This just reminds me of learning to diet at such a young age. Is that healthy? No. So why is anti-aging at such a young age (or at all) healthy? It's the same thing, essentially. It's teaching kids to hate themselves as they are, and reach for an impossible ideal. Simply calling it skincare is deceiving, because it's really about chasing youth. How sad that young people are already chasing something as if its disappeared, when the reality is that skincare companies and the entire anti-aging complex is literally stealing their childhoods. Thank you for writing and speaking about this, Jess. <3
To say that this is frightening is putting it mildly. These are children. The only thing they need is to wash their face and use sunscreen. So we should blame TikTok? I see the mothers are right there next to these children, smiling and laughing as these young girls begin at the age of six to ... what... start with an obsession of body image? How about full makeup by seven and stilettos by nine? No - they're not being given the chance to understand and love themselves. They're creating themselves into some kind of image and it's frightening. Self care starts with loving ourselves. How does this work when children are the target? Jess, as you noted, this is the same demographic that is experiencing record rates of loneliness, anxiety and depression. And do we even know what harm this may be doing to their skin? Is the skin care industry now ramping up for a new line that will target the harmful results?
Hearing a six year old talking about retinol and ‘melting away wrinkles’ is downright dystopian. I’m so grateful for the work you’re doing. I desperately hope to see a better world for kids to grow up in.
The quote from Quinn near the end. Where her mother asks her what makes her feel pretty inside and out and she responds “make up”. That alone is sad, but what I find even more disturbing is her mother asking her “really, nothing else” and you can see the cogs turning in her mind looking for the “more right” answer and all she can come up with is, “no, many other things, too”. I find that more disturbing because too often parents take these vague statements as fact that their child is “actually okay.”
What they don’t know is that child has already given you their true answer - make up (and by extension skincare). The problem is she sensed her mother didn’t like that answer and she searched for a new one, but her idea of beauty is so attached to make up and skincare now that she can’t actually find the “correct” answer and name it distinctly.
I actually feel sorry for the mother and the grandmother, who are so deeply held captive in beauty culture it is displayed as clear as day in their faces. The “solution” they have come up with is wrong, but I don’t think they know any other way that wouldn’t require them to face their own messed up relationship with beauty culture.
The obsession is bad but it is good to start exercising self care early. One of the best things my mom taught me. It can be a ritual and reminder to be gentle with oneself rather than doing it for results
This is so disturbing for the psychological health of these young girls. What happened to taking your daughter with you to get her nails painted that’s enough of a treat for a pre-teen, this destroying their skin before it’s fully matured I’m sure is going to age well!😂😧I pray these mothers pivot to something more healthy and sustainable for their daughters.
I don't know anything about younger 6 yr old aged girls. But in my country it's normal for teenagers to follow their moms in taking care of themselves. My daughters started getting waxed at 14, instead of shaving and so are my granddaughters both 14 now who use sunscreen snd love glow recipe a k-beauty brand based on fruits. None have acne, both have beautiful skin and confidence. It's part of our Latina heritage. 🤷🏼♀️
“They aren’t learning to understand themselves as human beings, but to perform themselves as girls.” EXACTLY, Jessica - thanks for always speaking the truth.
This just reminds me of learning to diet at such a young age. Is that healthy? No. So why is anti-aging at such a young age (or at all) healthy? It's the same thing, essentially. It's teaching kids to hate themselves as they are, and reach for an impossible ideal. Simply calling it skincare is deceiving, because it's really about chasing youth. How sad that young people are already chasing something as if its disappeared, when the reality is that skincare companies and the entire anti-aging complex is literally stealing their childhoods. Thank you for writing and speaking about this, Jess. <3
To say that this is frightening is putting it mildly. These are children. The only thing they need is to wash their face and use sunscreen. So we should blame TikTok? I see the mothers are right there next to these children, smiling and laughing as these young girls begin at the age of six to ... what... start with an obsession of body image? How about full makeup by seven and stilettos by nine? No - they're not being given the chance to understand and love themselves. They're creating themselves into some kind of image and it's frightening. Self care starts with loving ourselves. How does this work when children are the target? Jess, as you noted, this is the same demographic that is experiencing record rates of loneliness, anxiety and depression. And do we even know what harm this may be doing to their skin? Is the skin care industry now ramping up for a new line that will target the harmful results?
Hearing a six year old talking about retinol and ‘melting away wrinkles’ is downright dystopian. I’m so grateful for the work you’re doing. I desperately hope to see a better world for kids to grow up in.
The quote from Quinn near the end. Where her mother asks her what makes her feel pretty inside and out and she responds “make up”. That alone is sad, but what I find even more disturbing is her mother asking her “really, nothing else” and you can see the cogs turning in her mind looking for the “more right” answer and all she can come up with is, “no, many other things, too”. I find that more disturbing because too often parents take these vague statements as fact that their child is “actually okay.”
What they don’t know is that child has already given you their true answer - make up (and by extension skincare). The problem is she sensed her mother didn’t like that answer and she searched for a new one, but her idea of beauty is so attached to make up and skincare now that she can’t actually find the “correct” answer and name it distinctly.
I actually feel sorry for the mother and the grandmother, who are so deeply held captive in beauty culture it is displayed as clear as day in their faces. The “solution” they have come up with is wrong, but I don’t think they know any other way that wouldn’t require them to face their own messed up relationship with beauty culture.
The obsession is bad but it is good to start exercising self care early. One of the best things my mom taught me. It can be a ritual and reminder to be gentle with oneself rather than doing it for results
This is so disturbing for the psychological health of these young girls. What happened to taking your daughter with you to get her nails painted that’s enough of a treat for a pre-teen, this destroying their skin before it’s fully matured I’m sure is going to age well!😂😧I pray these mothers pivot to something more healthy and sustainable for their daughters.
I don't know anything about younger 6 yr old aged girls. But in my country it's normal for teenagers to follow their moms in taking care of themselves. My daughters started getting waxed at 14, instead of shaving and so are my granddaughters both 14 now who use sunscreen snd love glow recipe a k-beauty brand based on fruits. None have acne, both have beautiful skin and confidence. It's part of our Latina heritage. 🤷🏼♀️
“They aren’t learning to understand themselves as human beings, but to perform themselves as girls.” EXACTLY, Jessica - thanks for always speaking the truth.