Kids wearing makeup

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moledew
moledew Posts: 71 Member
in Chit-Chat
I'm just curious about this subject. Do you think it's inappropriate for a 7 year old to wear the little makeup kits? Would you allow your daughter to go in public with pink lip gloss or is that just asking for a pedophile to abduct them? Also, do you think that playing with makeup at that age causes them to grow up with insecurities and to become self conscious?
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  • moledew
    moledew Posts: 71 Member
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    By makeup i purely mean colored/flavored lip gloss and play eye shadow** Not a face full including foundation and the whole 9
  • _incogNEATo_
    _incogNEATo_ Posts: 4,537 Member
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    Pretty sure a pedophile isn't interested in the shade of the child's lip gloss.......
  • NewMeSM75
    NewMeSM75 Posts: 971 Member
    edited May 2015
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    I have a daughter. In my opinion, using the little makeup kits to play dress up is fun. I don't see it as making them a target for pedophiles or anything. I don't think the heavy make up is feasible. My daughter had a friend over. They played with make up. That child came out of the bathroom with full makeup. I mean dark blue eyeshadow, eye liner, mascara and dark red lipstick. I wouldn't want my daughter to go to that extreme. But I think modest light makeup makes them feel like a princess. Just me....

    Oh and I have to tell you this. I've always told my daughter that she's beautiful and doesn't need makeup. One day I was putting on makeup for work. She said mom, you're beautiful too. You don't need all that makeup on your face. I still wear it but it reminded me that I should practice what I preach.

    My daughter is 12 now. I discuss everything with her including eating disorders. She sees me logging and watching calories. I fear her learning something negative from my actions. So, I sit down often to discuss things.
  • 1shauna1
    1shauna1 Posts: 993 Member
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    I don't think it's "asking for a pedophile to abduct them" but I'm not sure it's appropriate for every day. Maybe a special occasion, a party or something.
  • jaqcan
    jaqcan Posts: 498 Member
    edited May 2015
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    No a pedophile won't abduct them for lip gloss.
    I personally let my little girls play with make up at home. Washed off if we go anywhere, because it was messy and they'd wipe their eyes then get it on me and the car or anything else they touched.
    I let my oldest start wearing mascara and more colored lip gloss to school when she started jr high. It's a fun thing to do, but I've told her Do not share make up with anyone even me.

    Edited to add:
    If you put the emphasis on HOW PRETTY they are when they wear makeup, they may start to think they aren't pretty without makeup. Or that they shouldn't be seen in public without their face on (eventually if it's a continual reinforced message). I have two SIL's and my MIL who won't answer the door without makeup on and their hair done. I will not raise a daughter like that, so I'm trying to ease into makeup and make her confidence come from being a well rounded person, not just how you look. She's smart, she's kind, and she is cute and make up is just a fun thing to do, but it's not necessary.

  • flabassmcgee
    flabassmcgee Posts: 659 Member
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    Let me rephrase the question:

    Do you think it's inappropriate for a woman to wear makeup? Would you allow a woman to walk in public with pink lip gloss or is that asking for a sexual predator to abduct them? Do you think all women that wear makeup are insecure and self conscious?

    Something rubs me the wrong way about the mentality that makeup= sexualized. It's paint for your face. Why does it effect other people and their lives so much?
  • MrsCaitlinBeltran
    MrsCaitlinBeltran Posts: 241 Member
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    I don't think little girls should be wearing makeup of any kind. They'll have many years ahead of them to wear it so I think it should be off limits until about 14/15. You know, high-school aged. I don't think playing with makeup early on would be the primary cause of low self esteem, though. Little kids should be little kids and not have to worry about adult things like makeup or waxing.
  • NewMeSM75
    NewMeSM75 Posts: 971 Member
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    jaqcan wrote: »
    No a pedophile won't abduct them for lip gloss.
    I personally let my little girls play with make up at home. Washed off if we go anywhere, because it was messy and they'd wipe their eyes then get it on me and the car or anything else they touched.
    I let my oldest start wearing mascara and more colored lip gloss to school when she started jr high. It's a fun thing to do, but I've told her Do not share make up with anyone even me.

    Agreed!
  • FatFreeFrolicking
    FatFreeFrolicking Posts: 4,252 Member
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    Makeup isn't 'asking for a pedophile to abduct' a child.

    Elementary age girls love playing dress up and pretending to be princesses, all while applying lipstick and eyeshadow. I don't see anything wrong with that. However, it isn't appropriate for them to go to school or out in public with makeup on. If one of my students (I'm a kindergarten teacher) came to school with makeup on, I'd have a conversation with their parents.

    Just my two cents.
  • MissKalhan
    MissKalhan Posts: 2,282 Member
    edited May 2015
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    I don't have a child but I have very fond memories of my mom, little sister and I playing dress up with make up and dresses princess style. So I see it as let them have fun and some great memories.
  • nicola1141
    nicola1141 Posts: 613 Member
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    100% definitely not asking for a pedophile to abduct them, and definitely not setting them up for insecurities later on in life. The vast majority of women in western society wear makeup of some description and it's not because we're all burdened by crippling insecurities.

    That said, I don't let my daughter wear make-up other than for play at home, or for dance recitals where it's required. If she's having fun and playing dress-up I have zero problem with it. And I never mind coloured lip-gloss, that doesn't even count as make-up for me, really. But she mentioned yesterday that one girl in her class wears make-up to school every day and I don't let her do that. I want her to be fully a kid as long as she can be!
  • CoffeeNBooze
    CoffeeNBooze Posts: 966 Member
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    I would let my little girl do it; I mean just like little girl dollar store makeup you can buy. I'd stress to her that she is already pretty and she doesn't *need* it but that it's just for fun; like playing dress up.
  • enterdanger
    enterdanger Posts: 2,447 Member
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    FatFreeFrolicking wrote: »
    Makeup isn't 'asking for a pedophile to abduct' a child.

    Elementary age girls love playing dress up and pretending to be princesses, all while applying lipstick and eyeshadow. I don't see anything wrong with that. However, it isn't appropriate for them to go to school or out in public with makeup on. If one of my students (I'm a kindergarten teacher) came to school with makeup on, I'd have a conversation with their parents.

    Just my two cents.

    Luckily, I only have boys so won't have to deal with this, but I totally agree with this statement.

  • Justygirl77
    Justygirl77 Posts: 385 Member
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    moledew wrote: »
    I'm just curious about this subject. Do you think it's inappropriate for a 7 year old to wear the little makeup kits? Would you allow your daughter to go in public with pink lip gloss or is that just asking for a pedophile to abduct them? Also, do you think that playing with makeup at that age causes them to grow up with insecurities and to become self conscious?
    Who can give a blanket-statement answer?
    I let my children play dress-up, including make up. But they don't wear it in public until they get into about 7th grade.
    My own philosophy is to keep their minds and hearts free of inappropriate sexual information or stimulation....they are children, and have sexuality, but it's got a place and a time. It's all about development, so I wouldn't want a lop-sided focus on looks....like that somehow they are supposed to pay close attention to this and be sexually attractive to whomever. But at the same time I let them develop their own style and cultivate their own beauty.
    I have thrown out make-up sent by relatives in gifts, partly because it doesn't fit our family, and partly because I want them to have nicer stuff.


  • moledew
    moledew Posts: 71 Member
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    We got into a big debate with my step daughters mom last night because we let Ellie wear pink lip gloss in public. I went and double checked the "makeup" her mother was referring to and all she has is an array of flavored lip gloss and chap sticks. She has a body paint pencil that she uses as eye shadow at home but I do not let her leave in that because it looks like she's got 2 black eyes lol. She's at the age where she likes to carry her lotion, lip gloss and hand sanitizer in her purse and apparently her mom thinks that's just asking for her to be abducted or teaching her that she NEEDS these things to be pretty. I tell her on a regular basis whether she's fresh outta the bed with nappy hair or has done herself up, that she's beautiful. We disagree on a lot and her mother clearly isn't into vanity whatsoever but I don't think its fair to ridicule the child for something harmless. She shouldnt be out of sight in public anyways and she should be told that shes pretty (inside and out) frequently.
  • FitForL1fe
    FitForL1fe Posts: 1,872 Member
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    lolwut
  • moledew
    moledew Posts: 71 Member
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    I also feel like kids get most of their insecurities from their parents. If i constantly harp on my weight, my girls will probably grow up with body image issues too. I just let them, well ellie, my youngest is 7 months, know that I am losing weight to be healthy for them so we can be more active together. Never that I hate the reflection in the mirror, feel miserable and want to steal their clothes one day! ;)
  • MrsCaitlinBeltran
    MrsCaitlinBeltran Posts: 241 Member
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    Justygirl77 wrote: »
    Who can give a blanket-statement answer?
    I let my children play dress-up, including make up. But they don't wear it in public until they get into about 7th grade.
    My own philosophy is to keep their minds and hearts free of inappropriate sexual information or stimulation....they are children, and have sexuality, but it's got a place and a time. It's all about development, so I wouldn't want a lop-sided focus on looks....like that somehow they are supposed to pay close attention to this and be sexually attractive to whomever. But at the same time I let them develop their own style and cultivate their own beauty.
    I have thrown out make-up sent by relatives in gifts, partly because it doesn't fit our family, and partly because I want them to have nicer stuff.


    Totally agree! I don't have a daughter; I have a son, so I'm glad I don't have to worry about this too much.
  • LouLouStBijou
    LouLouStBijou Posts: 987 Member
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    I have a 17 year old step daughter and she has little or no interest in makeup. We talk about that kind of thing from time to time (neither her mother nor I wear any kind of makeup regularly) and she knows that it can be a nice accent on an already lovely face but she really only wears it on special occasions. My mother never let me wear makeup until I was well into my teens and I gave up the whole foundation etc. thing pretty much as soon as I started it....too much work. I am not sure that one way is better than another and I am not sure that girls who wear versus girls who don't can be categorized as being "slaves to crippling self esteem issues" or not.
  • NewMeSM75
    NewMeSM75 Posts: 971 Member
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    moledew wrote: »
    We got into a big debate with my step daughters mom last night because we let Ellie wear pink lip gloss in public. I went and double checked the "makeup" her mother was referring to and all she has is an array of flavored lip gloss and chap sticks. She has a body paint pencil that she uses as eye shadow at home but I do not let her leave in that because it looks like she's got 2 black eyes lol. She's at the age where she likes to carry her lotion, lip gloss and hand sanitizer in her purse and apparently her mom thinks that's just asking for her to be abducted or teaching her that she NEEDS these things to be pretty. I tell her on a regular basis whether she's fresh outta the bed with nappy hair or has done herself up, that she's beautiful. We disagree on a lot and her mother clearly isn't into vanity whatsoever but I don't think its fair to ridicule the child for something harmless. She shouldnt be out of sight in public anyways and she should be told that shes pretty (inside and out) frequently.

    I don't see why her mother is so upset. Lip gloss for most part seems harmless. My daughter did the same thing. She had the hand sanitizer from Justice that she clipped on her back pack. She had her chap stick. And I will tell you that my daughter is not big on makeup at 12. She doesn't have an interest but she did want to play with it when she was younger. As a matter of fact, I put full make up on her when she was in a school beauty pageant. She couldn't wait to get home to take it off.

    P.S. I am remarried and my husband's ex isn't easy to get along with. It may not be all tied to the makeup. Mixed families are sometimes hard. Good luck!

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