How Beijing Teens Use Makeup as a Form of Artistic Expression

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Scrolling through social media platforms these days, you are struck by the volume of makeup tutorials available, done by what appears to be young men and women. It is, however, difficult to place their ages. One might assume they are all in their late teens or early to mid-twenties. It comes as a great shock to some to learn that some of these makeup savants are as young as ten! Thanks to makeup, now teens and tweens can easily pass for young adults, and it is safe to say this evolution from playing with GI Joe trucks and Barbie dolls to professional makeup artists, or MUAs for short, is jarring for many. For parents and child care professionals, the fear is founded in the belief that the use of makeup at such an early age will foster a ‘neurosis of glamor,’ which might, in turn, catapult these children into feelings of insecurity, lack of self-confidence, and ultimately, an obsession with attaining impossible physical perfection.

But is this fear of the worst-case scenario entirely founded? Is it true that children and teens experiment with makeup due to feelings of inadequacy and peer pressure? A few facts might put things in perspective.

According to a study done by market research agency Mintel, about 80% of children between nine to 11 years old in the US use some form of beauty or personal grooming product.  Additionally, over half of all 12 to 14-year-olds use eyeliner, eyebrow pencils, eye shadow, and mascara;  an additional 45% of this same group use foundation or concealer products. The research found equal amounts of cosmetic use in boys as they did in girls. Even though this same research is yet to be replicated in China or most other Asian countries, we would assume these findings would still hold, especially given the drive for perfection in the region, with countries like South Korea leading the world in cosmetic surgery among teens and young adults.

Paris Lau

We wanted to find out what it’s like for Beijing’s teens, what their relationship with makeup and the world of cosmetics is like, and if it is that big a deal to wear makeup these days? Is it an avenue of self-expression or simply a part of a self-care routine akin to putting on sunscreen before leaving the house? In a world where makeup artists such as James Charles shot to global fame in his mid-teens thanks to YouTube, would it be right to say that makeup is now as much of an art as it is a means to a simple aesthetic end?

Talking to Beijing’s teens, we got a mixed bag of responses, from influencer culture as a driving force in their decision to wear makeup to it being a personal decision not taken too seriously. For Paris Lau, the image of perfect celebrities went a long way in her wearing makeup. Revealing she started wearing makeup at the tender age of 12, Lau adds “Yes, because all the influencers wear it, sometimes I compare myself with them.” Lau grew up watching her mother wearing makeup, but she insists that her mother’s makeup technique is more on the natural side. Lau prefers the more transformational effects of applying makeup, as she explains: “I think it’s good because you can enhance your features without completely changing your face and you can always take makeup off.” Lau now wears makeup daily and admits it boosts her self-confidence, and she does so with the support of her parents, on the condition that she is not too heavy-handed with her application.

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Cheryl Li

For Cheryl Li, makeup is no more than a tool of expression. “It’s an art. It allows people to bring out the best of themselves, and lets them express themselves in the way they want,” explains Li, but she is also quick to add, “Some people do get obsessed with makeup and feel like they are not good enough without makeup.” Unlike Lau, Li started using makeup at age 12 out of pure curiosity, and once she started she just kept doing it. Her parents, though supportive, had some concerns. As Li explains, “My dad is worried about my skin. He said if I don’t clean my face properly, it can damage my skin!”

Haiwen Huang

Haiwen Huang’s concerns vary slightly from her peers’. “It somehow makes me look too mature,” Huang laments, echoing the sentiments of those against the early use of makeup by teenagers. Huang chooses to see makeup as a costume one puts on and takes off at appropriate occasions. Unlike her peers, she waited until she was 14 years old to start wearing makeup. On her frequency of using makeup, Huang explains it’s “about three times a week. When I’m out with my friends or at a party. It makes us look better and gets us respect in some ways. Especially at parties, it fits the occasion.” Huang’s parents are not entirely on board with her use of makeup, however comparatively limited it might be, citing negative effects on her skin.

Of the teens we sampled, there were a few points of consensus. Kids under the age of ten are way too young to wear makeup. The teens also expressed an awareness of the possible harmful effects of makeup on both their physical and mental states. And as much as we might all fear social media’s vast influence on impressionable teenagers, the ubiquitous nature of makeup use at present might mean it won’t hold as much fascination for the younger generations as it has for previous generations. As these teens are vocal, expressive, experimental, and active on social media, so too is the use of makeup a way to express themselves, which they are happy to use, but do not feel under any danger of being permanently “hooked on the look.”

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Photos: Unsplash, Courtesy of students

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