It has become glaringly apparent in the past months that kids in today’s world are growing up faster and faster than they ever have in past generations. As the world changes and trends begin to shift, people are naturally inclined to adapt along with them: this especially pertains to pre-teen girls, who are at a very impressionable age.They are beginning to dive into the beauty industry earlier and earlier in their lives, signifying a trend of kids leaving childhood behind in the pursuit of acting much older than they really are.
This topic has sparked many debates on whether or not this is a healthy habit for girls at this young of an age. While it is still essential to expose children to taking care of themselves and teaching them the importance of establishing routines, it is getting unarguably out of hand, leaving girls as young as the third grade running rampant in beauty stores like Sephora and Ulta. At these stores, they have full access to so many mature products, ranging from anti-aging skin creams to high-end makeup.
This is extremely harmful for several reasons, one of the most prominent ones being that it exposes them way too early to a world full of unrealistic beauty standards and ridiculous expectations.
Letting these little girls grow up in a society where they feel like they have to conform to said beauty standards could potentially fracture their self-worth. It can teach them to pick themselves apart from a young age when it is completely unnecessary, and also when it could be prevented so easily.
Social media also plays a critical role in this phenomenon and is creating an immense problem. Companies both online and in store heavily market their products in such a way that influences little girls to believe that they need beauty products that are alleged to be “anti-aging”, “skin brightening”, etc. These things should not even cross the mind of a 10, 11, 12-year-old girl. There is still a wide variety of products that children of that age have to choose from that are much better suited for their still-developing and sensitive skin. Children should be prioritizing skin health over a whole beauty routine, yet these stores continue to market to them in search of a greater profit.
If young girls are going to be using expensive, high-end brands on their skin, their guardians should consider the risks of what the potential effects could be in both the present and future.
Another contributor to this issue is peer pressure, which is no surprise for pre-teen girls. At such an impressionable age, they possess a very strong urge to do what those around them are doing. This causes these types of unhealthy trends to spread like wildfire, with constant pressure from friends to have the right product, no matter the price or consequences.
It has also been noted that among these young girls, there has been a consistent tendency for rudeness and entitlement in public places. If children get used to being excessively pampered and spoiled when they are young, this will be an expectation for them as they grow older. This also leads to the issue of the poor store etiquette that many “Sephora” girls have and think is normal and acceptable. Their poor attitudes leave them with the impression that they are able to be rude to store employees, their peers, and even their parents, with no consequences.
With so many beauty products marketed to a more and more youthful audience, today’s young girls are being exposed to unnecessary cosmetic practices and a world of privilege that warps their entire perception of society. It is a rapidly expanding issue, and polluting the minds of young girls with unrealistic beauty standards is the last thing that society should be doing.
