Girls trying to look and act older is not unheard of in our society. There are decades of people of all genders who wanted to be older when they were young. However, kids nowadays, as young as seven or eight sometimes, have been wreaking havoc in Sephora. Buying expensive products such as Drunk Elephant, Rare Beauty, and more. This is because of TikTok trends and kids having access to the unlimited internet. This could be a threat to younger girls and their fragile mental state at this age.
In history, there has always been pressure on growing women to look a certain way. Whether it was in the 18th century when ladies were putting lead-filled makeup on to look more like their queen, or 20 years ago when girls desperately wanted to look like Britney Spears. Makeup and pressures on women to look perfect have been around for a very long time.
Since 6000 BCE, ancient Egyptians found wearing makeup allowed them to be closer to their Gods. Men and women would both stain their hands with henna, make their lips red, and line their eyes with natural ingredients such as burnt almonds, lead, ash, etc. They would even crush malachite and mix it with oils to make a turquoise eyeshadow. Many cultures see makeup and cosmetics as sacred. In today’s modern times, it is not unnatural to see people of all shapes and beliefs wearing makeup. Wearing makeup is not the problem.
As we see with so many individuals, wearing makeup is so important for self-expression. However, makeup and looking a certain way can really cause women, especially impressionable girls, to feel insecure and feel pressured by society.
“It’s honestly really sad that little girls have to fit societal standards at such a young age. I feel like it’s taking away from their childhood,” senior Trinity Hernandez said.
Hernandez is a 17-year-old girl who believes that girls will regret trying to act older. She sees herself in them and wishes they’ll realize it before it’s too late.
“I definitely see myself in them. When I was younger I felt society’s standards and they were different, but I did act a certain way to fit in at that age and I acted older than I was,” Hernandez said. “Because I know how they feel, I wish that they would realize because I wish now that I didn’t do that.”
Now we see many trends for older girls wishing to relive what they took for granted. They adore Hello Kitty, wear bows in their hair, and watch nostalgic movies and cartoons to go back.
“I wear bows in my hair now because I skipped that part, and I wish I could go back. I grew up too fast, the same way these kids are doing now,” Hernandez said.
Many people wonder, why parents allow their children to have access to makeup at such a young age. Well, this newfound hobby and trend these girls are tuning in to seems to be a double-edged sword.
“It’s almost like a hobby. Something she’s interested in, and she’s really entertained about it,” forensics and chemistry teacher, Mr. Damien Spiteri said, referring to his daughter. “As far as makeup and hair, like the beauty trends, I don’t think it’s new. I think it’s more widespread because of social media and I don’t think it’s hitting girls earlier. Girls have been reading magazines and comparing themselves to the pictures they see for decades and decades.”
Spiteri has a 13-year-old daughter who participates in the trend of going to makeup stores and keeping up with name brands. Spiteri said, at this point, he sees it as pretty harmless and this is the time for his daughter to be interested in makeup. That isn’t to say he doesn’t see the negative side of it.
“It capitalizes off little girls’ interests and makes money off it,” Spiteri said. “I don’t agree with it, but I don’t think it’s new. I think it’s easier to do with social media. It’s this capitalist consumer-driven country and everyone is susceptible to it.”
We see it time and time again with big brands profiting from women’s insecurities: Spanx, Skims, E.L.F, Drunk Elephant, and so many more.
Despite this happening with many generations of women, we have the power to control what our future generations are put through. Little girls and boys should be taught they don’t have to look a certain way to be loved. Effectively releasing these pressures off of our children would rid the world of some of its vanities.
