Answer a Question

                                         From Barbie’s to blush

               As a society, we are bombarded with information daily. The media itself runs most of our lives, educating us on how to conduct ourselves; from how to become better partners, better parents, getting us to try all the new diets that truly work, and to follow the latest fashion trends. I’m not saying that the media is not at all helpful, but who are these antics really affecting? Yes, as adults we are often victimized by their many games, but, tend to know when to cut off the strings. As for the young girls of our generation, they have been one of the greatest targets. Could our obsession with beauty and the longing for perfection play a role in their eagerness for it too? In this age of toddler beauty pageants, digital retouching, peer pressure, celebrity worship, and all the other unrealistic messages girls receive about beauty; it is definite that challenges to develop a positive body image arise; challenges that put young girls at risk for eating disorders and other self destructive behaviors. While many might say that a girl playing with her mom’s makeup is only innocent and couldn't possibly lead to a negative effect later on in life, I would have to agree. Yes, there may be other causes that may contribute to those later behaviors,  but are we not taking this issue a bit lightly?  Everywhere they turn; their minds are being introduced to new ideas of themselves and how they should perceive themselves. We are seeing now more than ever that young girls are using makeup as a daily routine, and not just for fun while playing dress up. There have been studies linking this trend to the widespread advertising of these products, and is criticized as leading to body issues and other psychological problems for girls, especially as they age and become teenagers. Girls who start wearing makeup at a young age tend to have detrimental effects such as lowered self-esteem and self perception, potential health risks, and high spending habits. So when will we realize that there is a bigger problem at hand?

           Jessica Bennett from Newsweek Magazine states that “Girls today are salon vets before they enter elementary school… getting caught up in the beauty-maintenance game at ages when they should be learning how to read—and long before their beauty needs enhancing” (42).  Young girls run the risk of losing their innocence at their precious age when their focus is based merely on appearances. But can we blame them? Girls are continuously surrounded by women dressed up, made up, pretending as if  good looks are the keys to happiness. I think society goes running to television and societal norms, but I think we can't just blame television. It comes from parents; it comes from grandparents, and it comes from everyone around you. "The media teaches girls and young women the MOST important thing is how we look. Not living up to the unrealistic image impacts mental health...'The effect on young girls and adolescents is most profound' the American Psychological Association (APA) says, because 'their sense of self is still being formed.'" (Collins 1).  It's both simple, yet, a complicated situation. Young girls lack the tools to validate themselves, so they look outside themselves for validation. Of course, as we age, we become aware that people take notice to us; more so, that, we are judged based on our outward appearances. "However, the concern is how young is too young? Girls who start too early may be hiding more than an acne breakout – they may be demonstrating early signs of self-esteem issues and a negative self-image or setting up a ritual that is difficult to break. Unfortunately, these behaviors and feelings can set the stage for addictions or disordered eating patterns to develop" (Bennett 42). Bennett also described the consequences that the media's obsession with beauty has on maturing brains. "According to a 2004 study by the Dove Real Beauty campaign, 42 percent of first- to third-grade girls want to be thinner, while 81 percent of 10-year-olds are afraid of getting fat" (43). Young girls, as early as 8 years of age shouldn’t have to worry about going on a diet because of the fear of being fat; That should be the last thing on her mind. Heartbreaking to know that although, just as sad, that the cause of those feelings don’t stem from the thought of maybe being bullied but because of the fact that they wouldn’t look like the girls in the magazines. From the ages of 8 to 14 years old, the mind and body of a girl are still maturing, not fully appreciative of their true beauty. They are shown what it is supposed to look like. But what if what they’re being shown are false representations, how will they know the difference?   We can say there is multiple causation for behaviors such as anorexia, lowered self-esteem, and the negative behaviors that usually stem from a low self perception, but I can pinpoint many of these behaviors to their root; early childhood influences. Yet, those with "strong family support, safe environment, adult role models and activities that emphasize healthy body image are less likely to take part in destructive behaviors than peers who lack those assets", says Lois M. Collins from Deseret News (1).

          Another immense concern that is evident is that, at the age of maturation, young girls are not yet considering the multiple health risks involved, especially the rise in harmful behaviors like eating disorders, especially as young girls hit puberty and are further confused by changing hormones.  “Dermatologists say sharing cosmetics such as lip gloss or eye shadow can cause cold sores and bacterial conjunctivitis (pink eye)”  (“Consumers Report” 9). When they’re that young, they’re not concerned with the hard dyes and ingredients that could be extremely harmful for their skin. Science News also listed pollutants, including some plastics found in children's toys, as a possible factor in early female bodily development. "Girls are 10 times more likely to have central precocious puberty as boys," WebMD said (Bennett 42). This means that more are growing breasts and acne as they wrap up the Barbie stage. This may bring a misplaced sense of maturity, as well as the desire to hide acne, which can fuel the desire for makeup. But this is not the only problem to occur.

            Financial power; who really has the final say so? Little girls are both on the "extreme" end, yet "normalized" in media. The young girls examples include Vogue covers featuring small girls made up to look like grown women, having pushup padded bras for girls as young as 6. Wal-Mart’s line of 70 make-up products for girls 6 to 12. Yes, it’s happening, just to make a profit. The kids of this generation are becoming considered the most significant production for retailers and marketers because of their spending power and the influence they have over what their parents buy.“Eight-to-12-year-olds in this country already spend more than $40 million a month on beauty products, according to the NPD Group. This trend seems unaffected by the tanking economy” (Bennett 43). There are three possible scenarios to explain this, all of them believable. Girls save their allowance money and buy their own makeup, or girls beg for their parents to buy them a specific item until they give in. Also, moms may see what their girls wear and decide to buy it for them.  Today's girls are turning this once-occasional rite of passage into a multi-billion-dollar industry and potentially troubling trend for female self-esteem. “According to a 2008 YWCA USA report Beauty At Any Cost, girls’ ages 8 through 12 spent more than $480 million on cosmetics in 2011, the latest year for which data is available. That amounts to 6 percent of the $8 billion spent on cosmetics per year by women of all ages. Teenage girls ages 13 through 17 spent $1.22 billion on cosmetics in 2011, or 15.25 percent of the $8 billion total” (Kelly Mayo  1). Think about this, according to a Newsweek examination by the time a 10 year old girl reaches 50, she will have spent nearly 300,000 on just her face and hair alone. I don't know about you, but that’s a hard pill for me to swallow.

            In my opinion, I understand that parents must choose their battles that they face with their children. But, here is an issue that can spin out of their control very fast if they become too blind sighted to the subliminal truth, Generation Y is drifting further away from the way children have behaved and, thought in the past decade, not to image 40 years ago. And that’s the simple truth. What can be done is, beginning early awareness and education of all the factors to be considered, and a conversation of why there is an eagerness to start the use of makeup. Knowing the root of any issue will have a positive outcome majority of the time. Do I believe girls who start wearing makeup at a young age causes adverse effects to start and grow into their teenage years, not necessarily? But I do believe that girls without the right family support, and healthy role models during those crucial years may fuel the fire for their need of make up at a young age developing bigger issues in the future.

                                     Work Cited

Bennett, Jessica. “Tales of a Modern Diva”. Newsweek. 6 Apr. 2009: 42-43. Academic Search Complete. Web. 23 Oct. 2013.

 Mayo, Kelly. “Lipstick at 6? Use of makeup by the tween set grows”. Investigative Journalism JRN- 4600. Spring 2013.Web. 20 Oct. 2013. http://www.uncp.edu.

Collins, Lois M. "The end of innocence: The cost of sexualizing kids” Deseret News.18 Sept. 2011.Web. 23 Oct. 2013. <http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700180194/The-end-of-innocence-The-cost-of-sexualizing-kids.html?pg=all>.