Standards for physical appearance have existed for ages, and they change in the blink of an eye. Some trends may seem safe enough, after all it may just be some mascara or lipstick, but trends revolving around beauty, from eyeliner to plastic surgery, find ways to escalate as soon as they take root, especially in the minds of children and teens.
On social media apps, such as TikTok, Instagram, Lemon8, and Pinterest, many creators use beauty standards to their advantage, creating trends for people to follow.
Many of these videos start with visuals, a joyful voice explaining what to do, and sound effects, such as a high-pitched “ding.” After they typically show a picture of someone’s body or face
This intro to a video may be appealing to some, drawing them in to continue watching.
These videos rarely show evidence of the shown techniques or rules working, their only claim often is that the content creator is, as of current standards, beautiful.
Beauty standards have made the “perfect” woman appear clear of blemishes, smooth, and in a sense, it looks natural, using only some makeup, such as lip combos. Overall, they attempt to achieve a sense of youthfulness.
“In an age where technology accelerates our lives and social media fosters idealized images of eternal youth, many are driven to align with these standards,” said Stefano and Mariachiara Fabbri in an article for the Pew Research Center (PRC). “This often leads to a struggle with aging and the mirror’s reflection, which is shaped by time’s inevitable passage.”
The desire to be included and fit in is not unknown to people, especially teens and children.
According to another PRC report written by Kim Parker and Karley Hurst, “Substantial shares of teens say they feel certain social pressures as well. Some 47% say they feel at least a fair amount of pressure to look good, and 41% feel pressure to fit in socially.”
Along with that, the same report showed that girls felt that need to conform, and to fit in socially all while “looking good,” (based on what “looks good” at that time, as it does change quickly).
Boys however, showed a lean toward being strong and, “ involved in extracurricular activities. And 31% say they feel pressure to be good at sports,” according to the PRC report.
With that inherent desire to fit in socially and aesthetically, it’s no wonder that younger people are adopting trends that weren’t supposed to be directed toward them.
The way beauty trends focus on keeping our skin and bodies unscarred, unblemished, and smooth, flushes of blush and a softness of the face point toward the underlying message that beauty standards promote trying to look as youthful as possible, as that is exactly how many teens and children look.
Now, makeup itself is not dangerous, while some ingredients may be questionable, there are healthier alternatives, but the standard for women of all ages looking soft and youthful is where the danger comes in.
This makes not only adult women feel as if they are aging wrongly and that they need to conform to this false sense of security behind foundations and concealers, but children and teens as well.
According to a research article by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) journal, “although it is well known that adolescents are generally more susceptible to social influence than other age groups, social influence appears to exert an effect from an early age.”
Starting around 2024, many children, mainly girls, became what is known now as “Sephora Kids.”
These children have been influenced by attempting to stop or reverse what never truly began, aging.
The only signs of aging they have is either their bodies changing from puberty or acne. They do not have wrinkles or sunspots, but the influence that TikTok can have on a teenager and child can make them believe that they do have them, or that those things aren’t a normal part of life.
It may be debatable as to if this behavior is too grown for children, but regardless, the idea that they need to somehow gain the picture of “perfection” is unhealthy for any child or teen’s mind.
It would cause unneeded stress and a constant desire to be accepted in the future through materials, whether it be makeup, surgeries, or other things such as clothes.
Allowing children to have free reign of social media and allowing them to accept the idea that they need to reverse something that hasn’t happened yet and is a normal and natural part of life is harmful. Children should be allowed to experience life as a child and learn that age comes with life and that it is not something to hide, reverse, or be afraid of.