosmetics for children

Dermatologists and pediatric specialists have long cautioned against the routine use of adult topical products on young skin. Experts emphasize that children's skin differs from adult skin in structure, function, and vulnerability.

Physiological differences:

Thinner epidermis: Younger children tend to have a thinner outer skin layer, making them more susceptible to irritation and transdermal absorption of active ingredients.
Underdeveloped barrier function: The skin barrier matures over time; disruptions can lead to increased sensitivity and risk of dermatitis.
Higher surface area-to-body-mass ratio: This increases systemic exposure to topical substances relative to adults.

Common adverse outcomes associated with inappropriate product use:

Irritant contact dermatitis: Redness, dryness, and inflammation can follow exposure to strong cleansers, acids, or fragrances.
Allergic contact dermatitis: Sensitization to ingredients (fragrances, preservatives such as methylisothiazolinone, certain colorants) can lead to lasting allergic reactions.
Perioral dermatitis and acneiform eruptions: Overuse of heavy creams or inappropriate formulations can trigger localized rashes.
Long-term scarring or hyperpigmentation in severe reactions: Particularly in darker skin tones, inflammatory reactions can lead to post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.

Specific categories that raise concern:

Anti-aging formulations: Products containing vitamin A derivatives (retinoids) or potent exfoliants (AHA/BHA acids) are designed for mature skin and can be particularly irritating to children. Some active ingredients are subject to regulatory restrictions or are intended for adult use only.
Chemical peels and strong acids: Even low-concentration acids can compromise young skin barriers if used improperly or too frequently.
Fragranced products: Fragrances are a leading cause of allergic reactions in cosmetic products.

Dermatological consensus supports limited, gentle care for young children: hydration with fragrance-free emollients, careful sun protection, and avoidance of potent actives unless prescribed by a clinician. Sunscreen is routinely recommended for sun protection, but even some sunscreens feature chemical filters that require scrutiny for safety and tolerance in very young infants; pediatric guidance varies by age.

AGCM and medical bodies—including the British Association of Dermatologists referenced in the initial reports—are worried that normalizing complex, adult-style skincare for children not only risks physical harm but also promotes an obsessive relationship with appearance and product use.

Cosmeticorexia: psychological and behavioral dimensions

“Cosmeticorexia” has entered public discussion as a way to describe compulsive, excessive investment in cosmetic routines and products. Clinicians link the phenomenon to broader anxieties around appearance, peer comparison on social media, and the gamified nature of beauty content that rewards accumulation and ritual.

Behavioural patterns associated with cosmeticorexia:

Persistent dissatisfaction with skin despite repeated changes in routine.
Frequent buying and testing of new products, often in rapid succession.
Avoidance of social situations until a perceived optimal look is achieved, or anxiety when unable to perform a routine.
Significant time and financial investment in aesthetics that impairs daily functioning.

Children and young teens face heightened vulnerability for several reasons:

Peer influence and social comparison are central to identity formation during childhood and adolescence.
Algorithmic feeds reinforce content that generates strong engagement, often privileging dramatic transformations and product-focused narratives.
Limited media literacy can make it difficult for children to recognize commercial intent, sponsorship, or manipulative marketing techniques.

Clinical research links excessive cosmetic and grooming behavior to low self-esteem, body dissatisfaction, and in some cases, symptoms aligned with body dysmorphic disorder. The AGCM’s reference to potentially encouraging “compulsive purchase” taps into this concern: marketing that normalizes frequent buying and multi-step regimens risks fostering harmful behavior patterns early in life.

Real-world parallels exist in other industries. Food and beverage marketing has been regulated in many countries to prevent exploitation of children’s vulnerability—restrictions on cartoon characters, toy tie-ins, and direct targeting to preschoolers reflect an understanding that commercial cues have outsized impact on young consumers. The cosmetics sector is now confronting similar questions about appropriate limits.

Legal and regulatory backdrop: what rules apply and what can enforcement do?

Multiple legal frameworks intersect when a regulator examines cosmetics marketing to minors. The investigation in Italy highlights three domains: consumer protection and unfair commercial practices, cosmetics safety and labeling rules, and influencer advertising transparency.

Consumer protection and unfair commercial practices

The AGCM enforces Italian and EU rules that prohibit misleading or aggressive commercial practices. These rules bar advertising that exploits consumer vulnerability—such as that of children—or that omits material information about product suitability or risks.
Remedies can include fines, orders to change marketing practices, mandatory corrective communications, and other administrative measures.

Cosmetics safety and labeling

The EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 governs product safety, labeling, and the placing of cosmetics on the market. It requires that products be safe for human health under normal or reasonably foreseeable use, and that labeling identify ingredient lists and certain warnings. The regulation does not typically prohibit marketing per se to particular age groups, but it requires manufacturers to assess safety for target populations and to include warnings where necessary.
National authorities may supplement EU rules with interpretive guidance or additional public health advisories, especially concerning the sale of certain active ingredients or the marketing of certain categories to children.

Influencer transparency and advertising rules

In the United States, the FTC requires clear and conspicuous disclosure of material connections between advertisers and influencers. European countries and national advertising standards bodies have similar guidance emphasizing that sponsored content must be identifiable.
The challenge arises when content is user-generated. When children or micro-influencers produce content that promotes a brand without explicit payment, identifying whether a material connection exists can be complex—yet the promotion retains commercial effect.

Cross-border complications

Global brands operate across jurisdictions with differing rules and enforcement priorities. A practice permitted or overlooked in one market can trigger enforcement in another. The AGCM’s probe could prompt inquiries in other EU member states or lead to policy revisions at national or EU level.

What penalties can companies face? If unfair commercial practices are found, penalties can range from administrative fines to orders restricting specific marketing activities. Reputational damage and consumer backlash often accompany regulatory action. The AGCM has the authority to impose sanctions proportionate to the violation and to order corrective measures to protect consumers.

Precedent and likely outcomes

Investigations can conclude with no action if companies are found to have complied, or with remedies and fines if violations are established.
Companies frequently respond by strengthening content policies, updating age-gating mechanisms, clarifying labeling and warnings, and requiring stricter disclosure practices from influencers.

The AGCM’s inspection signals increasing regulatory attentiveness to how beauty brands operate on social media and to the indirect influence that brand presence can exert over child audiences through user-generated content.

Industry response and corporate compliance

LVMH confirmed it will “fully co-operate” with the AGCM inquiry and stated that all companies in its portfolio comply with applicable Italian regulations. Beyond that statement, LVMH and its brands have not offered detailed public responses while the investigation is ongoing.

Brands facing similar scrutiny have taken several types of remedial action in recent years:

Updating product pages and point-of-sale information to include age recommendations or explicit warnings about unsuitability for children.
Adjusting influencer contracts to require age-appropriate guidance and strict disclosure of gifted products.
Implementing platform-level policies with retailers and social channels to restrict visibility of certain products to underage accounts or to prevent the use of youth-focused aesthetics in marketing.
Initiating internal audits of past campaigns and user-generated content strategies to identify and remediate risky practices.

Retailers can also impose their own rules. For example, global retailers may prohibit the sale of adult anti-aging actives in children’s sections or require categories to be clearly labeled. Independent retailers and smaller vendors, however, vary widely in their approach, making consistent protections uneven.

Brands that intentionally court young consumer segments—children and early teens—face an elevated burden: they must balance commercial interest with obligations to avoid exploiting minors’ impressionability. The reputational risk is significant; social media outrage and advocacy group campaigns can amplify regulatory action, triggering wider commercial fallout.

Broader cultural context: children, aesthetics, and commercial pressure

The emergence of “Sephora kids” is not an isolated marketing tactic but part of a wider cultural shift in which childhood and adolescence have become active zones of consumption in new ways. Several structural drivers matter:

Platform affordances

Short-form video platforms reward visually compelling routines and transformations. Beauty content performs well because it demonstrates change, uses close-up framing, and appeals to a desire for mastery over appearance.
Algorithms prioritize engagement, magnifying content that elicits strong reactions—enthusiasm, envy, amazement. That dynamic accelerates the diffusion of norms and practices.

Parent-mediated participation

Parents often facilitate younger children’s participation in beauty content—taking videos, creating accounts, and controlling purchase decisions. This complicates questions of agency and responsibility: a child’s “haul” that leads to more purchases often involves parental enabling.
Yet parents can also be an important line of defense, by scrutinizing content, enforcing age-appropriate boundaries, and curating product choices.

Commercial incentives

Brands and retailers can incentivize a culture of collection and novelty through limited drops, influencer collaborations, and product packaging that appeals to youth.
The beauty economy’s emphasis on newness—constantly updated product lines and seasonal releases—interacts with youth trends to drive frequent purchases.

Cultural expectations and body image

Early grooming rituals and beauty routines contribute to shifting norms about what children should do and how they should present themselves. That affects self-image and self-regulation.
Researchers highlight that early exposure to curated and edited images increases the risk of body dissatisfaction and appearance-focused anxiety.

Taken together, these forces create fertile ground for commercial influence to shape children’s understanding of normal grooming behavior and acceptable product use. The AGCM’s intervention signals a pushback: regulators are suggesting a boundary between legitimate product availability and promotion that escalates risk for minors.

Practical guidance for parents, caregivers, and educators

Children’s enthusiasm for beauty and play-acting with products is often benign and developmentally normal. Nonetheless, parents and caregivers can take practical steps to reduce physical and psychological risk.

Assess product suitability

Read labels and ingredient lists. Avoid products that include strong actives (like high-concentration retinoids or professional-grade acids) or ingredients known to irritate.
Favor gentle, fragrance-free cleansers and emollients for young skin. Consult a pediatrician or dermatologist before introducing active ingredients.

Set boundaries around routines

Limit the number of products and steps in a child’s routine. Encourage simple hygiene practices rather than complex regimens.
Establish clear rules about purchasing: who decides what is bought, how purchases are approved, and how often new products are allowed.

Educate about marketing

Explain the difference between personal content and advertisements. Teach children to question whether a product recommendation was paid for or gifted, and to consider motivations behind posts.
Use media literacy as a routine topic: discuss how algorithms work, why content is designed to be persuasive, and how trends spread.

Manage platform use

Use parental controls and privacy settings to limit exposure to certain content or to restrict accounts that appear to glamorize adult routines.
Consider age-appropriate platform choices and supervise account creation and use for younger children.

Model balanced behavior

Adults can demonstrate healthy routines and attitudes toward appearance, emphasizing function (sun protection, cleanliness) over enhancement or correction.
Discourage product accumulation as a measure of self-worth. Reinforce values unrelated to appearance: skills, friendships, curiosity.

Seek professional help if worrying behavior emerges

If a child becomes preoccupied with perceived skin flaws, starts to spend excessive time or money on products, or shows significant distress around appearance, consult a mental health professional or pediatrician.
Dermatological consultation is appropriate for persistent skin problems or after adverse reactions to over-the-counter products.

These measures reduce risk while respecting a child’s desire to explore grooming and self-expression.

What this means for influencers and content platforms

Influencers, platforms, and parents of child creators face new scrutiny. The AGCM inquiry draws attention to content that—intentionally or not—serves as commercial promotion of inappropriate products for minors.

Implications for influencers

Clear disclosures are essential. When a product is gifted, paid for, or part of a campaign, that relationship must be stated conspicuously.
When producing content with minors, creators should consider whether the product is age-appropriate and whether promotion could lead to harm.

Implications for platforms

Platforms host the content and operate the distribution algorithms. They are under growing pressure to ensure age-appropriate protections, transparent labeling for sponsored posts, and easy reporting mechanisms for content that targets children with unsuitable products.
Technical measures, such as age-based content filtering, may reduce exposure. Policy-based measures, including stricter rules on paid promotions involving minors, can complement technical defenses.

Policy evolution and enforcement

Regulators may push platforms to do more. Agencies in several countries have already signaled willingness to hold platforms accountable for how their systems amplify content that has consumer protection implications.

Brands and retailers must reckon with reputational and regulatory risk if their marketing—direct or indirect—places children in harm’s way. The AGCM investigation suggests that authorities will examine not only paid campaigns, but also organic content ecosystems that a brand benefits from.

Potential outcomes and wider impact

The AGCM’s investigation could result in several outcomes:

No finding of wrongdoing, followed by guidelines or voluntary commitments from brands to clarify marketing and labeling.
Administrative sanctions if unfair practices are found, including fines and orders to change marketing practices.
Industry-level responses, such as new internal policies by beauty retailers and brands, and possibly tougher age-related advertising guidelines from advertising standards bodies.

A broader ripple effect is plausible:

Other regulators in Europe and beyond may examine similar practices, particularly where user-generated content amplifies a brand.
Trade associations and industry groups might adopt stronger codes of conduct to avoid regulatory escalation.
Public debate will influence consumer expectations; parents may push for clearer labeling and safer product lines for children.

These developments would reshape how beauty brands engage with younger audiences, influence the role of influencers, and shape the regulatory landscape for digital commerce.

International context: how other jurisdictions approach similar risks

Countries have taken different approaches to regulating marketing to children across sectors. Several regulatory tools are relevant to cosmetics marketing:

Advertising standards and disclosure rules

National advertising standards bodies typically require that commercial communications be clearly identifiable. They may issue specific guidance on influencer marketing and content involving minors.

Product safety regimes

Many jurisdictions maintain stringent product safety and labeling standards for cosmetics, requiring manufacturers to verify safety for intended users and to include warnings where appropriate.

Specific youth protections

Some countries have stricter rules around advertising to children in sectors like food, where the case for limiting exposure rests on preventing unhealthy diets. That logic is increasingly being applied in debates about other sectors where children are vulnerable to marketing impulses.

Regulatory cooperation

Cross-border enforcement can be challenging but is facilitated by cooperation between national authorities and EU-wide mechanisms. A high-profile action in one EU member state can influence enforcement priorities elsewhere.

The Italian action will be observed by regulators across Europe and by consumer protection agencies in other markets. Its findings could inform both legal interpretation and practical guidance on influencer marketing involving children.

Recommendations for brands and retailers

Companies selling beauty products have practical steps to reduce regulatory and reputational risk while protecting vulnerable consumers.

Audit marketing and UGC strategies

Map instances where brand-owned channels engage with, promote, or amplify content featuring minors. Identify gaps in disclosure and unsuitable content.
Review influencer contracts to require clear disclosures, age-appropriate content, and compliance with local regulations.

Clarify labeling and product information

Ensure product pages and shelf labels clearly indicate age suitability and safety warnings where relevant. Avoid ambiguous language that could lead parents to assume a product is designed for children when it is not.

Rethink product seeding and gifting

Create stricter rules for gifting products to minors or to creators who primarily produce content for children. Consider requiring parental consent and explicit instructions on suitability.

Engage in cross-functional compliance

Coordinate legal, safety, marketing, and public health teams to assess the risk profile of campaigns, particularly those that might generate youth-focused content.

Partner with experts

Work with pediatric dermatologists and child development specialists when creating products or marketing that might touch on younger demographics.

Transparent, proactive measures signal responsibility to regulators and consumers alike and can prevent costly remediation later.

How researchers and public health advocates are responding

Public health advocates and researchers are intensifying study of how social media-driven beauty cultures affect children. Key research priorities include:

Longitudinal studies linking early exposure to beauty routines with body image and consumer behaviors later in adolescence.
Experimental work on how marketing techniques—hashtag campaigns, peer endorsements, and gamified product drops—influence children’s purchasing decisions.
Evaluation of regulatory interventions, such as age-based content restrictions or mandatory labeling, to assess effectiveness.

Advocacy groups are pushing for stronger industry codes and for platforms to take more responsibility in curbing commercial influence over minors. These efforts often align with parental groups and medical associations concerned about both immediate skin health risks and longer-term psychosocial impacts.

The AGCM’s intervention will likely be followed by calls for clearer guidance at the EU level on influencer marketing involving minors, and potentially by research funding to better understand the phenomenon.

Closing reflections: commercial power, youthful audiences, and the emerging norms

The investigation highlights a tension at the heart of modern commerce: the extraordinary capacity of social platforms to transform everyday users into powerful marketing vectors, and the ways that commercial momentum can outpace norms and regulations intended to protect vulnerable consumers. Where brands once relied on carefully scripted campaigns, now organic user-generated content—particularly content created by or featuring children—can produce equivalent commercial effects.

The Italian regulator’s decision to probe LVMH and Sephora is a reminder that legal frameworks governing advertising, product safety, and consumer protection are evolving to address these new realities. It is also a prompt for brands, platforms, and families to reassess assumptions about what constitutes appropriate marketing and product use for children.

Consumers, particularly parents, will increasingly demand clarity and safety. Brands that anticipate these expectations—by tightening disclosure, prioritizing safety, and avoiding marketing that normalizes adult-targeted routines for children—will reduce legal risk and better align with public interest. Regulators worldwide will be watching the Italian case for precedents about how far companies can go when youth-oriented content drives product sales.

FAQ

Q: What exactly is the AGCM investigating? A: The Italian Competition Authority (AGCM) is investigating whether LVMH-owned brands such as Sephora and Benefit used marketing strategies that indirectly promoted adult skincare products to children—including children under ten—through young micro-influencers and social media content, and whether product labeling or warnings were misleading or omitted.

Q: What is “Sephora kids”? A: “Sephora kids” is an informal label for a social media trend in which children post videos of skincare routines, product hauls, and “Get Ready With Me” content featuring products purchased from Sephora. The trend has thousands of user-generated videos that showcase children using a variety of skincare items.

Q: Are skincare products dangerous for children? A: Many everyday skincare products are safe when used appropriately, but children’s skin has physiological differences that increase vulnerability to irritation, allergic sensitization, and other adverse reactions. Potent actives designed for adult skin—strong acids, certain retinoids, and some chemical peels—are not recommended for children without medical supervision. Dermatologists recommend gentle, age-appropriate products and consultation with a pediatrician or dermatologist for any concerning skin issue.

Q: What is “cosmeticorexia”? A: The term refers to compulsive, excessive preoccupation with cosmetic routines and product acquisition. Clinicians associate such behaviors with anxiety about appearance and with patterns of repeated buying and regimen escalation. Experts are particularly concerned when such behaviors emerge in children and teens.

Q: What can parents do to protect children? A: Parents should read product labels, limit the number of products and steps in a child’s routine, teach media literacy about advertising and influencer content, supervise platform use, set purchasing rules, and consult healthcare professionals for persistent skin problems or worrying behavior.

Q: Could LVMH or Sephora be fined? A: If AGCM determines that unfair commercial practices occurred, it can impose administrative sanctions, require corrective measures, and levy fines. Outcomes range from no action to formal penalties, depending on the findings.

Q: Does this investigation have implications beyond Italy? A: Yes. National regulators across Europe and elsewhere monitor developments and sometimes coordinate enforcement. The case may influence how brands, platforms, and advertisers handle influencer marketing involving minors and could lead to broader policy changes.

Q: How should influencers handle content featuring cosmetics and children? A: Influencers should clearly disclose material connections when products are gifted or sponsored, ensure content featuring minors is age-appropriate, seek parental consent where relevant, and avoid promoting products unsuitable for children.

Q: Are there regulatory requirements for influencer disclosures? A: Many jurisdictions require influencers to clearly indicate when content is sponsored. Enforcement mechanisms and specifics vary by country, but transparency is a common legal and ethical expectation.

Q: What should brands change now? A: Brands should audit marketing practices, clarify labeling and age suitability on product pages, require strict disclosure and age-appropriateness clauses in influencer contracts, and coordinate with legal and safety experts to prevent marketing that could harm minors.