‘Life is plastic.’ Oh, it is. As Mattel launches a ‘Breathe With Me Barbie Doll,’ a ‘Face Mask Barbie Spa Day Playset,’ a ‘Barbie Fizzy Bath Doll and Playset,’ a ‘Barbie Fitness Doll,’ a ‘Barbie Relaxation Doll,’ and a ‘Barbie Spa Doll,’ girls and boys have new places to be. Girls, boys, and guilty teenagers and/or adults (accused very wrongly, of course), here are your new aims for self-care, and your new idols. There is no need to follow your favourite YouTubers for pearls of wisdom, you can learn from children, or be them yourselves.

Commercialisation of topics such as mental health is taking over the markets rapidly and it can be argued that it is ‘selling’ an illusion of mental health that cannot be easily achieved. There is increased emphasis on the materialistic aspects of a peaceful mind. Funnily enough, did you know that these two were never aimed to be so tightly linked as they are now? Alongside, comes the fact of money. Barbies don’t sell like peanuts, and even how ‘playing’ has superior forms seems absurd. There are shades of competition everywhere – are you going with your Barbie to the spa or the gym? Perhaps you should collect both, then spend your money on their memberships, and then ‘you can be your best by giving yourself the best care!’

When were the services of spa and gyms so promoted for kids? Moreover, these skinny dolls, with their exotic lifestyles, extensive exercising, and fairy-tale worlds they inhabit, have gone past the Barbie I wanted to be, or can be. One of the playsets comes with a ‘marker that creates removable blemishes,’ and ‘accessories to play out rejuvenating facemasks again and again.’ As you can see, very underlined standards of beauty. The product features say that ‘the themed accessories add to the storytelling fun,’ along with ‘relaxing salon chairs,’ and ‘knees that bend for relaxation stories.’ I considered storytelling to be a luxury in itself – perhaps I was mistaken. And perhaps, there will not be much to mistake it for as we ‘progress’ in our processes of making toys!

In addition, you get dolls ‘dressed in cosy loungewear,’ and who have ‘extra flexibility for realistic posing and active play.’ Did I forget to mention there were puppies? The puppies themselves have ‘a cucumber eye mask and a neck pillow,’ they can ‘find sweet dreams with a dream pillow and a sleep mask,’ and they get to exercise as well, as ‘they have a pair of weights.’ Such absurdities and pompous attempts to glorify a specific way of living are as irrational as they are misleading.

Self-care has better ways than this, especially for children. Spending time with family, or friends, or people might be more beneficial. It might be good that the importance of mental health is laid out at a young age, but kids, be carefree! Avoid thinking too much about your bodies and play as much as you want to. You might think about skipping the dreams of the spa, or gym. They are expensive, like these Barbies.

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