Parents' Kids are Creating Demand for $50 Beauty Products That Don't Even Exist Yet: Is It a Reflection of Our Broken Childhood Rite of Passage?
The beauty industry has always been about creating demand, but never have I seen anything like this. A new skincare company is marketing face masks and other beauty products specifically to four-year-olds, complete with vitamin B12-infused moisturizers. The question on everyone's mind: where is the demand coming from?
In all honesty, it's hard not to be concerned about the fact that children are being marketed to in a way that adult consumers already have been for years. Sephora kids, a term coined by Hannah Marriott, refers to the intense attachment between preteen children and high-end beauty stores. The trend has gained significant traction online, with tweens and teens clamoring for expensive products that often come with harsh ingredients.
But what's truly disturbing is that this phenomenon seems to be driven by our own childhood habits. Children are naturally drawn to adult rituals, from playing dress-up to role-playing. In an age where social media dominates their lives, it's no wonder they're mimicking the behavior of adults. It's as if they're being conditioned to want things they can't have – and in this case, beauty products that promise to make them look and feel like grown-ups.
Consultant dermatologist Dr Alexis Granite notes that young girls often play dress-up, but unlike adults, it's not just a game. For tweens and teens, playing beauty is infused with emotional charge, making it harder for parents to say no. The products are marketed primarily at girls, rooted in the idea of attracting a mate and implicitly linked to sex.
The problem lies in our collective failure as parents to set healthy boundaries and prioritize our children's wellbeing over consumerism. By giving them access to expensive beauty products from a young age, we're teaching them that their self-worth is tied to how they look and feel. It's an impossible standard, one that leads to anxiety, insecurity, and ultimately, a lifelong struggle with body image issues.
As Miranda July's narrator in All Fours puts it, "so much of what I had thought of as femininity was really just youth." The beauty industry is preying on this vulnerability, using its influence to shape the way we think about childhood, beauty, and identity. It's a slippery slope, one that threatens to erase the innocence of our children in favor of the harsh realities of adulthood.
The question remains: who is driving this demand for $50 beauty products? Are it the parents, or are they just following their kids' lead? One thing is certain – we need to take a step back and reassess our priorities as a society. It's time to recognize that childhood should be about play, exploration, and growth, not about consumerism and materialism. Only then can we create a world where our children can thrive without the burden of unrealistic beauty standards.
The beauty industry has always been about creating demand, but never have I seen anything like this. A new skincare company is marketing face masks and other beauty products specifically to four-year-olds, complete with vitamin B12-infused moisturizers. The question on everyone's mind: where is the demand coming from?
In all honesty, it's hard not to be concerned about the fact that children are being marketed to in a way that adult consumers already have been for years. Sephora kids, a term coined by Hannah Marriott, refers to the intense attachment between preteen children and high-end beauty stores. The trend has gained significant traction online, with tweens and teens clamoring for expensive products that often come with harsh ingredients.
But what's truly disturbing is that this phenomenon seems to be driven by our own childhood habits. Children are naturally drawn to adult rituals, from playing dress-up to role-playing. In an age where social media dominates their lives, it's no wonder they're mimicking the behavior of adults. It's as if they're being conditioned to want things they can't have – and in this case, beauty products that promise to make them look and feel like grown-ups.
Consultant dermatologist Dr Alexis Granite notes that young girls often play dress-up, but unlike adults, it's not just a game. For tweens and teens, playing beauty is infused with emotional charge, making it harder for parents to say no. The products are marketed primarily at girls, rooted in the idea of attracting a mate and implicitly linked to sex.
The problem lies in our collective failure as parents to set healthy boundaries and prioritize our children's wellbeing over consumerism. By giving them access to expensive beauty products from a young age, we're teaching them that their self-worth is tied to how they look and feel. It's an impossible standard, one that leads to anxiety, insecurity, and ultimately, a lifelong struggle with body image issues.
As Miranda July's narrator in All Fours puts it, "so much of what I had thought of as femininity was really just youth." The beauty industry is preying on this vulnerability, using its influence to shape the way we think about childhood, beauty, and identity. It's a slippery slope, one that threatens to erase the innocence of our children in favor of the harsh realities of adulthood.
The question remains: who is driving this demand for $50 beauty products? Are it the parents, or are they just following their kids' lead? One thing is certain – we need to take a step back and reassess our priorities as a society. It's time to recognize that childhood should be about play, exploration, and growth, not about consumerism and materialism. Only then can we create a world where our children can thrive without the burden of unrealistic beauty standards.
i'm lowkey concerned about this trend rn... like how did it even start? kids are literally being marketed to with fancy beauty products that r way outta their price range 
& what's up with the vitamin b12-infused moisturizers lol... sounds like a joke . but seriously, its kinda creepy how they're using social media 2 make these kids feel like adults already . & dont even get me started on how its affecting their self-esteem . our kids r being conditioned 2 wanna be all grown up @ such a young age 
it makes me wonder if we r failing as parents 2 set boundaries & prioritize their wellbeing over consumerism .
. As a retiree, I've got to ask: what happened to playing outside till the streetlights come on? When did we start putting so much pressure on our youngins to be grown-ups already?
I'm like "What's next? Selling cars to kindergarteners?" 
This is so messed up... kids are being marketed to with products that are literally not even available yet, and it's because they're already being influenced by their parents' consumer habits from a young age. Like, come on, folks! We should be teaching our kids about the importance of self-acceptance and play over buying expensive skincare products 
. It's so sad that our childhood rite of passage is becoming all about looking like adults instead of just being carefree kids 
.
They shouldn't be worried about how they look or feel; they should be playing, learning, and growing. It's like we're setting them up for a lifetime of anxiety and self-doubt.
. Let's take a step back and rethink our priorities as a society. We need to create a world where childhood is about play, exploration, and growth – not consumerism and materialism 
the fact that parents are letting their kids do this is crazy - they need to set boundaries and prioritize their wellbeing over consumerism. our childhoods should be about playing, exploring and having fun, not about trying to fit into some unrealistic beauty standard. 
and what's with the marketing to girls specifically? it's like the industry is preying on their emotional vulnerability... we need to take a step back and assess our priorities as a society - this is getting out of hand! 
, and it's only a matter of time before they're hooked on buying all the makeup 
! 
... and it's got me wondering, when did this all start? were there always high-end beauty stores catering to preteens? 
The question is, what's driving this demand? Is it just parents following their kids' lead or is there something more sinister at play? 
Can't help but wonder if parents are even aware of what their kids are getting into 
parents need 2 take a step back and realize we r creating this demand ourselves thru our own childhood habits 
.
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. We need to start valuing childhood for what it is – a time of exploration and growth, not just a way to prep them for adulthood 
. This is something we should all be talking about!
. I mean, who says they need to wait until they're grown-up before looking good and feeling confident? It's not like parents are going to let them out without makeup for the rest of their lives... just because some people are worried about the industry is kinda harsh 
the more i think about it the more i realize we're just passing on our own childhood obsessions to them and it's not healthy. what were we thinking setting these kids up for a life of self-doubt and anxiety over something as superficial as how they look??