Tweens Turn to Making Their Own Cosmetics
Kids these days!
While most of us tinkered with chemistry sets, today's tweens and teens are channeling Mr. Wizard and Mary Kay by creating their own makeup products, the Wall Street Journal reports.
No longer content with blowing their allowance on cherry-flavored lip gloss, these mini makeup gurus are working out of "bedroom cosmetics labs" to DIY their own goodies by mixing Vaseline, olive oil, and natural ingredients with the contents of their makeup bags. In many cases, the process is filmed on a webcam and shared with the world on YouTube.
"I have braces so I don't have many subscribers, but it's happening," says 14-year-old Cloe Feldman, whose video of mixing her own gel eyeliner garnered 22,000 hits.
According to a 2010 report from market research firm NPD Group Inc., tweens showed a drop in awarness of mainstream brands, which suggests that the "price-conscious, independent, and better-informed" new generation is spending less time at Sephora and more time playing mad scientist.
The NPD also notes that young girls are taking inspiration from their mothers' makeup brands, which has sparked a taste for more prestigious and expensive brands and, conversely, a more cost-conscious attitude about where to spend their limited funds.
"The role of mom is critical," NPD beauty industry analyst Julia Grant tells the WSJ. "A decade ago, they were not trusting mom. [They are asking] 'Do, I really need to buy this, or can I mix this?'"
The trend hasn't gone unnoticed by the beauty industry. Eager to reel in young shoppers, brands like Forever 21's Love & Beauty are dropping their price points and introducing products that encourage layering, mixing, and DIY experimentation.
"It's all about experimentation," says 17-year-old skincare guru Katy Wilhelm, saying that in the past girls resisted the urge to play around with their makeup. "If it was lipstick, they'd put it on their lips … but lipstick is a good tool for creating rosy cheeks."
Meanwhile, check out this five-year-old's YouTube beauty tutorials.
