Many of you will know her as the young actress who soared to fame after her role as Eleven in the hit Netflix series Stranger Things. With the fourth season being filmed as we speak, her acting abilities and ease with the public eye have given this fifteen-year-old the chance of stardom that many her age only dream about.
Recently, however, she has strayed from the television screen and become known as the face of the new Boots beauty and skincare collection, Florence. Whilst this collection has certainly augmented her fame as well as contributing to the profits of Boots, it has also brought to light certain controversial issues that continue to dominate modern society today.
Instagram: @bootsuk
It would be wrong to disregard the publicity that this collection has given Boots by providing them with a popular face for their beauty and skincare products. The friendly, and of course youthful, face of this upcoming star encourages the sales of these products amongst the younger generation. Its advertisement and presentation on a young model provides a more suitable and available product to that of its more traditional competition brands such as No7 or Clinique. Choosing this celebrity figure to head their new brand has given this company the opportunity to work for a younger audience and expand its range of products.
The fact that this actress is only fifteen, however, brings into question the morality of this campaign and whether it is in fact encouraging the younger generation to be more judgmental about appearances and that of others. Whilst makeup is becoming much more of a household name for youngsters these days in comparison to its popularity even ten years ago, the pressure that this now puts upon our youths is one to be questioned. Beauty products are no longer limited to young adults and older people but are now advertised as being suitable for all ages, sadly bringing to the forefront issues surrounding self-confidence and body image.
The fact that such a large company have chosen a lady so young to be the face of their new beauty and skincare products brings into question whether this sort of advertisement should be encouraged at such a young age.
"The large stigma that has surrounded mental health and body image for far too long is still a sensitive subject, despite it being something which is increasingly talked about."
The fact that one in four people now suffer from a mental illness each year questions whether we should be placing so much stress and emphasis on the youth of today. What happened to youths not caring about their appearance and instead enjoying the stress-free lifestyle that was offered to them? Do we really need to be so concerned about beauty and skincare when we still hold such youth in our features? Is this collection an appropriate means by which a company can earn a profit?
Although this campaign does not appear (at least on the surface) to hole any kind of sinister motives, one is yet to wonder the benefits of creating such a brand and introducing it to such a young audience.