Should Tweens Wear Makeup?
Wal-Mart has recently been at the center of fiery controversy—revealing a product line that has the parents of young girls upset about the damage it could cause with their impressionable daughters.
The culprit? Some shimmery pink lip gloss and purple eye shadow from Wal-Mart’s new make-up collection, GeoGirl. The new cosmetics line which is marketed as makeup for young tween girls—ages 8 to 12—features products that are priced at a reasonable $4- $6.
The problem? Some parents are outraged that Wal-Mart is targeting young girls with makeup and forcing them to grow up too quickly. In the collection’s defense, the products are as harmless as nail polish, light pink blush, lip glosses and colorful eye shadows—mostly meant to be fun and for play.
Haven’t young girls and tweens always loved to play dress-up and play with make-up? For many of us, our love for Bonne Bell’s Lip Smacker glosses and Wet & Wild nail polishes come to mind from our own childhood. In fact, according to a marketing research group, NPD Group found in a 2009 study that tweens were the only age group who actually increased their spending on cosmetics during the recession.
So, we’re asking what’s the big fuss about? Should young girls not be allowed to play dress up with some age-appropriate makeup? Tell us what you think! How old were you when you were allowed to start wearing makeup? Do you think Wal-Mart was out of line for marketing cosmetics to 8 to 12 year olds?
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Tags: geo girl, makeup for tweens, tween makeup
