How Young Is Too Young?

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I started wearing Makeup when I was in 6th grade, really only mascara and lip gloss. But if i had a daughter I don't think I would let her wear more than mascara and lip gloss till she is 16, that includes getting her eyebrows done as well. When I see girls younger than 16 wearing makeup to me they look silly cause most don't even know how to apply make up or know what colors suit them, and they always are more beautiful to me without the makeup. 

 
I started wearing makeup in the 6th grade if I remember correctly, and my mom was fine with it, so long as it wasn't much. I only used mascara, brown eyeliner, lipgloss, concealer and translucent powder until high school when I was allowed to incorporate things like foundation. I remember in middle school one of my friends wasnt allowed to wear dark eyeshadows, foundation and black eyeliner, so she would do her makeup on the school bus, and then take it all off with soap and water in the bathroom before going home lol

If I have a daughter, I will not let her wear "heavy" makeup until high school (such as foundation, primers, bronzer) because I really dont think that young girls need all the makeup they clog their pores with at that age (not to mention most dont know how to do their makeup well, so it's usually applied with dirty sponges, in all the wrong shades, etc)

 
I started wearing lipstick when I was 14. I think that was an appropriate age. I wouldn't let a child wear any type of makeup before 13-14.

 
thanks for the input everyone! I remember sneaking on mascara at school and then washing my face before going home. I remember my mom 'regulating' my bras and undergarments as well! ha! No "sexy" anything! So embarassing, but looking back it she  was just being a mom, and looking out for me. I remember feeling 'like a woman" my senior year, and being able to wear a strapless gown...

Heck I see girls that  are 13 wearing tons of makeup, short skirts, and low cut or strapless tanks. EEEK! Is what I think!

 
I started wearing makeup at age 13.  I wore at first powder and lipgloss and my eyebrows were plucked (I really looked forward to this, hated bushy eyebrows).  I wore mascarra and everything else at around 16.  When I left school, I started wearing a full face.  My nieces who are now 11 and 4 come over on weekends and I give them the works.  My older niece raids my jewellery bin and lip gloss stash.  When we go out, both girls get blush and lip gloss.  The older niece gets neutral eyeshadow.  They both get manis and pedis (at home of course) when I'm doing mine and they both always have their toes painted.  The women in my family like those things.  Not overly, but there are things we just always do and young as they are, are no different.  It's not over done and looks pretty cute if you ask me. 

I have been wearing nail polish and some makeup since I can remember and I turned out ok :) /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

 
Originally Posted by divadoll /img/forum/go_quote.gif


Thanks, Bonnie!  We went for breakfast then got mani-pedi's together.  I had made some lipgloss/ lip stain and blush and a pink shadow especially for her.
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Aw what a fun day and great present!  I've never had a mani/pedi :X

 
I done irish dancing from aged 5, and if you know anything about irish dancing, you know they plaster make up and fake tan on, curly wigs and fancy, expensive dresses. Although when your younger the make up is lighter, but when i tured 8 make up had to start going on heavier, so i was wearing it for competitions, and plus i had two older sisters who are both fantastic at makeup. In year 5 (aged 10-11) to school i just wore mascara i think, then as soon as i reached senior school (aged 11-12) i wore powder, pencil eyeliner and mascara, and now two years on i wear, foundation, bronzer, eyebrow pencil, liquid eyeliner, pencil eyeliner, mascara, blush, and lip gloss/stick...

I definetley agree with the kids growing up too fast, we are, and i tell you, its bloody pressurising to look 'perfect' constantly. Although i don't mind that much, i have no confidence if i don't look 'perfect' My mom never told me to wipe make up off, simply because i've always done it right, never caked it on, because of my sisters i got tips off them and i was scared about what they'd say if i done it wrong anyway! :) /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

14 year olds do seem to dress like 20 year olds now, short black lacey dresses, big  platform, heels to parties..

 
^ Thanks for sharing. Great point bringing up the pressure young women feel to look "perfect." Back when I was young, there was no Internet, Social networking sites, Photoshop (I'm sure there was editing software/techniques, but nothing compared to what's done now.) Girls now see pictures on the internet and magazines that  are false perceptions of "real" women; I'm sure that's incredibly difficult to deal with :( /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" /> I know it's difficult as well for women of my age, because it's tough seeing signs of aging when women our age on magazines and tv  look flawless.

 
I didnt wear Mu Till around 17  If i wouldve started any younger oooh My mom woulda flipped!!!  But It actually was good for me While all other 12-16 yr old girls at my school where Makeup crazy I was just Me one less thing to worry about !!!    For me I wont allow my daughter to wear makeup till maybe 14/15  Def not in middle school & i know it will be a challenge for her considering my MUA  Proffession But Ive already told her shes gorgeous without it & untill shes much older Mu is only for Halloween & dance or cheer events!!!

 
when I was young there wasn't much discussion about makeup because I was never into it.  I wore maybe eyeliner and lipstick when I turned 16, but only because my friends started telling me to 'do something with my face'.  I guess it was a backlash from my mom who would spend hours on her her face, even to the point of making us late for things if her eyebrows weren't 'just right'.

I still don't wear much make-up. Only for special occassions do I wear bright colors and more than eyeliner and lipstick.

As for when, I think that would depend on the child's maturity and her interest.  Last weekend I watched my 2 year old niece put makeup on her grandmother with such concentration on her face, that her mother and I knew it wouldn't be long before it'll be her turn.  (there was no powder on the eyeshadow brushes, but she wasn't playing. She was very serious in her applications!)

If I had to pick a hard date, I would say 8th grade would be fine for more than lipgloss.  After all, do they really need foundation, concealer, powder before then? Children grow up too fast these days with Facebook and hitting puberty before 10.  I'd want them to let it be fun for as long as possible before it becomes part of their normal grooming.

(and I wasn't allowed to shave my legs until I graduated high school - thank goodness I'm half philipino and rather light with the body hair)

 
When I was in middle school, my mom bought my my first set of makeup. It was the Almay Intense i-Color set which was supposed to enhance my blue eyes. It was pretty natural and she made sure I kept it toned down. That was all I wore though aside from the occasional clear lipgloss.

I find it ridiculous to see all these younger girls -I've personally seen girls in elementary schools dolled up like gals who go to my high-school- getting into intense makeup and trying to act grown up. Don't get me started on the hair, clothes, and the fact that they have nicer phones than mine, haha. They see all these shows on TV that give a false impression of the real world and encourage them to forget that they're kids and become one of the cast members of The Hills or something.

Even though I'm only a junior in High School right now, I've already planned to not allow my future kids -if I have daughters anyways- to wear makeup until they're around 14 or 15 -and even then it'll be light-. They need time to enjoy being kids like we all did and not be so heavily influenced by pop culture. Makeup is a beautiful and creative tool to enhance someone's features but at the same time, when you've got natural youth and beauty, you dont cover it up for the sake of looking "mature". Simple as that.

 
I agree with you, it's ridiculous how far gone some of those elementary school kids are. My little brother is 11 years younger than me, so I've heard my fair share of elementary school kid stories haha. Evidently they're asking kids out on dates already! Kids are so influenced by the media, I wish kids could just be kids. I'm hoping my kids are like me and don't look into makeup until later, but you never know.

 
I believe I was about 11 years old when I started using concealer, a little younger when I started wearing foundation. My skin was a mess and I had sooo many pimples compared to the other girls :( /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" /> My mother suggested me to start wearing makeup. I also started cleaning my skin some months before, so far as I can remember. I started using mascara when I was 12-13 years old, because everybody else was wearing it and I wanted to fit in. lol

Now I'm nearly 16 and I use the same things as I did back then.

 
Originally Posted by Dame de l Ennui /img/forum/go_quote.gif

I believe I was about 11 years old when I started using concealer, a little younger when I started wearing foundation. My skin was a mess and I had sooo many pimples compared to the other girls :( /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" /> My mother suggested me to start wearing makeup. I also started cleaning my skin some months before, so far as I can remember. I started using mascara when I was 12-13 years old, because everybody else was wearing it and I wanted to fit in. lol

Now I'm nearly 16 and I use the same things as I did back then.
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Seems odd to cover pimples at that young of an age rather than go to the pediatrician and get a prescription for acne medication. When my middle daughter started to develop acne, at around 11 or 12, I took her to the doctor, he prescribed a medication, she used it and it cleared up her acne. Now that's she's 14 (soon to be 15) I'm allowing her to use mascara and lip gloss and sometimes eyeshadow. I think any parent with a daughter that young should get the acne treated so it doesn't lead to scaring rather than try to cover it up especially if the girl's face is covered in acne. Treating the problem rather than covering it will help the girl in the long run.

 
My parents never told me I was/wasn't allowed to wear makeup. I started wearing eyeliner at 15, I incorperated things slowly at my own time. Trial and error, I'm glad my parents never had a problem because wow looking back I must've looked nuts! If I have a daughter though, I wouldnt allow her to wear makeup until high school. In my opinion 6th grade and middle school is too young. Kids should be kids, call me old fashion haha.

 
I never had any clear forbidden rule about wearing makeup, but i kind of understood it had to be extremely neutral. I started slowly at 15 with a pale pink shadow and black mascara, plus clear scented lipglosses from a brand named Debby, it's a shame i can't find them anymore. I didn't want to be like those girls cleaning everything off their faces using a car's rearview mirror outside school.

For my daughter, i would set the same rule, neutral makeup when entering high school. I would make sure she also knows how to apply it. The only thing i would forbid until she's a bit older is black, too many prejudices are attached to this color.

 
I wore very basic makeup (mascara/lipgloss) in about grade 7 and 8 and only started wearing bolder makeup in year 9 like smokey eyes and winged eyeliner but i would never wear bold lip colours and only wore glosses, lipstick was far too aging :3

 
I think I started wearing makeup at 13..very minimum.  My mum and sisters are not fan of makeup and I only bod cheap makeups.  I rem that my bros and sisters always commented abt my makeup..hahaha..  I was not so loud with makeup or wat but its just their opinion.  It was more of e/s, lipsticks and white powder..until I reached 18 or 19 that i invested on makeup...but than again it was drug stores kind not at all the high end makeups.

 

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