At what age do you let your daughters wear makeup?

[LizzyBee]

At 13 we started with skin care basics. I want her to understand that makeup is just an enhancement to great skin.

 

:iagree: I tell my kids this all the time. It's been hard with my SPD kid because she hates the feel and smell of the products. But we switched her to ProActiv a few weeks ago and her face looks so much better! She's finally doing a decent job of taking care of her face.

 

My oldest dd has had some allergic reactions, so we've not been able to find products that work well to control her acne. The dept store products are so harsh, and she's allergic to Differin (prescription med) and ProActiv. Both have benzoyl peroxide in them, so I think that's the culprit. She's using Aloette's Simply Clear line now, and it's helping, but she's still broken out across her forehead and part of her face. Thankfully, her breakouts are not big and red!

 

If anyone has any suggestions for products without benzoyl peroxide that work for sensitive skin prone to breakouts, I am all :bigear:.

[Peela]

I never put restrictions on such things- never had to. Dd got interested in make up maybe around age 12. I have never felt any need to try and control these things, because that would just create even more interest in the forbidden. It's no big deal.

Make up isn't equivalent to underage sex and isn't likely to lead to it or any such thing. I think people get fearful so unecessarily. It's fun. It's part of the fun of getting older. It goes along with wanting to look pretty and be attractive. I think in most normal healthy young women of pre pubescent or pubescent age, this is a natural development and in our culture, makeup is one expression.

I just spent $100 on my dd16 for her birthday yesterday- on make up and hair products. We had a lot of fun spending an hour in the cheap makeup store (we couldnt have got much makeup if we we bought organic, for that money, and she really wanted a few things so I swallowed my standards and enjoyed the process).

If instead of getting frightened of our daughters' blossoming sexuality and maturity, we celebrated it with them in appropriate ways, we could make these years a lot more intimate and beautiful and enjoyable with them, and prevent all the shame issues around their bodies and love of themselves that are so prevalent in our society.

[Guest Anna1]

On special occasion, it could be okay for a little bit making up, but not when going to school. Never !

[Miss Peregrine]

I never put restrictions on such things- never had to. Dd got interested in make up maybe around age 12. I have never felt any need to try and control these things, because that would just create even more interest in the forbidden. It's no big deal.

Make up isn't equivalent to underage sex and isn't likely to lead to it or any such thing. I think people get fearful so unecessarily. It's fun. It's part of the fun of getting older. It goes along with wanting to look pretty and be attractive. I think in most normal healthy young women of pre pubescent or pubescent age, this is a natural development and in our culture, makeup is one expression.

I just spent $100 on my dd16 for her birthday yesterday- on make up and hair products. We had a lot of fun spending an hour in the cheap makeup store (we couldnt have got much makeup if we we bought organic, for that money, and she really wanted a few things so I swallowed my standards and enjoyed the process).

If instead of getting frightened of our daughters' blossoming sexuality and maturity, we celebrated it with them in appropriate ways, we could make these years a lot more intimate and beautiful and enjoyable with them, and prevent all the shame issues around their bodies and love of themselves that are so prevalent in our society.

 

Beautifully said. Thanks you, Peela. We have no restrictions on makeup or shaving. When they want to and they can buy it, they can wear it.

[DebbS]

Eye shadow at 13, lipgloss around the same time or maybe 12.

 

I have told DD that she can't use eyeliner or mascara until she is 16. That is because those are actually dangerous if you're not careful.

 

She has fooled around with nail polish forever, but I didn't let her wear it seriously (like to church) until this year.

 

It can be very dangerous as can some eyeshadows (along with lipstick and nail polish) because they contain led and other very harmful ingredients. My daughter did a science fair project when she was 10 on the dangers of eyeshadow versus the quality & price. She found inexpensive brands with less dangerous ingredients that lasted just as long as the expensive dangerous stuff. As a rule in our home, neither she or I wear eyeliner or mascara. We use a darker eyeshadow and smudge it for a softer eyeliner effect. It looks better than a harsh black line.

 

As a side note, I often get compliments on my pretty eyes when I'm not wearing eye makeup. I have never gotten a compliment about my eyes while wearing makeup.

 

For safety information we refer to this site:

 

http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/

 

and this site:

 

http://www.safecosmetics.org/

 

[mereminerals]

Coming from both a mom and a professional standpoint as I am an esthetician and also own a mineral makeup company, here is what I recommend to my friends and clients. Tweens and young teens should only wear makeup that would enhance their natural beauty, i.e. a very neutral eyeshadow, neutral blush, sheer lip gloss and possibly mascara. Now, with that being said there is nothing wrong with a tween or young teen wearing a tinted moisturizer that contains SPF as well. It is very important that they begin understanding the importance of wearing sunscreen at this time. They also need to be sure to use an appropriate skincare routine when they start wearing any form of makeup. For tweens and teens alike, I recommend using a cleanser twice daily, toner twice daily to balance out the pH that is stripped from the cleanser and a moisturizer at bedtime only. Too much moisturizer will cause her pores to clog, thereby possibly leading to an increased chance of acne.

 

At around 15, is when I recommend starting with a very sheer base. At this age, there really isn't any need for a full coverage base. If they have some red areas they want to cover, I recommend having them use a mint green concealer just on those areas applied very lightly and blended in. This can be done even when they don't wear base.

 

Bronzers are also a good choice for just playing up their natural beauty without being very heavy.

 

When taking girls to the makeup counter for recommendations, please make sure you are being shown by an esthetician or makeup artist and not a demonstrator, who are not required to have any knowledge of the skin or the effects too much makeup can have on a young girls skin. I am not dissing demonstrators, but where I live they don't have to do anything but apply for a license with the state board, there is no formal training unless the company they work with provides it.

 

Sorry to go off on a tangent. This is something I am very passionate about.

Edited June 9, 2010 by mereminerals

[Orthodox6]

For our family, the question is less of "allowing" something, than of educating dd to understand that the artistry of God is infinitely more beautiful than the attempts of women to disguise His handiwork ! :)

[simka2]

No big deal here!!!! Thankfully she hasn't shown an interest in anything more than lip gloss!!! :) I won't let her go out somewhere, looking like a stage performer (something I have experience with), but I'm willing to let this not be hill I die on.

 

On another note...my mom is ultra-natural and would constantly make comments about mine and other girls choice to wear make-up...it only drove me to where more!!!!

[Momling]

Women in our area don't tend to wear makeup... so I don't think our girls have much reference for wearing makeup. If anything, it's something that older ladies wear, not something that a girl would aspire to.

[May]

High school for oldest and 8th grade for the younger sister. She just wore me down:001_smile:

[angela in ohio]

For our family, the question is less of "allowing" something, than of educating dd to understand that the artistry of God is infinitely more beautiful than the attempts of women to disguise His handiwork ! :)

 

I think we taught our dd this without trying. They have passed the age when I think it is appropriate for them to appear in public with make-up on, but they still have no interest. :001_smile: I agree that it is, as with most things, more important to educate than to legislate. :D

[KidsHappen]

I haven't really set any arbitrary limits here but before 6th grade (which is the first year of middle school here) I take them shopping for their first, own personal make-up which they are allowed to wear everyday if they want. I show them how to apply it and make recommendations such as no blue or green shiny eye shadow and how to choose the right color foundation. I really don't care for the dark black eyeliner but two of my girls wear it anyhow. I don't think the problem is with make-up per se but the proper application. I tend to think of it happening around the same time as the child starts their period, starts shaving, moves to middle school which tends to be about 11 or 12 years old now. When I was young is was more like 12 or 13 (middle school started in the 7th grade when I was a kid) but children seem to be maturing earlier these days. I see another transition period around the age of 15 or 16 when they move on to high school, get their driver's permit, start dating, maybe get their first job.

[lil'red]

DD13 is allowed to wear lip gloss; light pretty colors and clear. For special occasions she is allow a little mascara. She has found that wearing foundation, even the mineral kind, for just a short while, breaks her skin out. She has such a beautiful complexion and doesn't want to ruin it.

 

I think clean healthy skin is prettier than made up skin. JMHO.

[Mrs Mungo]

At 13 I took my dd and helped her choose a skin care line, tinted moisturizer, a light blush, clear mascara, neutral eye makeup, etc. Over the last year and a half she's experimented with some brighter colors of eye makeup but that's about it.

 

I wear makeup every day, and I don't have a problem with women wearing makeup (or not wearing makeup) in general.

Edited June 10, 2010 by Mrs Mungo

[Embassy]

My daughter is only 2, but we have done the painted nails and toes already. I don't have any set restrictions, so I will probably let her wear it when she wants to as long as she doesn't look painted.

[LibraryLover]

I think a little gel blusher at 12/13 in the hell that is a New England winter is perfectly fine.

 

I would think a bit of lip tint and mascara is fine at that age as well.

 

Of course, my 17 yr old has never worn makeup and so I have no experience with a child and makeup. But I am pretty sure I wouldn't care if 12 or 13 yr old was intersted in make-up. I personally love my Terra Tints. ;)

Edited June 10, 2010 by LibraryLover

[Hathersage]

Hmm. I haven't really given much thought. I don't wear any makeup or nail polish, so there isn't anything in the home.

[unsinkable]

When my dd was 15 she started being interested.

 

She'll wear a little eyeliner and lipstick or gloss every now and then.

 

I probably would have been fine if she started at 14.

[coralloyd]

My mom let me at around age 12 or 13. I got it out of my system fairly quickly. I hardly wore anything at all from ages 15-28 (a little lip gloss). Now I wear a little more, however it is still very nuetral. I had friends that were dying to wear make-up, but were not allowed. When they finally were allowed they went overboard. My girls play with make-up all the time (at home only). I let my 6 yr. old paint her own nails. She does a very good job! They are in a choral group that for performances on stage, they wear make-up. This allows the audience to see their faces. As a mom you pick your battles. This is not one I would pick.