According to psychotherapists makeup symbolizes an adolescent girls eagerness and excitement to become a ‘grown up’ and explore her attractiveness. However, the age at which a girl should start wearing makeup is a matter of some debate. While some say it’s alright to start using mascara and a bit of lip gloss as early as the age of 12, others say that there isn’t really a specific age a girl should put on maquillage.
A Word from the Experts
According to parenting experts, by the age of 10 children hold half of the control over their lives; which means they could easily start wearing makeup even without your permission. Since these are the years during which children start to explore their personality more and more each day, it’s vital that every issue is dealt with calmly and through pleasant conversation. Wearing makeup to school this early, even if it’s just a lipstick or a mascara, is inappropriate. Therefore, parents should try to explain to their daughter that she could experiment with makeup at home, but that she’s still too young to wear it to school or other social events. Not only is it inappropriate, but unnecessary and bad for her skin. To ease up the process of accepting this fact, the experts say it’s a good idea to let your little girl wear a lip balm with a bit of shimmer.
Furthermore, between the ages of 10 and 12 using a little bit of lip-gloss can be a great way to introduce your daughter to the world of makeup. After she turns 13 she could maybe wear a bit of foundation, but only if she starts to break out and wants to cover up pimples. Once she’s in high school she could start using some blush, an eyeliner and an eyeshadow. After she’s 18 she should already have some kind of a makeup routine that’ll help her look natural even with makeup.
Parents’ Point of View
I believe many parents would disagree with the fact that 13 is the suitable year for a girl to start wearing a foundation since their skin is still so young and developing. What’s more, the foundation will only close the pores and make the breakouts even worse. It’s important that you explain to your daughter that she’s beautiful without any makeup and that she should only start to use it when she’s old enough and if she needs to cover up some unflattering part like dark circles.
Considering nowadays many young girls start wearing heavy makeup even before they’re 15, it can be challenging to explain to your daughter that she doesn’t need that much cover up because it will look unnatural on her young skin. Even though they’re probably already following all the latest fashion news and makeup trends at the age of 16, that doesn’t mean they should look like they’ve just stepped out of a fashion magazine. The later they start using makeup the longer their skin will look young and fresh. What’s more, teenagers tend to go by “the more the better” motto, so their makeup looks unflattering. Instead of accentuating their beauty, it only makes them look unnatural and sometimes even ridiculous. Therefore, be sure to explain to her that if she really wants to wear it in her teenage years, she should know how to apply it first.
Final Thoughts
Makeup is one of the best tools that can accentuate a woman’s natural beauty. Ideally, grown women are the ones who should use it, while teenagers should think twice before doing so. Their young skin is beautiful and doesn’t need any improvement that early in their development. The later they start wearing makeup the fewer flaws they’ll have to cover up.
How old were you when you started to wear makeup?
FT&PD
Suz
Thank you to guest writer:
I loved wearing makeup at a very early age. Not at school though until I was 12.
Not a girl so I never wore make up, but this is very useful for people who do
I never wore make-up at school, that would probably have got me a detention, they were very strict at school. I think like for many other things the age a child could start wearing make-up varies with each child. I was probably 16 or so when I started and mainly because everyone else wore it and it made me feel more grown up when I went out for the evening. I haven’t worn any since I was about 25 though.
Interesting read all parents have different opinions on the best time for their kids to start wearing make-up,i started wearing at 15 and after a few years gave it up to just special occasions,my daughter starting wearing at 13
I’m a firm believer that anyone should be able wear whatever he or she wants.
I don’t agree with kids wearing make-up to school but can understand them wanting to try it out and practise at home, that’s fine. I think that they should be at least 16 before they start going out and wearing make-up. It’s not good for your skin to be covered up at a young age.
My mom didn’t wear a lot of makeup so I wasn’t exposed to it a lot when I was a young kid. I was more intrigued by nail polish but my mom didn’t let me wear that until I was in my teens. My daughter right now is quite a bit away from being a teen so I haven’t really thought about this. I definitely agree that teens should embrace their youthful skin but at the same time I feel like if wearing a bit of makeup, like concealer, (to cover a zit) can help boost confidence, then so be it.
Kids under the teens didn’t as a rule wear makeup years ago, I think the fact that it was so ‘adult’ then, and parents wouldn’t want them looking made up there were no child variations like these childish nail polishes with bits in that adults wouldn’t be seen dead in. Avon’s little blossom wasn’t around, that wasn’t really makeup but made the little girl think it was, but didn’t show up when put on. Life was different, childhood belonged to childhood and I didn’t think about cosmetics as my peers didn’t and kids weren’t striving to be grown up all the time
My mom didn’t let me wear any make up until I was 13 and even then it was just for special occasions other than lip gloss and nail polish.
I think every child is ready for makeup at a different age,i don’t think there is a wrong age!
When I see how young some girls are who have make-up literally plastered all over their faces I am shocked. I do think that they need a bit of advice on how to do it without it looking gaudy.
Age appropriate natural looking makeup is fine.
I remember starting with mascara and pink lipstick when I was 12 or 13 and it went on from there but it was the 80’s
My first cosmetic was purple nail polish that I got my mum to buy me at a gala day when I was 12. I experimented with toenail painting with pink stuff of my mums at 11 once. This was only very occasional. A bit of light eyeshadow was worn from 13 but only for special occasions, I started to wear it more seriously from 15 onwards. That was in the late 1970s and early 80s. I was lucky because my parents were open-minded, probably more than me actually even though they were a whole generation older than me and were older parents too. If I had a daughter, I wouldn’t allow face make up till she was in year 9, 14 or so, but she could wear subtler or kiddish nail varnish for a party from age 11.
I was very much like you growing up, Bronwen. I recall wearing this nasty green eye shadow to school once, when I was about 13. Thought I looked great, but after one day of trying not to touch my eyes and mess it up, I gave up on the stuff, LOL. I don’t even wear it now.
I wore makeup since I was 13 full time at school. This was due to pressure from older girls, I had very bad spots and oily skin. Makeup was banned but I got away with it. I do regret starting it so early, it made me feel that my skin needed hiding, even now in college when my skin is clearing up and others are still having breakouts etc. I defo think girls should be able to wear a certain amount eg light foundation if they feel that they’d be more confident about themselves with it.
I agree with what you are staying Steph. It is hard enough to be a young teen these days without worrying about being teased. Light foundation is harmless and can boost a person’s self-confidence and self-esteem immensely.
My daughter is 14 years old, going 15 in November, and she doesn’t wear make-up. She feels that she is not ready, and I am not pushing her, I like the natural look, and make-up can damage your skin at an early age. I started wearing make-up in my 20’s and it doesn’t bother me one bit. Whenever my daughter is ready with make-up, I’m fine with that
I am with you on this Petti. My 18 year is just starting to mess around with make-up, but she doesn’t put a lot on and takes care of her skin. She can make her mind up as she goes along.
I was 11 when I started wearing makeup. I started with a natural eyeshadow and shimmery pink lip gloss. When I was 12 I started wearing tinted moisturizer which was pretty much a lightweight foundation and when I was in 8th grade I started wearing mascara.
I was 7 when I started wearing makeup full time like to school and out with my friends. I started with mascara, highlighter, and lip gloss. By the time I was in middle school I pretty much wore any makeup product know to man kind.
I started wearing makeup at the age of 40 due to any overly strict and controlling mom. I let my kids start wearing makeup in public at the age 10.
I love makeup! Been wearing it in public since I was 6!