The 10 Most Ridiculous Tween and Teen Trends of All Time, Ranked

From Stanley cups and Prime resale to 10-year-olds buying retinol, a light-hearted ranking of the trends parents ask us about most, and a sneak peek of our Raising Tweens & Teens panel at White City House on 15 November.

Flat lay on white fabric of a pale blue tumbler cup with straw, a serum dropper bottle, a body mist bottle, a plush bunny keychain charm, a blue satin scrunchie and a smartphone showing a short-video feed.

On Sunday 15 November I'm joining Millie Ridley-Day, founder of The Teen Edit (@teeneditguide), at White City House in London for a panel on raising tweens and teens in a world of trends. From skincare and beauty to social media and digital wellbeing, trends shape how our children see themselves, what they want and how they grow up.

Through our Parenting My Teen community of more than 300,000 parents, I hear the same questions every week. So, as a little warm-up, here are the 10 most ridiculous tween and teen trends of all time, ranked. Consider this a teaser: there's much more to come on the day.

The ranking (10 to 1)

10. The water bottle hierarchy

Stanley cups, Owalas, the "right" colour, the "right" lid. A drinks bottle became a status symbol in the school corridor. Mostly harmless, mildly expensive, and a perfect first lesson in how quickly "everyone has one" spreads.

9. Blind-box bag charms

Labubus and other blind-box toys clipped to school bags, bought in the hope of a "rare" one. It's collecting, but built on the same surprise-reward loop that keeps adults hooked on scratch cards.

8. Prime on the playground black market

Children reselling bottles of an influencer drink at many times the shop price. Entrepreneurial? Sort of. A sign of how much a YouTube video can move a playground economy? Definitely.

7. Body mist wars

Clouds of Sol de Janeiro and other sprays in changing rooms, with the scent itself becoming a way to signal you're "in". Ask any PE teacher.

6. One-wear haul culture

Ultra-cheap fashion hauls bought to film, wear once and replace. The trend isn't the clothes, it's the idea that you need something new to be seen.

5. Digital skins as status

In Roblox and Fortnite, the outfit your avatar wears says something about you, and a default skin can get you teased. Real money, spent on pixels, to avoid real embarrassment.

4. "Mewing" and looksmaxxing

Tutorials telling boys and girls to reshape their jawlines with tongue posture, and rating faces against each other. Funny until you notice how young some of the viewers are, and how much of it is about not being good enough.

3. 12-step GRWM routines at nine

"Get ready with me" videos have turned a quick face wash into a filmed, multi-product morning ritual for children who are still at primary school.

2. Viral challenges

Most are silly. A few are dangerous. The problem is that the algorithm doesn't know the difference, and neither does a child scrolling alone. This is the one trend on the list that isn't funny at all, which is why it belongs near the top.

1. Ten-year-olds buying anti-ageing skincare

Retinol, acids and serums made for adult skin, bought by children who have nothing to "anti-age". It sums up everything about trends today: a product made for someone else, pushed by algorithms, wanted because everyone else has it. As Bare la Terre puts it, "your skin isn't a trend."

Why trends feel different now

Trends aren't new. Every generation had its slap bands, Tamagotchis and questionable hairstyles. What's changed is speed and reach. A trend used to travel from one playground to the next. Now an algorithm can put it in front of millions of children overnight, and keep showing it to the ones who linger.

That doesn't mean banning everything fun. It means helping children notice why they want something, and keeping a few calm boundaries at home. Young Minds App helps parents of 5 to 12 year olds with screen-time routines and conversations about what children see online, without making you the bad guy.

A special thank you to the brands

The most encouraging part of this event is the brands coming together for it. Supporting responsible businesses that genuinely care about young people matters more than ever. Thank you to:

Join us on 15 November

Raising Tweens & Teens in a World of Trends
Sunday 15 November, White City House, London

The waitlist is now open. And judging by the interest, we may need a much bigger room next time!

Which trend would you put at number one? Bring your answer, and your questions, on the day. I'll be answering them there.