What Age Should Makeup Be Allowed?

[Naamah D.]

I started wearing makeup when I was in eighth grade. I think 14 and up makeup should be allowed. One of my reasons behind this is what if the teen has acne? Would the parents rather let them wear concealer or let them be called names like pizza face? I know, I know the whole beauty comes from within thing is important but come on! Or what about if they have a unibrow and the mom says "your eyebrows are beautiful" and doesn't let them wax?

Basically, that's setting the kid up for bullying and depression. If I was a mom and saw my kid go through what I went through in school I'd let her wear what makeup I wear. That's the fair thing to do. 

[ladycanary]

I started wearing makeup in 11th grade but knew people who started to wear it as early as fifth. I think middle school is when most start wearing it and I think that's fine. The only reason I started wearing it so late is because I'm low maintenance and a tom-boy .

[Mouseykins]

I started wearing makeup in 7th grade and more so in my high school years with the concealer and foundation. Middle school was just eyeliner, eye shadow, mascara and different lip glosses.

My 6 year old and 3 year old girls occasionally wear makeup. Usually if we're going out for a walk they'll see me put my makeup on which is mostly just eyeliner and mascara and they'll want to look pretty too. My 6 year old knows she's gorgeous just the way she is but LOVES sparkles! So I have this eye art pen that I don't really use much because I find it too wet. I'll gently put a smear of white glitter on their eyelids above their lashes careful not to get it on their lashes. They like wearing lip gloss and I gave them one that I don't like because it's too sticky and not to my liking. It's purple and shimmery. So they'll wear that some days.

As for them going to school with makeup, definitely not until middle school and I'll be teaching them/helping them to do it properly. My girls will not leave the house looking like clowns!

Since we're on the subject of makeup and kids. I do not like how girls in dance groups have to be so decked out in makeup for a performance. To me it looks trashy and is not age appropriate for them to be wearing so much. For this reason I won't be enrolling my girls in any kind of dance.

[rntracy1]

I know some girls I went to school with who wore it in 5th and 6th grade (elementary school).  I feel that middle school is appropriate for some light make up, lip gloss, light blush, and some eye make up.  I am a school nurse, and in my district, 6th grade is middle school, but they are also older than when I was in 6th grade.  (when I went to school, we had to be 5 years old by Dec. 31 to start kindergarten- so you could be 4, in my district you have to be 5 to start kindergarten). So if school starts Aug 28th and you turn 5 Sept 2nd, you have to wait until the next year to start school which makes you pretty much 6.  Therefore, a sixth grader would be 12 whereas when I went to school, a sixth grader could be 10.

As for foundation and heavy eye makeup, that should not be worn until high school.

**Mouseykins, I understand that the amount of makeup young girls have to wear "seems" to look trashy.  While I agree with the modeling being over the top with the Flippers (fake teeth), I mean really, little girl's teeth fall out, deal with it, and the hair extensions, and the make up that makes them look older than I do.  The dance make up is for a different reason.  I danced competition and shows from Canada, Atlantic City NJ, to Disney World, and all up and down the east coast in between.  The make up is very heavy because it has to accentuate your facial features in various conditions.  I danced in darkened theaters, outside in bright sun light, on dark dimly lit stages, in large auditoriums, etc.  Your face and facial features have to stand out while you are on stage and that is the reason for the excessive make up.  When you see dancers on stage, the make up doesn't really look that excessive.  Hope that explains it a little bit

[deboratibi]

I think it all depends on how much makeup is used, how often it's used, and why it's used... Children playing with their mother's makeup is fun and harmless. Wearing it everyday to school, not so much. If there's foundation involved, that's even worse. I almost want to cry when I see videos of 5 year olds getting a full face, with highlighting and contouring and instagram brows. I like to assume it's just for the video and that they don't wear it often, but even so, it makes me sad. That kind of makeup is too grown up and inappropriate.
As for older kids/pre-teens, I think wearing eyeliner, blush and lipgloss to school is completely fine. I still think foundation is unnecessary at this age, but they might want to start experimenting with it and wearing it on special occasions, so I guess they should be allowed to do that.
With teenagers above the age of 14, I don't see the point in not letting them. But I don't think that if a kid has acne, the parents should be like "yikes, we'd better get our daughter some concealer or else people will laugh at her". I know the "beauty from within" thing is a cliche and cliches are annoying, so it's useless to say that to an insecure teenager. But I do think they should be told that acne isn't that big of a deal, that they'll get through it and that the people who said those things won't matter in the future - and if it's severe, they should get the appropriate treatment, of course. They should be told that it's alright to wear makeup if they want to, but they shouldn't be afraid to leave the house without it. If they're too insecure, the makeup alone won't help. The bullies always find something to laugh at... They might even laugh at the makeup itself. Then "pizza face" becomes "cake face". You don't defeat bullies by adhering to their standards, you defeat them by not giving a 

[twilight790]

Nobody should wear makeup everyday. It is extremely unhealthy for your skin and your body, since toxins are absorbed through the skin. I think makeup should only be worn on special occasions if at all. Makeup is made of plenty of nasty chemicals and animal products, including those derived from petroleum. There is virtually no regulation in the cosmetics industry except for the testing of these products on animals to make sure they do not cause immediate damage. However, this does not guarantee us that these products are safe for long term use. On top of this, makeup perpetuates sexism in society as young girls feel like they have to wear makeup to be beautiful. 

[Duma]

I only use makeup on very special occasions. It's just too much work for me and I don't even think it's making me look more beautiful. I've never used it to go to school, except for some nail polish when I was in college. The only times I used heavy makeup was for a halloween party (I made my face even whiter than it naturally is). Nowadays I haven't used any makeup, not even the nail polish since it's being ruined the moment I am at work (I work with acetone a lot). I've never really cared about how I look, still don't, so I'll only wear it when I feel like it and want to match how my face looks with my clothes (usually to get a better goth look).

As for kids, I don't think they should wear it at all. Little kids can play with it sometimes, that's fine. Or they can be allowed some lipstick on a special occasion. Once they get to their teens I still think they shouldn't wear it to go to school. Once they turn like 16 I would let them decide for themselves but to me it's silly to "look beautiful". You are who you are, makeup isn't going to change that. And I'm not talking about inner beauty. But like ladycanary, I too can be considered half a tomboy, so maybe that's why I don't care about it at all.

[balloongal247]

Yeah, I think stage makeup is a whole different deal than regular makeup.  Stage makeup, for people of every age and gender is very heavy makeup, because as @rntracy1 said, it's to make your features visible under strange lighting from a distance.  So up close, yes it looks ridiculous.  But from the back of a theater you just see a person.  This is true of figure skating, dancing, theater, all kinds of performance.

I think the most important thing would be to teach the difference between stage makeup, club makeup, daytime makeup, etc.  Teach them that it can be used to emphasize and whatever your features.  Then let them decide.  Ultimately it is their body.  I usually don't wear makeup, except on special occasions (basically, if I'd wear a dress).  Sometimes not even then.  But that's because I just can't be bothered.  Sometimes, if I'm bored and got ready for my day early and feel like it, I might put makeup on even if it's just a random day.  Because I feel like it.  It's a form of expression.

As long as they are not failing to do other things (like homework) because of the time spent applying makeup and doing hair or whatever else, it's fine.  Treat wearing makeup like any other hobby.

[Nielo]

12 hours ago, deboratibi said:

With teenagers above the age of 14, I don't see the point in not letting them. But I don't think that if a kid has acne, the parents should be like "yikes, we'd better get our daughter some concealer or else people will laugh at her". I know the "beauty from within" thing is a cliche and cliches are annoying, so it's useless to say that to an insecure teenager. But I do think they should be told that acne isn't that big of a deal, that they'll get through it and that the people who said those things won't matter in the future - and if it's severe, they should get the appropriate treatment, of course. They should be told that it's alright to wear makeup if they want to, but they shouldn't be afraid to leave the house without it. If they're too insecure, the makeup alone won't help. The bullies always find something to laugh at... They might even laugh at the makeup itself. Then "pizza face" becomes "cake face". You don't defeat bullies by adhering to their standards, you defeat them by not giving a 

^This.

I think wearing make-up is fine, although I do agree with @twilight790 that it perpetuates sexism, since it's become so ingrained in our society that wearing make-up equals being more beautiful (something I personally don't always think is the case), but only for women; whereas the exact opposite is said for guys (which I also disagree with - I've definitely had crushes on guys who wore eyeliner). So I guess my point is that anyone, regardless of gender, should be able to wear make-up, or not wear make-up, without getting bullied. (But I'm not naïve enough to think that's possible. A girl can dream though.)

I really think it all depends on the situation, and on the person. I'm 28 and I still have never worn concealer or foundation. I'm far too lazy to find the correct shade and take the time to apply it each day, and I also don't really see the point. I tend to wear a little eyeliner (the pencil kind, not the liquid - I honestly don't know how people successfully apply that, it always gets on my cheek, in my eyebrows and in my eye, instead of underneath it) and maybe some mascara if I'm going to a party. And I wouldn't even call myself a tomboy - I have long blond hair and wear dresses quite frequently these days.

When it comes to bullying though, I understand why wearing make-up would make someone feel more confident, and that's great, but I think it's also important to improve that confidence through other means, to make sure the confidence is more than skin-deep. And I much prefer - although I know this isn't always [understatement] realistic - to punish the bullies/try to teach them to be better, instead of letting the victim carry the burden.

[Naamah D.]

I don't think wearing makeup is something to pressure other people to do. I usually wear neutral eyeshadow, concealer, face cream, plumping lip gloss or tinted lip balm and sometimes mascara. I know people who like the whole black eyeshadow deal but I'm not a fan of it on me. 

Yes, I agree appearance confidence is great but having a positive personality is important too. Personality is not everything. Appearances aren't everything. Both count. I got compared physically to a man once and I was shattered. It's hard not forgive it. I dress the way I do, wear my hair a certain way and wear makeup to boost my confidence.

On the other hand, I'm secure with who I am as a person. 

[Trea]

I think 13 or 14 is a fine age to start.  You should also teach about proper removal and skin care at that age.  I think things like leg shaving should be based on when it becomes noticeable or when they start to complain about it.   Dating needs to be much later.  Kids start "dating" way too soon now.

[balloongal247]

I would like to say that my assumption in my answer was that the child has expressed an interest in wearing makeup.  You should never forbid something that they haven't asked to do.  That just gives it the added lure of the forbidden.  Human nature is perverse.  There are a lot of instances of people, especially teenagers, doing something just because they've been told not to.  Often they'd never have even considered it if not for being told not to.

I also think that the conversation about makeup should include what prompted the child to ask about makeup or try it on their own.  Is it like @Mouseykins mentioned with her small children, where it's a thing of "Mommy wears makeup, and I want to be like Mommy, therefore I want to wear makeup"?  If so, maybe talk about when and why Mommy wears makeup.  Is it a thing where they've seen someone (especially someone their age) wearing stage makeup?  If so, explain the purpose of stage makeup as part of a costume, and how it differs from the kind of makeup they may see adults wearing out in the world.  Is it where they are being bullied or are just insecure about themselves, and they want to use makeup to hide?  If so, talk about that root cause, and help develop ways to fix the problem in the long run, not just cover it with makeup.  

[Mouseykins]

@rntracy1 Thank you for that information!

@balloongal247 my girls LOVE anything sparkly. They're like little Magpies! My oldest knows I wear makeup occasionally because I want to not because I need to. I've had to overcome a bit of my self-consciousness. How can I teach them that they're beautiful just the way they are if I don't follow my own words. So we tell each other we're beautiful just the way we are. Even our flaws an imperfections are beautiful!

I agree that make-up shouln't be used to hide from people being mean. At some point we all have to learn that some people are just plain mean and we don't need to please them or adhere to their standards.

[eloralestrange]

I feel that makeup is for enhancing what you already have, and should be treated as such. That's all it is. Making a big deal out of it just makes wearing makeup look like more of an adult thing to do, therefore more desirable. If someone really has bad acne, not allowing them to conceal it just makes everyone feel bad (except the bullies). 

Personally, my mom had zero rules about makeup, and I found it bothersome to apply every day and went without it except for special occasions, or when I really needed to cover something. 

[BrittanyLee]

I think I probably started in 7th or 8th grade, but really I never wore a lot. I stuck to mascara and eyeliner for...well...forever haha. Sometimes when I was going to a dance or had a date I would do more, but for the most part I didn't care. I did have awesome skin though, so I never had a need to cover up.

I have a 13 year old step daughter and I have NO issue with her wearing makeup as long as she puts it on correctly and it isn't too over the top. I feel like she's at that age that she just needs to feel older than she is. She keeps trying to go for crop tops, low rise jeans, and an insane amount of makeup. It is being shut down at every turn. I'm all about self expression, but I also feel like we have to remind kids that they're allowed to be their age for just a little longer. I would never go back to 8th grade(which she's in) for all of the money in the world, but being an adult is just no fun sometimes haha.

[Duskitty]

It depends. Young children obviously should not be wearing a lot of makeup every day, but I think it's fine for them to have fun with it every once in a while, like Mouseykins said. Once girls start getting older (around 10-11 years old, I guess?) they could start wearing it and/or experimenting with it a bit, but imo should still lay off the 'full face of makeup' thing until they're older.
I'm 17 and don't really put on makeup that often besides mascara once in a blue moon for parties/social events/etc, so take what I'm saying with a grain of salt.

There's a lot of pressure on girls these days to wear a lot of makeup so they can be beautiful; I'm sure you've all seen those young teenage girls (13-14) with a full face of makeup because they're 'supposed to' look Instagram Flawless™.

I feel like it's not fair to put so much pressure on young girls to look beautiful and much older than they are, cus that's the thing: during those early teen years, you are basically guaranteed to look like an awkward spud, yet these young girls are told that they shouldn't look like that, they should look beautiful and flawless and 'womanly' when they're honestly still just kids. I think it's important to let young teens be young teens and still be growing and exploring, enjoying their 'kid years' while they can, instead of pressuring them to look like supermodels.

That's another one of my issues with makeup, actually: the idea that you have to look beautiful and that your worth is determined by your looks. Society and the media preach the notion that if you're not a beautiful woman that people will want, then what are you?
Imo, we place too much importance on "everyone is beautiful!". I think it should be more "your worth is not defined by how attractive you are to others", if that makes sense.

If you're around that young teen age, or if you have a daughter/sister/etc around that age, and want to wear makeup, it's absolutely your choice. I'm not shaming or disagreeing with anyone who likes to wear makeup at a younger age - my issue is with the social expectations surrounding makeup, not those who like to wear makeup.

[Sneha Roy]

There is no any hard and fast rule where we can determine the right age for start applying makeup. On an average it is suggested that we can start applying make up by the age of 13. As a beginner you can start with the basic makeup skills that will slowly get your skin ready for makeup.

As you are applying makeup, make sure you should include a better skin care routine in your daily schedule to avoid the next face problems.

[nirv120]

I don't think there's anything inherently wrong with makeup at any age. The only thing that worries me about makeup at a young age is what is in there is a lot of toxic ingredients in most mass market makeup products that can have pretty disastrous effects on young children if used often enough, especially young boys. I myself gave up make up almost entirely a few years ago when my grandmother died of cancer and I learned makeup is often full of carcinogen. It has been a huge time and money saver in my day to day life.

I think the true answer here is to try and normalize acne and skin problems. We can definitely do it, vitiligo has become celebrated it used to shameful not even twenty years ago. It isn't fair that kids should spend a significant amount of what little money they have access to to pay for makeup products that can put them in harm's way.

[Annapurna]

Well, age is just a number. 

There is no particular age for wearing makeup.

But psychologically, I don't like when I see kids 12 or younger wearing makeup, but as a matter of principle, I don't think there's any age at which it's inappropriate to wear makeup.

You can wear makeup at any age but do remember it shouldn't harm your skin as it is the most sensitive part of your body. 

Once it gets damaged it will be hard to recover.

So, before applying makeup think about everything such as your skin, your skin product, your skin type, and the rest other factors.

 

[Yaroslav Fadeev]

On 1/25/2022 at 1:44 PM, Annapurna said:

Well, age is just a number. 

There is no particular age for wearing makeup.

But psychologically, I don't like when I see kids 12 or younger wearing makeup, but as a matter of principle, I don't think there's any age at which it's inappropriate to wear makeup.

You can wear makeup at any age but do remember it shouldn't harm your skin as it is the most sensitive part of your body. 

Once it gets damaged it will be hard to recover.

So, before applying makeup think about everything such as your skin, your skin product, your skin type, and the rest other factors.

 

I'm 100% agree

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[weyrpony]

Dunno. I remember my little sisters getting giant makeup boxes from the toy store full of really cheap tiny makeups in hundreds of colors. I think they were like 7, 8, and 9 when that started. They weren't allowed to wear it to school, but to the mall on weekends was ok.

 

I don't remember anything bad happening from it, except I was the only boy at school who knew how to paint nails and braid hair. My sisters often asked me for help.