As someone who grew up in the early 2000s to 2010s, kids used to argue over who would get the first turn on the swings at the park or would race outside when they heard the ice cream truck’s merry melody as it made its way down the street. Now, in 2024, kids are more fascinated with who has the latest Lululemon leggings or brightest bronzer.
Adults on TikTok are running rampant on the fact that 10-year-olds are more concerned with having the trendiest makeup products or most profound skincare routine rather than just being kids. Apparently, many young girls around the age of 10 are seizing Sephoras all over. They are doing full makeup glam and are testing which luscious lip plumper gives them fuller-looking lips.
“Videos of young girls crowding Sephora aisles with baskets carrying hundreds of dollars worth of products have dominated TikTok for several weeks,” said Katie Camero, a health and wellness reporter at USA Today.
Is this ongoing situation just kids harmlessly mimicking the habits of the older ones they idolize? Or is it a real problem with social media telling kids to grow up too quickly?
There is a major divide between parents, dermatologists, retailers and people on social media on this issue, but in my opinion, I think it is the latter. We have seen over and over how social media affects the views of younger generations. This obsession that little baby-faced kids have with making their faces look 10 times older than they are is not one that seems healthy.
On the one hand, this fascination with tedious skincare and careful makeup seems like somewhat of something I personally did when I was younger. I was enthralled with my mom and wanted to be just like her. I would play in her makeup and ask for makeup of my own. Being interested in doing makeup or having clear skin is not toxic. It is not something that has never been seen before. Little kids have been playing pretend and dressing up to fantasize that they are older than they are for a very long time. Every kid dreams of being a grown-up and imagines what they will look like when they are older.
However, my issue with this situation is not little girls wanting to be grown-up, like whomever they look up to. It is the fact that these kids are both trying to look older than they are because that is what society is telling them and how they are acting destructive in the stores.
The idea that kids are wearing pounds of makeup and have a more tedious skincare routine than most adults is unnerving. I see nothing wrong with wanting to express yourself through makeup or desiring to be a grown-up. The problem with these kids doing copious amounts of makeup is that social media is influencing them, telling them they have to look a certain way or they will not be desired or that they cannot just be kids.
“A new report from the Dove Self-Esteem Project has shockingly revealed that 9 in 10 children are exposed to toxic beauty content on social media apps, with 1 in 2 children reporting an impact on their mental health because of it,” said Morgan Fargo, a freelance beauty and wellness editor at Women’s Health.
The issue is with kids being obsessed with their appearance at such a young age. They still have their youthful, smooth skin and do not need makeup to cover up. The problem is not with makeup itself but with the fact that they are wearing it every day because they feel it is necessary for their appearance because social media sets certain beauty standards. It is not good for a kid’s mental health to be worrying so much about their appearance. It sets insecurities and a lack of confidence in the future if they do not meet modern beauty standards.
Their skin is in perfect shape because they are still so young. Many of the products these kids are using can be very damaging to their skin if it is unneeded. In this case, these skincare products can be more harmful than helpful. Their skin could possibly be ruined as their bodies continue to grow and change. Younger skin is much more sensitive and should not be subject to products that can be harmful before it is truly needed.
The other problem with these preteen terrors is the fact that lots of them are not being very respectful in the stores. Places like Sephora and Ulta are very mature shops set up for adults who are trying to feel more confident in their skin. It can be fun to look at all the pretty lipsticks and colorful eye shadows. I know I did as a kid, but it is the fact that these kids are buying hundreds of dollars’ worth of products and acting very disrespectful in stores.
An article on this topic in the Daily Dot referenced an interaction a Sephora employee had with a mom and her young daughters. Apparently, their baskets were overflowing with a load of products that brought the mom’s bill to hundreds of dollars. The mom asked her daughters to put some things back to lower the price, but they argued and refused, causing them to hold up the line and make the employee very uncomfortable.
This kind of behavior is unacceptable. It is one thing to want concealer because you have a pimple or moisturizer because you have dry skin, although kids have perfect skin, so why would they need any of that anyway? But it is another thing to be impolite or incurious to people around you.
