It is insane that I know a nine-year-old girl in fourth grade who has a larger collection of skincare items than I do. She has brands ranging from Drunk Elephant to Glow Recipe, none of which she needs. When I was her age, the cool trends to follow were going to Justice and Claire’s to find that not-so-needed unicorn, tie dye, a starred pair of sweatpants that all my friends would compliment me on. The American Girl Doll store would be where all my entertainment was found. Collecting Shopkins and trading with friends to get the “rarest” one has now turned into trading parents’ money for the new Dior lip oil.
Children ranging from six to 12 years old are using products that are harmful to their skin at an increased rate, due to social media trends and the promotion of products in appealing packaging. Younger kids who are just not ready for facial products become more vulnerable to the influence social media puts on them.
Exposure to social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram is one of the major reasons why the younger generation, “Generation Alpha,” is obsessed with skincare routines, as well as staying up to date with the latest makeup trends. This comes largely as a result of skincare and makeup brands, such as Drunk Elephant, sending free products to influencers that are idolized by tweens, in an attempt to get them to buy the product.
Branding is not the first place to go when finding the reason younger kids use expensive, acidic products, but it would not be the first time. Think Camel cigarettes, with the cartoon camel that was used to target underage smokers. Products may aim to appeal to young senses such as using fruity flavors, pretty shades and colorful packaging, as well as fun advertisements to catch the eye of younger kids. These kids then ask their parents to buy them what they saw without fully understanding what is in that product and how it can later affect them negatively.
The formulas of Drunk Elephant, The Ordinary and Charlotte Tilbury are just a few of the products containing the acid known as Niacinamide. Niacinamide is known to target dark spots and wrinkles, none of which any tween girl has or needs to be concerned with. This demographic is too young for these products, and they do not understand that putting these chemicals on their faces at such a young age can affect their skin in the future.
This epidemic is also partially at the fault of the parents, for giving kids access to social media at such a young age, forcing them to grow up too fast. They see older girls getting famous through “Get Ready With Me’s” and want to try it out themselves, yet again without fully understanding what they are getting themselves into.
Some of the first things I see when I open my For You Page on social media platforms are young girls who look like they are in elementary school posting hauls, “get ready with me” and “preppy” videos showing off the products they have. This demonstrates how the younger generations are skipping the periods meant for maturing and getting right to what they believe is the cool new thing.
Girls who do not have any reason to be using such intense skincare products should not be buying products at beauty stores that other people may need. Products sell out and most of the time it is because a possible pre-teen wanted to show off to their friends. People say the store looks like an elementary school because the beauty-obsessed pre-teens have been destroying displays.
It is difficult to overcome this because age-appropriate resources are becoming scarce for young girls who do not want to be treated like kids yet have barely entered their adolescence. These kids have nothing better to do than watch the makeup tutorials put on the screen right in front of them, instead of enjoying the last moments of childhood before it becomes a distant memory.
