When Childhood’s “Boring” but Adulthood’s “Brutal”
If you were given the chance to fast forward to the future or rewind to the past, which would you choose?
A few years ago, the only reason you’d spot a kid in a cosmetic store was because they were being held hostage while their mom hunted for the perfect shade of red lipstick. The kid would be slumped in a corner, dramatically sighing, whining, “When can we leave? Everyone at school’s talking about the new Shopkins series. I have to get them before they do!” Fast forward to today, kids the same age as the Shopkins enthusiasts back then are now giving unsolicited skincare advice, armed with a 15-step routine and a credit card that’s suspiciously not theirs.
It’s like the universe glitched. Kids want to be influencers with morning routines, while adults are out there trying to collect every toy of a series like it’s a retirement plan. Somewhere along the line, we hit reverse. Many adults are now having existential crises in the toy aisle, trading their usual “chika” sessions for Sonny Angel collections. Their idea of retail therapy now involves aggressively bidding on vintage Pokémon cards and displaying “chibi-fied” figurines of their favorite anime characters on their office desks. It poses an inevitable question: Why are adults eager to relive childhood while kids seem in a hurry to grow up?
Sure, adults collecting toys isn’t exactly breaking news. Funko Pops, Gundams, and anime figurines have long been fan favorites. But in the early 1900s to 2010s, if you were an adult hanging around a toy store without a kid, people either assumed you refused to grow up or you were just a parent buying a gift. Nowadays, however, it’s practically a flex. With collectible toys, or rather, figurines, gaining popularity, it has become a norm. Pop Mart collectibles have played a significant role in driving this trend, especially among teens, young adults, and working professionals. Jellycats have been a big part of the hype as well because nothing screams “I’m a responsible adult” like a ₱2,000 stuffed potato. But let’s be real; the Squishmallow frenzy of 2020 was the foundation of everything. What started as a little girl’s plushie collection became the emotional crutch of stressed-out adults panic-buying during lockdown. Suddenly, “kidulting” became a thing and a fancy term for “I’m an adult and life is really hard, so here’s my comfort unicorn.” Maybe it’s nostalgia. Maybe it’s rebellion against parents who said, “No, you don’t need another stuffed animal.” Either way, adulthood might be hard, but who says you can’t face it with a plushie?
Next, we enter the era of Gen Alpha makeup enthusiasts. These mini beauty devotees can be spotted in their “natural” habitat, swatching products in cosmetic stores and claiming territory once reserved for grown women. Ever since Drunk Elephant staged its comeback, kids have been hoarding products like retinol creams, collagen serums, and 1,000-step skincare routines that probably confuse their skin more than help it. Scroll through social media, and you’ll likely stumble upon a “Get Ready With Me for My Friend’s 5th Birthday!” reel where the content creator shows off a full face of foundation, contour more defined than their handwriting, and enough blush to land them on a magazine cover. Thanks to beauty influencers and trends that glamorize growing up overnight, childhood is now something you can apparently cover up with the right concealer. Think about it: adults today already feel nostalgic for their simpler, carefree childhoods. While they’re chasing the “no makeup” makeup look, kids and teens, who naturally have the glow everyone’s trying to imitate, are the ones going full glam every day—out in falsies that could double as window blinds and nail extensions sharp enough to be used as a kitchen knife.
In recent years, there’s been a clear shift in demographics. Brands have caught on, marketing toys to wider audiences and making skincare and makeup “friendly” for all ages. At its core, this trend reflects a form of escapism, where kids feel pressured to grow up faster, perhaps marked by social media’s constant monopoly of what beauty is supposed to look like. Meanwhile, adults are scrambling to relive their past, driven by the longing to escape today’s endless responsibilities and global chaos. All in all, the boundaries of this trend are anything but clear. Whether it’s about healing an inner child or succumbing to the pressure of “grown-up” trends, there’s no definite answer, and maybe that’s the point.
