When Is Your Daughter Old Enough for Make Up?

Many parents of daughters, mothers in particular, can’t help but ask themselves if their daughter is old enough for make-up, and if not now, when? The following are some of the things you need to consider when asking yourself when your daughter is old enough for make-up:

First, consider why they want make-up.
If your daughter does not feel attractive, and wants makeup to help with that, you may want to help them work on their self esteem a little, rather than give in. Makeup will only be a crutch for an underlying problem. If they have bad acne, however, or some other blemish that is leading to their misgivings, then makeup can be a powerful tool to give them the confidence they need to succeed in the difficult years of being a pre-teen or teen. The reasons they want makeup will impact when they should have it. If they want it just because everyone else has it, then waiting might be best.

Second, consider what make-up will change for your daughter.
Makeup can help girls look older, attract attention, etc. This might sound appealing to them, but it can also lead to some trouble for them. For example, they may be attracting attention they are not yet ready to handle, and thus it might be better to wait until they are emotionally mature enough. In addition, talk to them about how makeup, the amount, and how it is worn, can affect what people think of them. Help them find a style and amount that fits the image they want to portray, and still is something you are comfortable with. Many tweens want to wear makeup so bad that when they do, they choose bold colors, and wear too much, sending the wrong message to their peers.

Third, how old are they?
You want to wait until your daughter is old enough to understand how to apply make-up properly, as well as how to wash it off, choose the right make-up, take care of their skin, and so on. Also, if your girl is getting older, reaching the teen years, or into them already, makeup can be like a rite of passage for her, almost a coming of age milestone. If you deny her that, she may feel as though you still think of her as a little girl. The fact is, at some point they are going to get old enough and realize everyone else is wearing makeup and then you are going to have bigger problems to deal with. Would you rather have your daughter put on makeup at home, or hide and rebel against you and apply it at school?

Your daughter is old enough for makeup when she is old enough to learn how to take care of her skin, choose event appropriate makeup, and learn how to deal with the changes that come with wearing makeup, and the coming of age that tends to signify. The exact age varies, but you can bet around 13, most girls will take an interest, so a light lip gloss, and natural colored eye shadows, etc. might not be a bad way to start.