You may have heard about 10 year olds running rampant in Sephora, where they know too much about traditionally sophisticated beauty products, seem to have endless access to a credit card, and never hear the word ‘no’. This trend is fairly new, supported by videos of kids filling baskets to the brim with products worth hundreds of dollars, calling their chaperone when it’s time to pay, and regarding the staff with disrespect. It goes without saying that not all young girls fit into this category, but there are enough of them that it has become a well-known problem. Some spectators blame the children, some blame the parents, but the problem inherently lies in social media’s role.
“Nannies have chimed in with stories of parents giving them unlimited budgets to take their kids makeup shopping, a “humbling and embarrassing” experience, one noted on TikTok, wondering “when do we say enough is enough when it’s not our problem to say enough is enough?”
There is newfound confusion about how to navigate the role of social media in children’s lives. On one hand it is an outlet that allows you to inform yourself on current events, find a funny video to brighten your day, or get inspiration from other creators. On the other hand, it is creating false expectations, worsening the insecurity that plagues a large portion of the population. It is even worse for kids because it targets the inevitable insecurity that comes with puberty and adds more confusion at a time when their sense of self is being molded. Young girls are constantly seeing adult women doing their makeup, covering imperfections, and other age appropriate things, and the girls assume that they should be doing the same. They want to use products that cater towards older women because they want to fit in and participate in the trends. This causes a distorted perception of how they are supposed to be and what they are supposed to do at a young age.
Social media is absentmindedly teaching these young girls to be older than they are by not making it clear that a product may be intended for an older age group. There are very few content creators that cater towards preteens, despite preteens making up the majority of social media consumption. It is important that there are creators who can relate to children, giving them insights that are relatable without encouraging them to be older than they are. Without relatable creators, social media can be dangerous for the mental health of young kids by making them feel pressured to fit into a mold that isn’t shaped for them.
Growing up in the age of Instagram and TikTok, I've experienced firsthand the pressure to conform to unrealistic beauty standards and consumerist culture propagated by these platforms. The constant exposure to glamorous influencers and flawless images can foster insecurities and a desire to emulate an unattainable image of perfection. Moreover, the lack of content creators catering specifically to preteens exacerbates this issue, leaving them susceptible to harmful influences and distorted perceptions of self-worth. I believe it's crucial for us, as young women, to advocate for responsible media consumption and promote messages of empowerment and individuality. By championing genuine representation and age-appropriate content, we can empower the next generation to navigate social media with confidence and resilience, free from the pressure…
I thought this was such a great topic for a blog post as it is a topic that is so relevant today, and yet, terrifyingly, is not at all discussed at large nearly as much as it should be. I have seen this issue first hand multiple times while shopping in stores like Sephora and have been so puzzled as to why young girls who look no older than 12, have a need for the same beauty and skincare products as I, a 21 year old, do. To answer your title simply, yes, girls are growing up too quickly because of platforms that have skyrocketed consumerism to now target children and it is dystopian. Of course, so many young girls…
Your post eloquently captures a contemporary issue: the precocious maturation of young girls influenced by social media’s omnipresent lens. The phenomenon, where “young girls are constantly seeing adult women doing their makeup” and feeling compelled to emulate, begs a deeper examination of the psychosocial impacts of media platforms on childhood development. This isn’t merely about the allure of beauty products; it’s the symbolic rite of passage into puberty, adulthood, and sexualization that these commercial products represent, hastened by our digital age’s immediacy. We must ponder, where and how can the line be drawn between healthy self-expression and the premature erosion of “innocence” (I use quotation marks here for the lack of a better word). It is critical to introduce age-appropriate…