by Crystal Ogar
Walmart will begin selling a line of “anti-aging” beauty products targeted to kids ages 8- to 12-years-old called Geo Girl. It was supposed to launch on February 21st, but thankfully did not due to the incredible amount of negative reactions from blogs and the press alike.
The question here is this: Why would children need make-up and “anti-aging” products? They haven’t even begun to grow yet. Not only is that negative for their self-esteem, but who knows the medical and physical effects these types of products may have on them. Make-up at this age can only have a negative effect on girls by teaching them what’s on the outside is more important and worthwhile than what’s on the inside.
Not only is this a health issue, but largely a self-esteem issue. Girls are faced with over 400 advertisements per day telling them what they should look like. And here comes a big company selling makeup geared especially to them? This is sexualization and it is exactly what will happen if this product launches.
The Montgomery County Maryland Chapter of the National Organization for Women (NOW) is holding a press conference this Saturday to combat this line of products. Wal-Mart has said they’ll be marketing this as a “green alternative” to the parents and not the kids, and Geo Girl is touted as natural make-up with sunscreen. Yet, we know if young girls and tweens see a bright package in the store or in a television commercial, they’re not going to know it’s not being “marketed to them.”
A source from happi.com reads, “According to the company, the colors, while bright and exciting in the package, go on super-sheer and see-through to give her skin a healthy, natural glow. The formulas are mistake proof and easy to apply successfully. The product packages themselves were created to fit in smaller hands and apply to smaller features.”
Children already have a natural glow and they get that from playing outside and just being children. And I’m not sure about you, but the idea of young children applying makeup doesn’t sit very well with me. Young girls at the ripe ages of 8 to 12 years old should not be concerned with make-up and how they look, but enjoying their childhood as much as possible and learning what kind of people they’re going to grow up to be. Selling makeup to them is only going to inhibit that.
I agree let your girls have a childhood. Once they get older they will have that choice. Why would you want your girl to focus on makeup and not be a child? They will have plenty of time to be grown when the time comes.