Teens: We Love You Even More Without Lucious Lips

Cupcake body lotion and luscious berry lip gloss: just think of them as the gateway drugs for the future self-conscious product addicts of America. Many of us have been through these phases.  The difference is, it’s all happening so much sooner now. As New York Times just reported, cosmetic use is rising sharply among tweens ages 8-12.

This is disturbing in more ways than one. First, as I noted in the Times piece, young people are facing relentless cultural pressure to look older and grow up sooner. (Seriously, check out the former and current casts of 90210 to see how times have changed.)

Not only is the beauty industry (and the popular culture it spawns) getting inside kids’ heads, but – insidiously — inside their bodies as well. A recent study of teenage girls found their urine contained an average of 13 hormone-disrupting cosmetic chemicals, including phthalates, triclosan, musk chemicals and parabens. Not exactly the way nature intended.

Now is a good time to mention the recent President’s Cancer Panel warning that cancer cases caused by unregulated chemicals have been vastly under-reported. The panel urged immediate action to regulate chemicals, and recommended that pregnant women, small children, and couples planning families avoid hormone-disrupting chemicals due to cancer risk.
Let’s add teenagers — who are piling on more stinky body sprays than ever — to the list. Those hormones are racing for a reason, and teenagers’ developing bodies are uniquely vulnerable to toxic exposures.

So, no thanks, cupcake body lotion. Let’s keep our young people young – and unpolluted with toxic cosmetic chemicals – for as long as possible.

Stacy Malkan, 5/12/10

BREAKING NEWS: See the new Campaign for Safe Cosmetics report about hidden toxic chemicals in celebrity fragrances, men’s colognes and teen body sprays: www.safecosmetics.org/notsosexy.

 

2 Responses to “Teens: We Love You Even More Without Lucious Lips”

  1. Lisa D Liguori Says:
    May 18th, 2010 at 11:45 am

    OMG. The photos of the past crew of 90210 and the current (which I have not been privy to, being a bit..ahem..on the more mature side and not the target audience) really painted the picture for me! ACK! I have a 10 year old daughter and I do feel myself constantly pushing back against the intense pressure for her to look older. I thought this was the way it has always been, kids wanting to be more grown up…but maybe…it IS even worse now. Thank you for this powerful visual.

  2. Kobi Brock Says:
    May 18th, 2010 at 12:53 pm

    Amen! I have my girls very aware at ages 3 & 4. They will only use my approved arb. products. Creating a healthy self image for our girls is a must, and it starts at home.

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