If you’re “For you Page” on Tik Tok is anything like mine, then you have seen the latest controversy of the 10-12 year olds flooding Sephora, desperate to get their hands on trending products. They burst into the store and beeline it straight to the Drunk Elephant and Glow Recipe, then try out every tester possible. The biggest controversy has been the obsession with retinol because of what these young girls are seeing on Tik Tok. It has proven to be potentially harmful for young skin because of its anti-aging effects and harsh ingredients, but that isn’t stopping these 10 year olds.
Older Gen Z and young Millennials have been quick to criticize these middle schoolers and their obsession with the makeup store online, but have forgotten our own obsessions that once ruled our lives at that same age. Although none of the products were harmful to our skin, we still had this mob-like mentality when we saw our favorite stores had new products. Here are the top 5 that are equivalent to the current the 10-12 year olds’ Drunk Elephant products trend:
- Anything Bath and Body Works
I remember, as an elementary middle school student, having our parents drop us off at the mall and our first stop would was always be Bath and Body Works. We would go through and smell every hand sanitizer, lotion, scrub, and candle.
We would always come out with at least one hand sanitizer and maybe a new case with it to hang on our backpack. Everyone would compare what scents they had and share their favorites with others. The level of overconsumption we all had with hand sanitizers that we often didn’t use was equal to what we see today.
- EOS Lip Balm
Similar to the bath and body works products, we all had to have the best and newest scent/flavor. These egg-shaped lip balm didn’t exactly do the best job at moisturizing our lips but it was the fact of having the product made us fit in more. My friends and I would go look at what the options were at target and beg our parents to give us enough money to get one. Of course, we had to bring them to school the next day to show them to everyone.
- Vineyard Vines/Ivory Ella Shirts
These shirts with the big logos on the back took over fashion for a few years in middle school. They were often very pricey so convincing my parents was often difficult. Everyone would compare the different colors we would have and wish for new ones. These elephant and whale themed shirts ruled the cafeteria and often ranked who was most popular and who had the best clothes.
- Lululemon Headbands
Lululemon is still one of the most prevalent brands in today’s society despite its high price. Back in middle school and high school, wearing a lululemon stretchy headband instantly elevated your outfit. These tight headbands weren’t the best choice looking back because they would often slide off your head, make your hair greasy, and sometimes make you look like you have a receding hairline. I would sometimes wear them for sports, but more often than not they would slide off my head and leave my ponytail looking extra flat.
- Alex & Ani Bracelets
I will say I still have these bracelets in my jewelry box, so I think these were worth it. These charm-style bracelets were the perfect birthday gift for anyone for our middle and high school years. They had bracelets themed for anything whether its sports, activity, friends, family, among other things. They were the perfect accessory for any outfit and often was a way to show our personality and interests.