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Good Idea or Bad Idea: Nair Pretty for Pre-Teens

Mon, 09/17/2007 - 1:00pm by DearSugar
7,954 Views - 61 comments

In a recent New York Times article, the makers of Nair announced a new product focused on the younger demographic of pre-teens - made with fruity scents and all. According to Bill Boraczek, senior vice president of marketing at Sally Hansen, 26 percent of hair removers are girls 12-19 years old, but Nair Pretty is geared even younger, 10-15 year olds, otherwise known as "first-time hair removers." To drive this idea even more, marketing executives are saying things such as, "When a girl removes hair for the first time, it's a life-changing moment," and what young girl doesn't want to be perceived as older at that age?

I remember being a middle school-er and having my mom tell me I was too young to shave my legs, but times have certainly changed. So while Nair Pretty is safer than shaving (no nicks or cuts), what I want to know is, do you think it's a good idea or a bad idea for such young kids to be concerned with a little hair on their legs? Would you want your pre-teenager to have Nair Pretty in her medicine cabinet?

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61 Comments Add a Comment

  • rubialala's picture
    rubialala
    2

    I think it's okay. I had really hairy legs and I started shaving when I was 12. I wanted to do it earlier but my mom said no.

    41 weeks 3 days ago Report Comment
  • Lovely_1's picture
    Lovely_1
    3

    I watched a very fasinating show this weekend about young girls and how they are "maturing" more quickly then ever. it was aminly baout girls getting their periods earlier then usual (every decade girls have been getting their periods 3 months earleir). The average age for girls to now get their periods is 11 1/2 - 12 years old! And it's even a year younger for African Amerian girls!
    They talked a lot about clothes and beauty products made and pushed towards girls ages 10-12 and it was startling and I found it was almost disgusting.
    Just because girls bodies are ready to start having sex and ready to be a "women" does not mean these girls are emotionally ready for it. Targeting these 10-12 year old girls isn't right. They feel pressured into having to look "sexy" because of all the marketing and media out there telling them to be.
    If you have a chance, you should watch it someday! It really opened my eyes.

    41 weeks 3 days ago Report Comment
  • UTnikki81's picture
    UTnikki81
    4

    I said "bad idea" but I do remember some girls shaving as young as 9. I didn't start until I was at least 12 or 13. It really should be up to the girl and her parents, but the pressure and marketing strategy being used here is not something I'd want my young girl subjected to.

    41 weeks 3 days ago Report Comment
  • d_ford's picture
    d_ford
    5

    10 year old girls shaving their legs? What grade are you in when you are 10? Grade 5? I personally think it's wrong because girls should be girls for as long as they can. I didn't start shaving my legs until I was 13 and I went and did it behind my Mum's back. It signaled a big step in my life, moving out of childhood and into young adulthood, and at 10 years old I definitely wasn't ready for it.

    41 weeks 3 days ago Report Comment
  • k8 rckstr's picture
    k8 rckstr
    6

    Thats horrible. What are they going to do next, create fruity flavoured diet pills for 10 year olds who want to be skinny like lindsay lohan? Sick sick sick.

    41 weeks 3 days ago Report Comment
  • cubadog's picture
    cubadog
    7

    Even with girls maturing earlier I do not think a 10 year-old/5th grader needs to be shaving their legs.

    41 weeks 3 days ago Report Comment
  • KerryG's picture
    KerryG
    8

    Ugh, that's so sad. Even if girls are maturing physically a lot earlier now, they still ought to e able to be girls for as long as possible. All this pressure to look beautiful from an earlier and earlier age is kind of sick.

    Of course, I come from one of those hippie families where half the women don't shave at all, so maybe I'm not the best judge, but I also can't help but notice that we tend to be vastly more comfortable in our own skin than girls from families that buy into the traditional standards more, so I'm hoping my daughter will be equally willing in theory to flout tradition even if, like the other half of the women in my family, she doesn't in practice.

    41 weeks 3 days ago Report Comment
  • Sofiababy's picture
    Sofiababy
    9

    ok hair removal is very different from dieting. i got my period when i was barely 11, and had hair on my legs around then. my hair is pretty fine but im spanish so its DARK. i would have been mortified if i was prohibited from using nair when i was younger, and luckily my mom understood bc i got it from her!! =] i just think its SO WRONG to market it to a younger crowd, bc you do not need to be putting ideas in the heads of already insecure girls. its a matter to be left to the mother and child! some people dont get it because they have fine, thin blond hair at that age, but some girls really do need it! i think its cruel to not let them! if your blossoming in other ways, and if its really noticiable, i think its right on par to not let her cut her hair!

    41 weeks 3 days ago Report Comment
  • higgydt4's picture
    higgydt4
    10

    Bad idea. It kinda reminds me of my cousin. She's 13 now but started wearing a bra ever since she was 6! There were no boobs to even hold in the thing! I couldn't believe it, but this looks like something her mom would buy for her, too. Kids are growing up waayy too fast these days.

    41 weeks 3 days ago Report Comment
  • AlecksNWondrland's picture
    AlecksNWondrland
    12

    I got my period when i was 8 (YES! 8!) and i was such a hairy beast that I started shaving at that age too. The hair made me self-conscious and so did being overweight. I at least knew that I could control the look of my legs since I was too young to understand dieting so shaving just made sense to me.

    41 weeks 3 days ago Report Comment
  • bfly1133's picture
    bfly1133
    13

    This is a touchy subject. On one hand I do believe there is a need for this product. I know I was shaving my legs and underarms at the end of 4th grade. This would have been way better for me.

    I am not so keen on the marketing they plan to use, but how else will anyone know of the product? I do think they should come up with a new ad campaign that words things a whole lot better. Not every 11 year old needs to be shaving. We shouldn't be encouraging girls to grow up any faster than they have to.

    41 weeks 3 days ago Report Comment
  • krEnElk's picture
    krEnElk
    14

    I can understand how people might think this is a bad idea, but some young girls might need it (although i don't necessarily think they should be targeted) My sister had the thickest black hair on her legs in the first grade and was teased relentlessly, so my mom let her start shaving her legs that young (she was like, 7). I, on the other hand, was not allowed near a razor until i was 14. I think for girls who need it, the nair might be a better alternative to shaving.

    41 weeks 3 days ago Report Comment
  • calygirl's picture
    calygirl
    15

    Very bad idea, once you start its non-stop, its so time consuming. I went against my mother and started early. I wish I would have listened, sux! I could have had 2 extra yrs of non-shaving..

    41 weeks 3 days ago Report Comment
  • Romai's picture
    Romai
    16

    I didn't start shaving until eleven or twelve. I know girls are maturing faster these days and plenty of girls are going to shave or use other products for hair removal anyway, but I don't see the point in gearing a line of the product towards them. I agree with whoever said we don't need to pressure them into growing up any faster than they already are.

    41 weeks 3 days ago Report Comment
  • rubialala's picture
    rubialala
    17

    Wow, I didn't think I would be in such the minority here. I guess I feel like it's just shaving legs, what's the big deal? Perhaps I would feel differently if I had a daughter.

    41 weeks 3 days ago Report Comment
  • BlairBear's picture
    BlairBear
    19

    I think its ok, my daughter is 7 and has really hairy legs, dark hair. I didn't start shaving until I was 11 but I have blonde hair. She isn't self conscience about it yet but if she ever is, I would be ok with her using Nair.

    41 weeks 3 days ago Report Comment
  • KathleenxCouture's picture
    KathleenxCouture
    20

    Like I posted for bella...I started Shaving when I was 10 (8 years ago)because my legs had really dark hair on them. People made fun of me and called me "hairy bear" all the time for it. I got fed up and finally asked my mom if i could shave them. Although I was more mature (decision making wise) at that age I still remained a playful and focused little girl. If i had a daughter with the same problem I would let her shave too but shaving your legs has nothing to do with wearing makeup and trying to act "too old" because that is a different story entirely (I didnt start a beauty regimine until i was about 15) If the hair on your legs is a problem (I was a cheerleader and ran track at that age and was wearing skirts and shorts all the time) then SHAVE THEM! I would never let my child get made fun of for looking like chewbacca but thats as far as it goes for a 10 year old.

    Also, Nair is horrible, i used it once about 6 months ago and it chemically burned my legs reeealllyy badly..i don't recommend it at ANY age.

    41 weeks 3 days ago Report Comment
  • Sunshine in Seattle's picture
    Sunshine in Seattle
    21

    What is the problem with girls shaving their legs? I started shaving at a young age because I did dance, cheerleading and sports where I was in shorts. It's just another aspect of learning personal hygene. I don't think it should brought up to a young girl, but if your daughter wants to shave, it shouldn't be an issue. Shaving isn't some "gateway" into other things it's just shaving and if it makes her feel prettier teach her how and give her a product like this one that will keep it safe.

    41 weeks 3 days ago Report Comment
  • Kazagirl's picture
    Kazagirl
    22

    I mean it's just shaving. I wouldn't force my child to shave but if she came to me and wanted to do so I would not have a problem with it.

    41 weeks 2 days ago Report Comment
  • ClassicsDiva's picture
    ClassicsDiva
    23

    If you read one of the soundbites from the marketing campaign on Bella, you'll see that the ad campaign makes it sound like if you don't remove your leg hair you are a less adequate citizen of the world, or something to that effect. Leg shaving is a personal pet peeve of mine, but I won't get into that here. What really bothers me, more than the age or the product, is that they're making it sound like you're less of a woman if you don't shave your legs, that somehow not only your worth but also your effectiveness as a human being is lessened if you choose not to remove your hair. I agree that hair removal decisions and options will vary from setting to setting, but this ad campaign is helping to create a culture that limits options for young girls, trying to convince them that having leg hair makes you an inherently inferior person.

    41 weeks 2 days ago Report Comment
  • nikecold's picture
    nikecold
    24

    I think 12 is a good age to start shaving. But 10 is a little extreme, maybe because when I was 10 I was barely in the 5th/6th grade. Although If the girl does have a lot of hair it would be understandable. Honestly I think 12 is the ideal age to start shaving when wearing skirts or whatever.

    41 weeks 2 days ago Report Comment
  • pink_magnetism's picture
    pink_magnetism
    25

    I have to say good idea. Like some of the others, I have pale skin & dark hair, so it's really noticeable. 10 was the age I started getting teased about it, this guy would make gorilla noises at me, but my mom would not let me shave until 2 1/2 years later. 2 1/2 years of pretty much daily gorilla noises does not have a good effect on your self-esteem! I remember the first day I got to go to school after being able to shave my legs- I got to wear a skirt instead of long pants and feel normal, instead of like a freak.

    41 weeks 2 days ago Report Comment
  • annebreal's picture
    annebreal
    26

    I have to say I'm surprised this is such a touchy topic. If it was bikini wax, I'd get it! But every girl matures differently, some tend to be more hairy than others. And here's hoping that most ten year olds aren't able to sneak off to CVS or have the ample amount of bathroom time to sneak off and then apply the Nair. Obviously it boils down to a personal and parental call. Also, does no one else remember Teen Spirit, that nasty deodorant that was clearly marketed for preteens and very young teen girls in the ridiculous fruity scents? And what about training bras in little girl patterns? I'm sorry, but to me this isn't anything new and it's not that big of a deal. Just as long as the young girl understands that once you start shaving, there's no going back, and it's a pain in the ass, her mom and her can figure it out.

    41 weeks 2 days ago Report Comment
  • millarci's picture
    millarci
    27

    I'm going to have to say yes only because I know how it feels to have really hairy legs and my hair was also very dark. It is quite embrassing. When the hair on the legs start to become noticable, I think it's okay for young girls to use it as long as it's safe.

    41 weeks 2 days ago Report Comment
  • lolabella's picture
    lolabella
    28

    i hate those cremes because they make the hair grow back even worse - as bad as shaving! my older daughter was 6' at 13 years old and has pale-pale skin with very dark hair. i began waxing her arm hair (along with mine) when she was around 10 because it was very dark and long. she began shaving her legs on her own around 12 years. she has tried the cremes herself, but YUK! she's now 14 (and 6' 1" tall!), and luckily hasn't asked the the $ to wax her legs yet. Smiling

    41 weeks 2 days ago Report Comment
  • maddiekayxoxo's picture
    maddiekayxoxo
    29

    I think it's a great idea. Girls start shaving around that age so I think it's a good way for girls to learn how to shave without the dangerous razor. My little sister has downs syndrome and my mom doesn't trust her with a razor so with nair she has the independence of shaving herself with out the harm of cutting herself.

    41 weeks 2 days ago Report Comment
  • nlw's picture
    nlw
    30

    While I think that 10-12 is young to be concerned about hair removal (unless the hair is REALLY thick), I think it's ok for anyone over 13 to shave.

    41 weeks 2 days ago Report Comment
  • sogracefully's picture
    sogracefully
    31

    what, it's not enough that women from 16 and up are made to feel like they are unacceptable in their natural states (we need makeup, hair products, body hair removal, teeth whitening, weight loss, plastic surgery, wrinkle removers, push-up bras, new clothes every month...)?? all of this is orchestrated by corporations who sell these products, because they know that they need to ingrain the idea that we "NEED" their product, so they make us feel as though we do because it makes us normal and ok to use xyz, and then it secures that for the rest of our lives, they'll be profiting from our insecurity. to borrow from another campaign against harmful influences... JUST SAY NO.

    41 weeks 2 days ago Report Comment
  • selenasuha's picture
    selenasuha
    33

    My daughter is 13 in 8th grade. She wears shorts to gym class and takes gymnastics every week and (gasp!) she doesn't shave her legs yet. She has dark hair and some of it on her legs is long even, but she doesn't feel embarrassed or uncomfortable about it. We have discussed shaving and SHE is the one who is not interested in doing it yet. She seems to be aware that it is a long term commitment and she thinks that prickly stubble is far "grosser" than some hair. So... not ALL young girls feel teased and pressured and not all girls are in a rush to grow up so fast.

    Not only do I think it is wrong to market something like this to young girls and make them self-conscious... but it might also make young girls feel that it is all in their hands when they should be talking with their parents about these choices. Also, do little girls really need to start spreading chemicals all over their bodies at this delicate age? What are the long term effects?

    41 weeks 2 days ago Report Comment
  • kh312's picture
    kh312
    34

    very bad idea.i myself didn't start saving my legs until i was 15-but i guess i didn't have much to worry about since i wasn't hairy.

    41 weeks 2 days ago Report Comment
  • jadorechaussures's picture
    jadorechaussures
    36

    10 is too young but 13-15 not really a bad idea. I think it's something that should be decided at home. Everyone in my middle school shaved and thought it was weird that I wasn't allowed to. Some girls did start in the 5th grade. I think that shaving your legs is not good for very young girls because it's not for hygienic reasons (opposed to underarms). We shave our legs because it's a societal norm most probably provoked by males.

    41 weeks 2 days ago Report Comment
  • jadorechaussures's picture
    jadorechaussures
    37

    I think that allowing shaving at too early an age is like letting your little girl already feel pressured to become a sex object. (just personal feeling not necessarily true).

    41 weeks 2 days ago Report Comment
  • LaLaLaurie06's picture
    LaLaLaurie06
    38

    I didn't start shaving my legs until I was 12. What 10-year-old can even use a razor properly, let alone understand how to use something like Nair that can burn your skin if not used in the correct manner? Come on, society. Get off it! Let these KIDS be KIDS.

    41 weeks 2 days ago Report Comment
  • controlledspin's picture
    controlledspin
    39

    Well, I think that there is a big difference between 10 and 15. My daughter is going to be 10 soon, and I know she is self-conscious about her dark leg hair. I really do not want her to start shaving anytime soon. I still feel she is too young, but at 12, I know she will want to start shaving by then. I think it has more to do with girls periods, and every girl is different.
    I agree with starting too young though. I get really, really mad when I see 'Kim Possible' bras for girls of 5 and 6 when THEY DON'T NEED IT. The bra thing is a bigger issue. I hate that. And I had the HARDEST time finding my daughter a plain bra once she finally needed a little coverage, because they are all now made with CUPS - like serious formed cups. All they need at the beginning is just a little triangle, not a formed cup!!
    I think there is a real scary trend towards sexualizing girls under 10, and that freaks me out big time. But I do realize that girls mature differently, so the shaving thing doesn't seem as big of a deal as some of the provocative clothing, bras, etc.

    41 weeks 2 days ago Report Comment
  • brittanyk's picture
    brittanyk
    40

    I think I started shaving when I was probably 12. It just seems wrong to start pressuring girls that young to start shaving though. I did it a few times before I was 12 without my mom knowing. I don't think she cared either way, but I absolutely hate shaving now...if only I knew then what I knew now, haha.

    41 weeks 2 days ago Report Comment
  • piecesbroken's picture
    piecesbroken
    41

    I know that these young girls see what their older sisters, mothers, and cousins are doing and want to do it too. A woman is going to be shaving her legs almost til the day she dies (if I live to be 100, I'll stop when I'm about 75) why would you want to add extra years to that when you don't have too?? Had I listened to my mother (for me an unbelievable statement) I could have warded off all of the nicks and cuts on my lovely prepubescent little legs. Shame on Nair. These girls are just coming into their womanhood, why, why, why would you want them to give it up so soon? So you can make an extra couple of dollars? So you can send your child to another expensive rehab? So you can look your shareholders in the face and tell them that they are the richest people on the planet at the expense of other people's children? Don't you think that these young, impressionable girls have enough to deal with?? Let's give them something else that they can hate themselves for. Hope you're happy with yourself!!

    41 weeks 2 days ago Report Comment
  • designerel's picture
    designerel
    42

    I don't think age is as much the issue as the individual girl. If it makes her that self-conscious, no matter what age, and it bothers her that much, then I think she should be able to remove it if she wants to. At least with Nair, you're not dealing with razors so it's a little more "safe." My mom d