Kids these days are no longer asking for Barbie dolls and loom bands for Christmas. Now, they’re asking for skincare products and makeup. 

Seven-year-olds are posting ‘GRWM’ (the abbreviation of ‘Get Ready With Me,’) videos on Instagram and TikTok when the minimum age for these apps is 13 years old. Parents are under pressure to buy these products for their kids, with some skincare brands costing over £100 for a bottle of serum. With the USA being the country that buys the most skincare products, it is understandable that the USA is a major influence for trends like these. Kids want to follow the latest trends, even if it’s retinol anti-aging cream!  

Nikola Juraszek, a student studying at Tameside college said: “I think younger children shouldn’t be doing skincare and makeup at least not until they’re about 13 years old. Children are missing out on their childhood by worrying about what they look like.’ Many teenagers and adults are finding these ten step skincare routines on children controversial. Some say that children are growing up too quickly and are wasting their childhood. Six year olds have crop tops, pretending to be teenagers, and even wearing full faces of makeup. When we were kids, we were actually being kids, playing with slime and wearing shirts with unicorns and Jojo Siwa bows. So, are kids growing up too fast and should they just embrace their childhood instead of acting older?   

Quinn Finley Reynolds, a Media, Drama and Film studies student at Xaverian said: “When it comes to the topic of children using makeup and skincare, I’m very conflicted in my opinion. On one hand, it’s lovely for kids to have another option for self-expression, like makeup, which could boost creativity. But on the other hand, it saddens me since it just shows how kids are affected but beauty standards. It could increase the risk of eating disorders and body dysmorphia, which pose a massive risk to their mental and physical health.’ 

In addition to this, skincare products are expensive, especially for brands such as ‘Drunk Elephant,’ According to Yahoo Sports, skincare should only cost £12/13 per month, however, with Drunk Elephant, one bottle of Glycolic Night Serum costs up to £116. So, is it the parents at fault who are buying these overpriced skincare products for their kids, and aiding their obsessions? One user on Reddit shared their experience regarding the subject, saying “My best friend’s 11-year-old niece has exclusively Drunk Elephant skincare. She doesn’t need any of it! Her mum buys it for her because she is really indulgent and wants to be a ‘cool mum’.” 

Not only is there controversy about children doing skincare, but according to 9News Australia, there are dangers to these ten-step-skincare routines. According to skin therapist Theresa Lawrence, who they interviewed, she said: “They are just causing damage to that skin barrier, which then lets the pathogens in, causes irritations, can cause allergic reactions.” 

But some people argue that getting into the habit of skincare routines from such a young age is actually a positive thing. According to website ‘Evereden,’ a skincare brand for kids and babies, they said ‘if you instil good skincare habits in your children from a young age, they’re more likely to continue those habits throughout their lives. This can help prevent skin problems like acne, premature aging, and skin cancer down the line.’ 

 It is also understandable that as trends grow, kids are going to want to join these trends. This is especially if they have a social media influencer that they look up to. For many, these trends also include people jumping onto the trends of ‘Stanley cups,’ which have been around for years but have only recently become popular, and ‘Sol de Janeiro’ cream and spray, which has been around since 2015.  

So, while it can be upsetting to see younger kids from the age of five growing up so quickly and using Retinol, wearing makeup and doing skincare, it is a trend at the end of the day. As long as they’re having fun, maybe it’s fine. In my opinion, I think that kids should embrace their childhood and just be kids, but I guess it’s also a good habit to get into at a young age.