Some of my most fun childhood memories are from when I used to play dress-up and wear my mom's makeup. I had a small selection of makeup that I was allowed to use from her purse. There were also the occasional products that I could use from the bathroom drawer. Playing with makeup always made me feel pretty and happy.
I loved my mom, admired her so much and always wanted to be like her. And wearing makeup did just that. According to Johanna Mooney, director of beauty products for Disney Consumer Products, ”girls see Mom and they want to imitate Mom.” And that is exactly what I did.
Now that I am a mother myself, I let my two little girls play with makeup. Yes, they overdo it sometimes, but it's all in great fun.
Now that my oldest daughter is getting closer to the teen years, she is questioning when she can start wearing makeup in public. This is not something I had put much thought into, but rather waited for the question to arise. And it has.
I remember that I was allowed to wear makeup when I was in sixth grade, which was also my first year in middle school. I was 11 years old. My mom allowed makeup, but not anything too bold in color. I had to stick with the light shades in everything. I didn’t mind too much. I was just ecstatic that I was able to wear it!
During that time, I also had trouble with blemishes on my face. I couldn’t stand them! So the foundation was definitely my favorite, along with my pink lipstick.
I definitely think it is perfectly fine for young girls to wear foundation to help cover up their dreadful blemishes. Foundation, the thick liquid used to cover your face, covers blemishes very well. It is hard enough having to transition from a little girl into a teenager, so I don’t think a tad bit of makeup is harmful. These girls are labeled as “tweens”—between childhood and adolescence.
Article comments
1 - Mary
The teen years are a time of change and adjustment. Allowing girls to use makeup does nothing to help the process or their self-esteem. Girls should not be allowed to ware makeup until the age of 18.
2 - Learn to Spell!
WARE?...First of all, here is a helpful tip: Dictionary.com is a quick and helpful reference when learning how to spell simple, four letter words. Secondly, many teenage girls suffer from terrible, red acne all over their face. A little coverage can sometimes be a good thing, especially with all the evil bullies out there just waiting for the next girl to come along that they can make fun of.
3 - Alannah Atauvich
I truly feel that this is a great article! As a matter of fact, there is some truth to it, and at the end of the day it is clearly up to the parents and child. Both situations have pros and cons, but as long as the child knows she is gorgeous, with or without it, strong, with or without a boyfriend, there is no limit to the great things a strong gorgeous woman can do in this society!