A Sephora store in Boston's upscale Prudential Center has found itself splashed across the internet after a TikTok video showed young shoppers engaging in behavior evocative of blackface. The footage, which has since been deleted but still widely circulated in various forms, depicted what looked like a white teenager with a large swathe of brown makeup on her face, according to NBC10 Boston.
An employee is seen reprimanding an older woman with the teenager, warning, "This is the stuff that can influence jobs, college acceptances, let alone how incredibly offensive this is." Witnesses filming the confrontation were overheard branding the scene as "so shameful." Sephora swiftly reacted, stating its unyielding stance on the matter. "Sephora’s top priority is to create a welcoming and inclusive shopping experience for all," the company said. "We are extremely disappointed by the behavior of these shoppers at our Prudential Center location, and as such, they were asked to leave our premises. Under no circumstance is this type of behavior tolerated at Sephora," as per their statement.
The initial post of the incident was made by a University of Southern California athlete Temi Ojora, who was in Boston for a track meet. Ojora claimed to have witnessed "a group of teenage girls and their mothers come in and go to the make up section to use the samples for black face whilst giggling and making animal sounds," as Boston.com reported.
Amidst the public's shock and disapproval that the video received online, some commenters speculated whether the teens might have been applying a face mask rather than using makeup shades intended for deeper skin tones. However, none such benign intentions were implied in the clips available or by Sephora's firm response. Notably, the incident feeds into a pattern of disruptive behaviors labeled as "Sephora kids," known for turning these beauty hubs into playgrounds, a phenomenon on the rise as skincare becomes increasingly trendy among the younger demographic.
The imbroglio underlines the enduring sensitivity and seriousness of blackface, a practice with deep roots in American history characterized by white performers mocking African Americans. Notorious representations of blackface can be found in key cultural works like the 1927 film "The Jazz Singer," showcasing the depth of its imprint on American culture. Sephora's quick and unequivocal stance on the incident reflects the company's commitment to inclusivity and societal progress, underscoring an intolerance for racism or actions that echo an offensive past.
