BellaSugar

Nair: Now For 10-Year-Olds!

BellaSugar — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 10:21:07 -0700

Remember the story about pre-teens' crazy beauty routines? It looks like those girls might be part of a bigger trend. The New York Times reports on Nair's new endeavor: Marketing a new product line to 10- to 15-year-olds.

Intended for middle-schoolers, Nair Pretty is a chemical hair remover that comes in kiwi and peach scents. The packaging features illustrations of teenage girls, and along those lines, the print advertisements target the girls directly. “I am a citizen of the world,” they read. “I am a dreamer. I am fresh. I am so not going to have stubs sticking out of my legs.” (Heaven forbid a 10-year-old girl might have hair on her legs.) And then there's the website:

It's not that you're obsessed or anything but maybe you've noticed that the hair on your legs (and other parts of your body) is just a little bit thicker and darker before. Chill. You're growing up... it's all good.

("It's all good?" What is this, 1995?) Dorky "teenspeak" aside, it bothers me that Nair is going after sixth graders. I'm sure pre-teens are curious about hair removal, but by actively targeting them, Nair is creating even more anxiety about puberty-an already anxious thing for most girls. Likewise, the emphasis on being pretty is a little depressing, since the implication is that you won't be pretty if you've got a little fuzz on your legs (or bikini line, as the Nair website helpfully mentions). I have no problem with girls eventually choosing to remove their hair, but there's something sad about thrusting that expectation on ten-year-olds. What do you think? Let me know, and then tell DearSugar what you think, too.

Lovely Links

BellaSugar — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 15:27:13 -0800

Beauty and the Blog points out a cool Stella McCartney beauty deal.
Need to look great on a budget? Check out this new steals and deals blog for crazy sales.

Beauty Snob loves the YSL Opium powder, and now I want it too.

Fashionista jokes about Kate Moss's beauty inspiration.

The Moment says that Versace EDP should be taken with a pinch of irony.

Ever want to find out what makes Nair work? Wired found out. It ain't pretty.
Now Smell This releases its top 10 winter scents.
Jezebel talks about fake ta-tas and the women who love-or hate-them.
Spoiled Pretty finds a well-priced makeup brush set for budget-conscious ladies.
While I'm working on the how-to for Sarah Michelle Gellar's plaited hairstyle, check out her makeup how-to at We Love Beauty.
Shake Your Beauty is gaga for grapefruit, at two separate price points.
So cute: Check out our tiniest beauty product junkie.

Australians Pushing Brazilians on Preteens

BellaSugar — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 10:00:52 -0800

Things are getting kinda hairy Down Under. Parents are extremely ticked off because a website is promoting Brazilian waxes-for preteen girls. Girl.com.au, whose slogan is "Girl Power - Empowering Girls Worldwide," is a girl-centric website that usually covers things like Nancy Drew online games and PG movies. But along with this kid-friendly fare, there's a primer on Brazilian waxing that includes this gem:

Nobody really likes hair in their private regions and it has a childlike appeal. Men love it, and are eternally curious about it.

The article also tells girls what to expect during a wax, claiming that the procedure is "surprisingly not as painful as you might think." Now, even if this copy were showing up on a women's website, I'd have issues with its bizarre worldview. (Really, "nobody" likes hair down there? All men love the "childlike appeal"? Ugh.) But it's even worse to see this directed at children. Between this and Nair Pretty, it seems like our culture is sexualizing girls at younger and younger ages. I can't see how that's a good thing.

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