It is a cosmetic line called "Geo-Girl" for 8 TO 12 YEAR OLD GIRLS! It is for parents who want their third graders to have make-up with natural ingredients, and to help girls who have sensitive skin. They are eight year olds, of course their skin is sensitive!
Anti-aging? Calming properties? Is youthful skin not at its most youthful, most flawless, most calm as it is on the faces of our children? These are children! They have a youthful glow already!
Do girls not have enough pressure on them to be beautiful? Aren't there enough expectations out in the world for girls to be sexier, thinner, more popular because of these things? Are we going to let our 8 year olds, even 12 year olds, think they need make up to be beautiful?
The Geo-Girl product line has 69 products, ranging from blusher to mascara to lipstick and will be sold at Walmart stores beginning in March 2011.
I know, I know, those who love Walmart will say that it is the parents' responsibility to buy or not buy the product, that Walmart isn't "making" any children wear the make-up. That we live in a capitalist society and Walmart has the right to make a profit, blah blah blah. Walmart also has the right to set a better example to benefit our youth. The bottom line is Walmart wants to make money. Look at the packaging of the Geo-Girl line. Its not trying to appeal to parents. It is even sized smaller for little hands! Look here from the Household and Personal Products Industry:
According to the company, the colors, while bright and exciting in the package, go on super-sheer and see-through to give her skin a healthy, natural glow.The formulas are mistake proof and easy to apply successfully.The product packages themselves were created to fit in smaller hands and apply to smaller features.
Walmart does not have to choose to supply products that contribute to the absolute encouragement and expectations that young girls, little girls, need make-up to gain acceptance and feel good about themselves.
I know Walmart gives a ton of money to charities, amidst their many, many sins, once in awhile they do something good. So why can't they take a stand in protecting the self-esteem and empowerment of young girls? C'mon Walmart. Here is a chance to make a difference. Do not put Geo-Girl on your shelves.
I also know there are people who will blame parents for setting the example by wearing cosmetics ourselves, doing everything we can to stay youthful. There is a time for everything. There is a time for a first date, high heels, outward self-expression. The age for shimmering, sparkling cheeks, thick blackened eyelashes and anti-aging properties is not age 8.
I am irate over this. Really irate. I know Walmart isn't the only one at fault here, Walmart is just the pusher. The producer is a company in California called Pacific World Corp. Click here for their contact information to lodge a complaint. They make the product, but they would stop making it if Walmart wouldn't sell it. As for Walmart, click here to voice your opposition. I am so fired up, I might get a petition going. Stay tuned.
As parents, it is our job to protect our children, their health and wellness, their self-esteem and confidence. If Geo-Girl indeed ends up on the shelves, at the very least let this be a teaching moment to our young girls on what not to buy and why. At least we'll be able to try and teach them to be better consumers, and it will give us another opportunity to tell them how beautiful they are without Geo-Girl.
Well I guess you have a little too much time on your hands. Where do you draw the line? I don't think that if a 12 year old girl wants to wear a little lip gloss it is going to bring down her self esteem. This is just a fun product for those who want to purchase it. Should little girls not have fun painting their nails? Many girls at this age are in jr. high or entering jr. high school. Let's be realistic. Girls this age will sometimes wear a little blush and lip gloss. The skincare line is a great idea. It gives them something they can use to keep their skin clean if needed. It is apart of hygiene. Do your children not wash their face?
ReplyDeleteI am fully supportive of children acting their age and preserving their childhood. However, while you do make some good points I think that you are taking this a little far. You are reading way too much into this.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate both of your comments, and love a good discussion. I speak mainly of eight year olds, as the products are targeted to 8-12 year olds. Eight year old girls are in third grade. Twelve year olds are in 7th and 8th. There is a big gap there, so they should market it to teens and young adults. As far as hygiene goes, hopefully these kids have been washing their faces for a long time now, and don't need to be sold on "anti-aging and calming properties" to get them to do so.
ReplyDeleteI sorry, but I don't understand why you keep calling this anti-aging? Who are you quoting? The media? I have seen the Geo Girl products and I have two daughters who enjoy using them. It is very important to me to allow my children to be "little" and to not rush growing them up. There are a ton of makeup products out there for little girls. Walmart is simply trying to offer families who wish to purchase lip gloss and such in a healthier way. These are free of chemicals and other harmful ingredients and they have packaging that is good for the enviornment. Geo girl does not claim to be an anti aging product. I find it a little frustrating that you are not getting your facts straight. It is like the media is trying to make a story out of nothing. You are changing the facts to make this sound worse than it is.
ReplyDeleteI am sure that these kids have been washing their face since they were little babies. However, as a mom of a "tween girl" her skincare needs are starting to change. She is going to be ten this summer and she is beginning to show some signs of becoming a teenager. She has had a few breakouts and we have sensitive skin in our family. A bar of soap is too drying and I don't want to go out and buy her an expensive adult skincare line. Geo girl is perfect for this. She feels like there is a product specifically for her and one that I feel good about her using. I don't want her to use a product full of chemcials!
ReplyDeletePersonally, I bought this product and i am 16 years old. I saw it and it looked very cute and just something fun to sparkle up my look without caking it on. And also, no where on the product does it boldly state that the product is for anti-aging, had I not read this article I never would have known. So although this product may be targeted for tweens, that doesnt mean those are the only girls buying it.
ReplyDeleteI just bought the stick blush and sheer lipstick at Walmart. I put them both on in the car a few hours ago and I was just thinking about going back and trying the mineral powder. I just happened to do a little search for it and come to find that it's for kids! What!?!? I guess the packaging is a bit cuter then normal, but I thought it was because it was a 'natural' product. I really like its brown recycled packaging with little pink flowers or bees, or something else adorable. How funny that they would want to market this to kids instead of adults who WANT organic/anti-aging, etc. Very strange. I obviously didn't get 'who' they were marketing it to by the in-store display. Rethink your marketing strategy Walmart!
ReplyDeleteI just saw the new Geo Girl line today, and I thought the products all looked great. However, I was a bit confused as to why it was located near the lipsmackers.... Now I get it. I'm 18 and I've been looking for a cheaper, natural option that has a wide range of colors and products. To me, Geo Girl fits that mold. I haven't been able to test the products out yet, but I plan to. They seem wonderful, I just don't agree (for obvious reasons) with the fact that they are marketing to little girls! Please, keep the products and youthful, organic packaging, but just change the name to Geo WOMAN...especially since we are the onces who are concerned with skin-aging!
ReplyDeleteI think people are over reacting to walmart's new line Geo Girl. I'm 17 and I buy this product because I have sensitive skin and don't want to waste too much money. Since everything is organic, my face isn't breaking out, PLUS it's getting better! Plus do tweens even walk through the makeup aisle?? My sister, who is 10, never goes through the makeup aisle unless I drag her there. And even though she saw the Geo Girl product is for 8-12 she showed me the products because she thought it'd be good for my sensitive skin. She wasn't even thinking about buying it!
ReplyDeleteGeez! Everyone is taking this the wrong way! Yes, it says it's for ages 8-12, but I'm pretty sure it's for moms who are tired of finding their Lancome, MAC, etc. makeup ruined by young girls playing dress up. I've ruined plenty of makeup my mom owned and broke out from them! I wish they would've had this product when I was a kid so I could still play with makeup without harsh chemicals.
ReplyDeleteI buy geoGiRL makeup line and I am 25. I love it! It's light and looks really natural. Barely noticeable, and doesn't make my acne flare up. I hope walmart keeps selling it. If not for kids, for adults. :D
ReplyDeleteEven if it is marketed towards younger girls, it's perfect for everyone. <3 I'm especially fond of their concealer.
ReplyDeletelisten I think it would be better for 10-15
ReplyDeleteyear olds I'am not against it I'am not with
it like any sensable parent goes uot to buy
make up for a 8 year old I let my 10 year old
twins wear it and they don't go over board
so.......whats the problem