Mommy question??

Ok... this might be extreme, but my daughter is 7. She is not allowed to wear make-up in public (obviously), but she loves to watch me get ready for work or special events. When she does this, I let her play in my make-up too because I want her to learn how to wear it correctly when the time comes. As she does this, we talk about what different things are and why they are good or when they are appropriate. I am hoping this helps A) alleviate the mysteriousness of makeup and let her know that it has a specific purpose. My goal as a Mommy is to keep an open dialogue (in appropriate ways) with her about life so that she feels comfortable talking to me about things when she is a teenager.

this is one reason I'm glad I only have boys. Not that I didn't want a girl but I am glad not to have to deal with certain things I would think special occaisions in jr high with minimal but at least high school in general-at least out in public.

My daughter received a makeup set (full-blown works) for her birthday at age 5 from her best friend and her mother. I promptly put part of it in her own make-up bag which she is only allowed to use in the bathroom (to prevent makeup stains on the carpet) and must ask before getting it out. She knows she is not allowed to wear it out of the house, but I see little harm in allowing her to play dress-up with it. Honestly, she is 6 1/2 now and has only played with it 3 times. If I had kept it from her, I think she she would have desired it more. I don't plan on allowing her to wear makeup out of the house until she is in high school.

I let my older girls wear lip gloss and a little eyeshadow and concealer if they had something they were wanting to cover up around 12, mascara and eyeliner now that they are 14 and 15. I still reserve the right to say that is too much and make them wash it off it is garish or inappropriate. It also depends on where they are going how much they can wear. There are appropriate times and amounts for different occasions. If they are just experimenting and not leaving the house...as much as they want. If it is a dance performance obviously they wear LOTS more. Just to wear to school, they don't need much.

I allow my 5 year old I figure if they see you doing it and you tell them they can't it will cause them to get into it when you aren't looking or hide it from you in those preteen years. She has her own eye shadows and various lip things but bet she doesn't even put on any make up 98% of the time. Its mostly when she sees me add some lip gloss or something then she will ask if she can too.

I do the same thing with my 5 year old. I think make up for playtime with the little ones is perfectly fine. It is fun to pretend you are a grown up when you are little. As for everyday wear...I started in the 7th or 8th grade with Cover Girl Powder & lip gloss and clear mascara. It's super natural. Get the brown compact b/c it has Noxema in it which is good for the skin. I think that is simple and not skanky. I'm not a big make up person though. I love to wear it and feel super pretty when I do...but it is rare that I will...mainly bc I am too lazy. Even more fun....let your daughter put make up on YOU after you put it on her!! It will be a riot!!

I would say about 12 for nude/clear lip gloss and maybe a swipe of mascara.
13-15 for any "natural" style makeup.
16+ It should be their choice.

This. This is almost exactly what we've done with our teen daughter. At 16 I'll help her learn base foundation but at almost 15 she wears mascara, lip gloss, eye shadow.

They are going to do it whether you let them or not. The key is to know that, and approch it with love and understanding from their point of view, not yours. Especially, if you wear make up.

My girls have been allowed to play with makeup for some time now though not all that often. They usually get a kids make up kit each around Christmas and they get to wear lipbalm all they want. Once in a while they get to wear makeup like Mommy on the weekends. Halloween gets them their full faces done. Concealer gets used on picture day for my oldest and she gets to wear full makeup for her school performances. Once in a great while I will allow them to wear light colored eyeshadow (something barely noticable) to school if they have all their morning tasks checked off before I apply my makeup.

Sometimes we give each other make overs. The last time was really funny - the three of us looked like "Dallas" rejects. The time before that, we were shopping with my sister-in-law during the holiday sales. We were in Victoria's Secret so I got my two and my SIL's girls together and gave them makeovers with the samples while we waited for her to get done in the huge line. That was fun (and hilarious too).

My girls are 8 and 10. I bought my first compact and eyeshadow in 7th grade (9 or 10).