Beauty is becoming an issue at a much early age than ever before. How far do you agree with this statement and how dangerous do you feel this is?
Given that beauty has long been of the utmost importance, especially amongst women, it perhaps comes as no surprise that it was one of the only industries that showed no sign of an economic downturn during the recent recession. However, whilst once it’s clients were women in their thirties and forties, what is now surprising is the recent trend for young children and teens to be showing signs of interest in this area with pamper parties and presents of plastic surgery worryingly becoming the norm.
Seemingly the beauty industry has been flourishing for years. It is certainly not a new thing to hear of women going for a facial or manicure or spending a morning at the hairdressers. Perhaps, over the last ten or so years the rise in the number of people undergoing cosmetic procedures has increased, often with questionable results, but nothing more noteworthy than that. Yet recently it would appear that something dramatic has occurred. There has been a definite shift towards a younger client base with cosmetic and beauty companies thinking nothing of using very young models and actresses to endorse their products. Arguably there is a demand for this and the companies are simply meeting the needs of their new clients. Most major brands have a ‘younger’ version of their perfumes, mentioning Miss Dior and Chanel Mademoiselle as examples, and they certainly seem to sell well. However, whilst many would argue that there is nothing wrong with young teens and children wearing a bit of make-up or a spray of perfume, there is undoubtedly a more sinister side to the argument.
It would seem that pamper parties have become a very trendy way for youngsters to spend their birthdays. These events see a group of girls brought together, usually at a salon or their own home, to choose from a wide array of beauty treatments from waxing to nail painting which they can enjoy during a party atmosphere. Initially this seems harmless enough but what needs to be taken into consideration is that these parties are available to children as young as three. One has to question why a three-year-old would ask for this and what message is being sent to them in their formative years. More shocking still is the number of teenagers who are gifted cosmetic surgery procedures for their eighteenth birthdays. A startlingly high number of teens are now getting their noses fixed or breasts enlarged as if this were the only thing that can clearly transition them through into adulthood.
While beauty and beautifying ourselves is something that every woman should enjoy, it must be noted that it is not the most important thing in life. After all, beauty fades and internal beauty endures and this should be the message. Should children be exposed to beauty regimes at such a young age, they will clearly start to believe it is more important than it really is because they do not have the maturity to distinguish between play and routine. It is time we went back to simpler times. After all, I would rather my child played in the mud than put a mud mask on their face.