At what age can my daughter be makeup? This is what the experts say

It is common for little girls to choose makeup kits to play with . Most of these products do not contain pigments and can be put on the face without leaving color marks, so they are harmless.

Girls are curious about this type of objects, given that they are older and perform the same activities as their mothers, aunts or older sisters, including makeup and hair. Up to that point it is a common activity, like playing at being a teacher or preparing food.

However, it can happen that the girl wants to change those toy cosmetics for real ones and also use them in everyday life. According to experts in child psychology, if a young girl feels that she should improve her appearance with makeup or other products, it is likely that she will be subjected to a lot of content of this nature, either on television or in magazines. It can also happen that you continually hear negative comments about your physical appearance and that is damaging your self-esteem.

Young skin is more delicate

Sometimes, when children fall, we say they 'look like rubber' because of their incredible physical endurance and resilience. However, his body is delicate and deserves certain care. Girls under 12 have very sensitive skin and cosmetics can cause irritation, allergic reactions or even intoxication.

In addition, many makeup products are designed to hide imperfections such as dark circles, pimples, spots and wrinkles, which are hardly present on your face. Thus, when using foundation or powder, the only thing they will achieve is to clog their pores, which in turn can lead to dermatitis (inflammation of the skin) or even cosmetic acne.

This is made worse if we think that beauty products are designed and tested in adult women, they are not suitable for girls. If you accept that your daughter uses a little makeup (real, not play) on a special occasion, such as her birthday or a family dinner, look for hypoallergenic options, oil-free, without aromas or colorings. Try not to use it too long and remove it with a product designed for it.

Hyper sexualization of girls

This topic began to attract the attention of specialists for several years. In 2007, the American Psychological Association (APA) published a document that emphasized the tendency to sexualize young children, through clothing, toys, video games and television programs.

According to this article, the most worrying topic was the premature approach of girls with eroticism, which leads them to pre-puberty at a younger age and reduces the duration of childhood, depriving them of an innocent world and introducing them into a context which is not suitable for them, which is that of adult sexuality.

Amalia Go-devil, professor of Psychology and Educational Sciences, explained for La Vanguardia : "From very early ages, which can begin even before the age of ten, one can see the danger of growing up under the false belief that social success is linked to the image and there is a risk, in these ages, of losing a series of fundamental values such as spontaneity, enjoyment or creativity ».

Why do you and I do not?

If mom uses cosmetics, it is likely that her pre-teen daughter asks her why she can make up and instead forbids her to do so. In those cases, it is not enough to say arguments such as "because I am older" or the traditional and not always effective "because I am your mother". It is necessary to explain to the girl the reasons why she should wait for this practice. Here are some recommendations from specialists in child psychology.

1. Differences between game and reality. Maybe when she was younger, your daughter played with makeup and that causes her to see it as something normal now and want to carry it out. However, it is important to explain the difference between a game and doing something on a daily basis, as part of your daily routine.

2. Time to time. Remind her that there is a stage for everything and she is not yet in the right one to put on makeup on a daily basis. You can encourage her by mentioning that she will have a whole life ahead of her to do it and there is no need to rush that moment. You can also give her some recommendations on how to look beautiful without a drop of makeup.

3. Step by step. If you consider that you are already at a suitable age to use cosmetics, guide her to do it little by little and do not want to buy and use all the makeup kits she finds. You can start with lip gloss, a thin layer of mascara, etc. There are routines that will look very cute applying very little makeup .