My daughter is turning 12 this next week. At what age would you recommend her wearing makeup. She has a beautiful face with freckles, but she has always wanted to wear makeup. She does have a slight acne problem that I have started her on facial cleaner that is helping the problem. But at what age do I start giving her makeup? I thought of just starting her off with "eye" makeup and lip gloss, but I would love any advice you can give me. I don't have any emotional or "teenage" problems with her, she is a great kid.
I do not have a 12 year old or a daughter but I think you are right on track! I do not see anything wrong with starting with some mascera or very light eye shadow and some lip gloss. Especially if she is a good kid! How fun for you to experience a first for her! Good luck
Lisa
I was allowed a little foundation, mascara, and lip gloss at that age. The only rule was it was to look "natural". No dark or overpowering. It worked well for us. I'll be curious to see other responses as we just had a girl and that changes many opinions. :)
Mine have to be 13 before they can wear makeup otherwise little girls look like they are playing dress up. Once they can it starts very simple, a little mascara and a little lip gloss, at 14 they can start to expirament(sp?) but it has to look natural, by 15 I give them a lot of leeway and allow them to express themselves.
I am a master esthetician, and I would recommend taking her to one of those for her acne. They can work wonders and any face powder she gets will only exacerbate the acne...it's really important to nip it in the bud, teach her how to eliminate zits properly to avoid scarring, and not clog up already clogged pores. (though I have been very guilty my self of using concealer in a pinch!)
If you can afford it get some microdermabrasion or a chemical peel, as well as some good medical grade cleanser like biomedic... her hormones are raging and they reek havoc on skin! It is important for regular skin analysis,as skin types can change easily over these years.
At the very least, make sure her cleanser has 4 things in the regiment- cleanser, toner, exfoliation and MOISTURIZER!
This would also be a great time to start her in the habit of using sun block.
I would basically say that when a girl hits her period she should start a normal skin care regimen.
When I was 12 my parents started letting me use minimal make up. I think it's a sign of trust for her. If it's something she thinks would be fun, it would be better to show her that you trust her with it now, than to wait till she's 14-16, when everyone else has been wearing make up for a while etc then letting her wear it. If she is a great kid then how does a small pinch of mascara hurt things?
I know that of course she is beautiful, and really if taught how to wear it properly, makeup can and should enhance your natural beauty.
Also it's important that she learn that this privilege come with any other, responsibility for cleaning the brushes, more regular face washing, and practice!
Perhaps setting up a system were she can wear it on special occasions might be fun for her.
Jr. High is hard enough with out lip gloss, because it's just so darn fun!
I think mostly if make up isn't controlled too heavily in the beginning and taught to be used as a tool it can be a great rite of passage for a young woman into womanhood.
All in all you can help grow slowly and with good habits in both skin care and self esteem over time.
Personally, I think 12 is a bit young for make up. Maybe some lip gloss but I'm on the conservative side. My suggestion to you with her skin condition and all is to try Bare Minerals Foundation. It is really natural and great for your skin. I just makes their natural beauty shine and it is not like real make up, it is super soft and pretty. Hope that helps.
I hope this advice helps.....
I have two girls 14 & 10 and i started letting my 14 year old shave and pluck when she started her period.
She liked the flavored chap stick first and then went to lip gloss.
Is she interesterd in make up or do you want to help with the acne.
If you start now then the 8 year old will want to start sooner than later. If you mention it, then your 12 year old will have a complex and it is just a natural issue with puberty.
She is still in that in-between age of childhood and womanhood, so i say let her be a child for as long as possible. Lip gloss is great. As for the acne teach her a daily regimin. And it is important to use a moisturizer. AVON HAS A GREAT LINE OF PRODUCTS. AND THERE ARE SETS THAT YOU COULD BUY FROM WALMART. IT COMES WITH A CLEANSER ,TONER MOISTURIZER AND SPOT TREATMENT. THEY REALLYY WORK GREAT. BUT IT IS A COMMITMENT. EVERY MORNING AND EVERY NIGHT. GOOD LUCK AND GOD BLESS
Jennifer,
I was 12 when i first received my first thing of makeup, It was one of those sets from Walmart, That is out around christmas, It contained, Mostly eyeshadows and a little lipstick that i never wore, and i beleive a little blush, I never receieved Foundation or eye liner till my 13 birthday, my parents didnt think i was ready for eye liners or foundation just yet, they wanted to start in incraments, And it worked, I learned how to apply eye shadow and lipglosses and and blushes when needed, and then from there as te year went on i got new things. I wish you the best of luck. Shes officially a teenager! I am here if you need anymore advice! Hope you had a wonderful holiday season!
I don't have a 12 year old girl but it sounds like you are on the right track. I would say hold off though because make up can make an acne problem worse. I was a Mary Kay consultant for awhile and there are some great products for a radiant look without using makeup. Maybe for a special dance but not everyday until she gets good skin care down. Also check into the school policies. My son's school will make a girl wash her face if she shows up to school with makeup, excluding lip gloss, doesn't matter how tasteful it is. The school says NO, it's a K-8.
I would start her out with just the basics. No base no mascara. My grandmother has worked a Clinic/Elizabeth Arden counter my whole life. When I was young she let me have eyelash conditioner, blush, lip gloss, and of course eye shadow. She is at a good age to start learning how to use makeup.
Hope this helps
-Misty
Jennifer: I don't have a daughter but I am a Mary Kay Consultant and work with moms and daughters all the time. I have lots of moms who ask me to work with their daughters to teach them....
about skin care. I agree with the ladies who say that is the most important thing! If you nip it in the bud now, she won't have so many problems during that raging hormone time. (using a skin care that has the 4 steps and a microderm now will also help her get in good habits for the future)
about the idea that "less is better". I did a "coming out" party for a 12 year old and 10 of her girlfriends. they loved learning about how to take care of their skin and how to use some very basic (neutral and almost translucent) eye color and lip gloss. (i don't usually start my "coming out" girls on foundation until 13/14)
it was tons of fun and all the moms thanked me (because believe it or not there were some 12 year olds that were already wearing very dark makeup)
Let me know if I can help you with any advice to your daughter (I've been told over and over that makeup advice coming from someone other than mom is accepted and followed lots better) Good luck
Make up in Jr High seems appropriate - though maybe only lip gloss now. Start with teaching her about skin care, then worry about makeup next year. I'd also suggest taking her to the Bobbie Brown counter at Neiman for a demo on putting on makeup when you decide she's ready. They do a great job of natural colors for a clean look. Make it a big event - have lunch together after or go window shopping. It's a great mom-daughter day, make the most of it.
I started my girls out at age 12 with mascara and lip gloss and light colored lipsticks. It was just enough to let them feel like they were wearing make-up and little enough not to make them seem "made up."
Hi Jennifer,
I have two daughters and I am an Arbonne consultant. We have a fabulous botanically based line formulated for girls that age! It is called FYI (For Young Individuals). I'd love for you to take a look at the line. My website is www.lifetrust.myarbonne.com.
Another thing to consider is teaching your daughter to use products that are healthy for the skin and body. With Arbonne we do a lot of education about using ingredients that are pure, safe and beneficial. I'm an RN and can tell you that what you put on your skin is absorbed into your body. You want to be aware of choosing a company that works to provide you with ingredients that benefit your skin and are safe for long term use. Arbonne was founded on that principle and provides the results you want!
My best to you!
Blessings,
Julie B.
If she is expressing an interest in make-up then take the time to show her how to use it correctly and emphasize that it should high-light her natural beauty, not be something that "hides" her flaws. If it isn't something that is "forbidden" or "allowed" to her, the more likely course is that she will learn that at this young age it is more trouble than it is worth to wear every day. But it will give her confidence to have the knowledge and skill to use correctly and know she is beautiful with or with out it. I really like the ladies that suggested making it a coming of age celebration with her. I was the one to do this with a little sister (she is 9 years younger than me) and it was a really fun memory for both of us, picking out the brushes and colors and then playing "beauty parlor" while she learned how to apply it. The girls that looked overdone and trashy at my school were the ones who weren't "allowed" to wear make-up and snuck it out of the house and put it on later with no really understanding of how to do it correctly.
I think that 12 is a good age for her to wear make-up.
My mom would always let me put on a little blush, when I looked a little pale. There was never a set "make up" age. My daughter is almost 12 as well, and she got lip gloss, mascara and blush in her stocking this year. All items in very light, natural colors. She happily came bounding out of her room, wearing her new make up and if she hadn't told me, I don't think I would have noticed. My suggestion would be to buy her a little makeup in the colors you think would work best. They grow up too fast!
I have three teenage daughters, 17, 14, and 12. My rule has always been lip gloss (light shades only) and a small amount of eye shadow (again, light shades only -- the highlighters) during middle school/junior high school. They can use foundation and mascara, eyeliners, etc. beginning in high school. Before high school started, they got top-of-the-line foundation and attended a make-up session. It has prevented a lot of arguments, they always look beautiful and put-together ... no clown or hooker looks.
Best wishes,
Lori
I started letting my older daughter wear it at 12. (She's now 14.) I taught her some basics and then let her kind of experiment on her own. She initially wanted to wear her eyeliner kind of heavy, but she got it out if her system fairly quickly. Now she wears a very pretty, fairly natural look. I will do the same thing with my now 10 year old daughter. She already gets to experiment with some at-home-only makeup, which she loves doing. I have noticed most girls will ultimately end up applying about the same amount of makeup (or lack thereof) as their mom. Not neccessarily at first, but it seems like that's where they are ultimately most comfortable. We are their biggest role model!
My daughter is 12 and already wears make up. i think the important thing with this is to show her how to apply it properly so that she doesnt go to school looking like a clown. kids are growing up faster than we did. I think I didnt wear make up til I was 16 but times are different now.