India, May 28 -- It used to be tinted Maybelline Baby Lips and Elle 18 Color Pops, or an occasional Lip Smackers from a cousin in the States. But something has shifted. Today's preteen girls aren't just dabbling in beauty, they're curating. They speak the language of niacinamide and ceramides. They're unboxing Sol de Janeiro body sprays like fine fragrances and reciting the differences between Drunk Elephant and Glow Recipe like sommeliers comparing vintages. Welcome to the era of Sephora Kids - a TikTok-fueled, serotonin-spritzed movement where preteen girls are the new beauty consumers, and their tastes skew less starter kit and more influencer shelfie.

Nitya Birla, fashion designer and mother to 12-year-old Naira, has a front-row sea...