Children ages seven to 12, popularly referred to as “tweens,” have now become the new market segment to sell to, from training bras to transition pretend-toys all the way to transition beauty and skin care products.

Being a mother of two girls, Zoe, 10, and Zahnina, 5, one can’t help but oftentimes be wary, not of buying training undergarments, which, by the way, is among the most dreaded stages that come upon doting fathers, but, rather of the kind of toys and grooming products now available for their choosing.

Allue Cosmetics

My eldest daughter recently participated in a children-slash-tweens-slash beauty event where she, along with four teenagers, performed a dance number.  So naturally, our entire family was there to support her. We were welcomed in a mini-fair with make-over amenities prepared for children attendees, most of whom were about seven years of age, but there were kids as young as four, whose parents and yayas patiently queued up to be accommodated in the beauty booths. The wait list was incredibly long and even celebrities and their kids had to line up.

Apparently, according to Grace Reyllo-Samson, the marketing associate for Bratz Dolls, there could be nothing more chaotic, in her experience, than parents and yayas jumping lines to get ahead. I witnessed it actually, how serious a business it was to have their children’s make-over be completed before they get photographed. Makeup was provided by homegrown brand Allue Cosmetics, while the hair salon installation was sponsored by Lee Stafford and, surprisingly, a nail art station, not using decals, but rather manually painting the flowers and designs, by California Nails and Day Spa.  Although it was quite difficult to see who wanted the entire make-over more—the parents, yayas or the children, themselves. Nevertheless, everyone—even this mom—who was a little wary in the beginning of my children’s exposure to such events, had a great time.

Nail art

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Why shouldn’t parents like me be worried, when makeup and materialism are being promoted almost everywhere? We often find ourselves stuck in hellish work weeks, sometimes in succession, that we rarely find the kind of quality time our children deserve. Interestingly enough, my youngest daughter, who was said to be more “kikay” than her Ate, refused a hair makeover because apparently, “They hurt!”  She said she wasn’t comfortable even with the makeup, which made her look older. And I couldn’t be happier, as she gets to be the “baby” a little while longer.

So why go at all?

Because if I don’t take them, like I know from own experience, they will find ways to experiment, anyway. Gone are the days when playing meant dressing up dolls and creating a makeshift house out of tents and blankets.  Today, they have Hannah Montana, The Bratz Dolls and cast of The High School Musical as people to look up to, supplemented by glossy magazines that promote “looking grown up,” more than looking one’s age. Either Disney or Nickelodeon and even the Weinstein brothers have yet to create real, age-appropriate models for our children. I would have liked a younger version of Lizzie McGuire, perhaps this is a call to local producers. And Britney Spears is definitely out of the picture!

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Say goodbye to messy and oily hair serums!

Shine spray

Humidity Protection Spray

According to the guest hairstylists from Party Perks, the Humidity Protection Spray, a fancy name for an anti-hair frizz product, works like magic, taming down the most static of hairs. I have to agree! But, I’ll have to say, the best product in the line yet is the Shine Spray, for people whose hair has gone dull due to stress or over-treating, this is the answer. The spray mechanism keeps the shine equally distributed.  Best of all, the hair products have a vanilla-inspired scent that imitates freshly cleaned and shampooed hair. This brand may just have a future, check them out at Rustan’s Essenses.  

Email me at pasig_river@yahoo.com.