How young is too young?

[heeltohaunch]

My boyfriends niece is 10 years old, and all her friends at school have convinced her that she has to wear makeup, peer pressure etc. Her mum thinks shes way too young (and I agree.) I gave her some sheer pigment samples in colors like white and peach for her to play with at home because she was so upset but she's still not allowed to wear anything outside.

What do you guys think? How young is toooo young for makeup? When did you start wearing makeup? When I was 13 my mum bought me a black eyeliner pencil and that was it until I was about 18 and started getting into MAC, so I can't imagine a 10 year old getting dolled up!

[glam8babe]

10! jesus thats bad... when my cousin was 8 years old she had a girl in her class at school who ALWAYS had to have a spray tan, hair bleached blonde and acrylic nails [not sure about makeup] and i was actually disguisted mothers encourage their daughters to do this.. even if she didnt encourage her she still lets her do it which knocks me sick. Theres so many paedophiles out there and these mothers need to realise.

However for your bfs neice im sure she wants to fit in with her friends just like we all did. Its not nice feeling like the one whos left out but maybe she could wear a nice lil sheer pink lipgloss and a very natural coloured blush? Shes too young for eye makeup in my opinion and i started wearing makeup properly at the age of 13/14 which i think is the right age to start.

[xsnowwhite]

i wore a little bit when i was 13, but that was just concealor and mascara. It wasnt until i was around 15/16 i started doing eyeliner & shadows.

[MadchenRogue]

Well, I used hairspray and gel in 5th grade. Got my perm when I was in 6th grade ( it was 89-90-- it was in style u know *hehe*) My first eyeliner was in 7th grade with a semi-sheer lipstick. In 8th grade I started experimenting with cosmetics and by 9th grade I was wearing full on cosmetics/ plucking my eyebrows. BUT I can understand the pressure. When I moved to the the midwest girls where making fun of me because I did not shave my legs (In puerto rico girls dont shave the legs until like 14-15 or so---BACK THEN--but times have changed I reckon) I told my mom about it, this was when I was 5-6th grade. My mom gave the OK. So, when I started shaving the girls stopped teasing me. But if they don't tease you for one thing, they'll tease you for another thing...thats how it is at that age.
BUT I think girls are growing up way too fast. THANKS to MTV and Nickelodeon and to a degree Disney Channel. I say be a good role model to your niece and tell her that her face is really pretty she has no reason covering it up. And if you have to go as far as getting before and after celebrity pictures ( u know No make-up, with make-up pics) show them as an illustration. But, what you can do for her is get her some nice bonne bell lipgloss, glitter nail polish ( I started wearing glitter nail polish in 4th grade, my mom always thought it would look cute), and a cute perfume ( something affordable like Jovan musk or vanilla fields) with hair accesories, I am soo sure she'll love that.

[chocolategoddes]

10 year olds! I had a friend in 5th grade who wore hello kitty glitter makeup to school and I thought she was so cool! Thats way too young to even care about looking good. I didn't start wearing makeup till I was 15 and even now i rarely do the whole face thing. Allowing girls to wear makeup later helps them deelop better because they know they don't need to hide behind makeup.

[liv]

Ten is way too young IMO. The most I had then was a collection of Bonne Bell Lip Smackers (remember when they came with a shoestring you could lace the caps that had holes onto? I had about 20 of them =])

The only thing I could see beyond that is maybe clear mascara (I had a Bonne Bell one in middle school) and a almost completely sheer pink lipgloss (like Clinique Air Kiss, that sort of color). Other than that, let kids be kids is my thoughts on it.

[labellavita7]

I think 10 is too young, 13 is about the time girls start to experiment. The most I'd allow my child would be, like the other girls have said, Lip Smackers and some nail polish. Have her pick out the color of lip gloss so she'll feel the prettiest. As long as she feels pretty with something as simple as that, she'll be happy.

[rosenbud]

I can actually still remember being 10 years old and what your friends say goes, poor girl.
I would probably get her some tinted lipbalms, some light coloured lipgloss and maybe a light bronzing powder she can sweep along her cheekbones so that it doesn't really appear she is wearing anything and will just enhance her natural colouring and her friends still think she's cool.
I dread the day I ever have a daughter

[wolfsong]

I agree with something Shimmer wrote on this subject in a post awhile ago - if they are old enough to put it on (ie apply and blend properly so it looks good) then they are old enough to wear it. I dont think many 10 year olds will know how to apply and blend eyeshadow, so maybe lipgloss and nail varnish like a poster above said.

[blazeno.8]

I would say it depends on the person and the motives.
Peer pressure is never a good reason to wear makeup and so I'd say regardless of her age the motive is an automatic "no".
If there is a kid who has a skin issue which results in low self esteem, then I would say that maybe it's ok at a younger age.
I personally think that if I had kids and they showed artistic interest in the human body, then I would encourage that regardless of age and try to show them that makeup is one of the many ways to foster that interest.
As a general rule, wait until you're in highschool.

[faifai]

Instead of getting into makeup at this age, she should learn about proper skincare. Having your own cleansers, face masks, scrubs, toners, and moisturizer makes you feel like you're a "grown up" but the effect is much better. Kids start getting acne and other skin problems around 10-11 so it's a good time to start, and is a relaxing way to pamper her and boost her self-confidence.

In terms of makeup, I didn't really start wearing any till I was 13 or 14. The very end of middle school or the transition into high school seems like the "right" time, around 14-15, since that's when most girls tend to be well into puberty and will notice their peers wearing makeup.

If she does want to get into beauty rituals, suggest that she get her eyebrows threaded, use a lash curler, and a pinkish clear lipgloss. These are all things that I remember noticing about my friends in middle school - they didn't wear makeup necessarily, but they DID put effort into how they looked since they wanted to impress the boys and the other girls too. They had their brows neatly done, lashes curled, and wore lipgloss, but didn't really bother with more than that.

[revinn]

I have to admit that I started wearing make up when I was ten years old. Looking back on it, I would wear bright red or fuchsia lipstick, cheap blue eyeshadow..bluch. But it was FUN, and it gave me a little boost when I would wear it. It's not like piercings or tattoos, you can always wash it off, so I don't see the harm in having fun with make up when you're young. It gives you something to look back on and laugh at!

[*KT*]

If she's hell bent on wearing it, she'll find a way. Whether she's sneaking it in the school bathroom and slapping it on like spackle or whatever. I'd go with Faifai said to start... and if she's still completely determined, get a few pretty neutral colors and show her how to do it right.

[♥MiCHiE♥]

WOW. At 10? This is ridiculous. Doesn't the school put their foot down as far as things like this? No 10 YO should be sneaking MU into school. The most she should have in her possession is drug store lip gloss. Kids should be kids. They have the rest of their lives to be grown women and when the time comes, they'll long for the carefree days of 10.

[newagetomatoz]

Oh boy....I feel really awkward now! I remember in 5th/6th grade I was sneaking makeup to wear at school! I must have been 10-11 years old at the time. All I really wore though was concealer and light colored cheap eyeshadow that wore off in a few hours. I was around 13 when I started being more "colorful." But looking back on it, it really was too young to wear makeup besides the lipgloss and nailpolish.

I think you did the right thing by letting her play with neutral colors because I think part of my obsession was driven by the fact that my mother disapproved. I really think that a girl shouldn't start wearing makeup till around thirteen, despite my feelings when I was then.

[heeltohaunch]

Thanks for all the wonderful comments and ideas I'm going to sit down with her and have a talk.. teach her about skincare, grooming etc. I think if she starts to feel that she has a beauty routine she'll feel like she fits in more but I don't want her to totally succumb to peer pressure :$ I'm so glad I'm finished from school, but even some of girls in my university have not exactly grown out of the high school clique phase...

Thanks for your insight everyone!

[Beauty Mark]

No one should EVER feel pressured to wear something like makeup. 10, 100, etc. Tell her that she's beautiful just the way she is and needs to do what she feels is right for her. If she want to wear makeup, let her learn about proper care of her skin and hair and nails. Let her play with nail polish and perhaps a tinted gloss. That's, IMO, all a 10 year old should play with.

[sinergy]

my lil girl is ten, and im just happy that she isnt into makeup yet. one of her good friends, IMO is growing up way to fast, and her mom is allowing, even encouraging it. the fifth grade where i live is part of the middle school since its a smaller town, so her friends mom allows her to wear eyeshadows and lip glosses, if they were shear it would be one thing, lighter colors, on a special occasion i think i could over look, but she is all about powdering her face, and reapplying her gloss, always wondering if she looks too fat in a certain shirt, flippin her hair over her shoulder, calling boys already, and had the nerve to ask me if she could borrow my coppering eye shadow. (um no!) haha. i dont know its just way to fast and too much for me. my daughter is still more of a tomboy, she wears baseball caps and boys basketball shorts, lol. she does love her CHI straightener though, haha, but if thats all i have to worry about for now, im good.

[kalikana]

I think 10 years old is too young, unless it's just those Lip Smacker things. I started wearing make up when I was around 12 or 13. I just wore eyeliner and lipgloss back then; occasionally eyeshadow and mascara.

[amoona]

I wasn't allowed to wear make-up (other then black eyeliner) until I was 18. The excepts would be for weddings and that's pretty much it. I wouldn't let my daughter wear make-up until she was 18 too. A 10 year old has more important things to focus on then make-up ... like school!!

I'm always bothered when mothers bring their young girls in to get their make-up done. There are some exceptions, like proms and school dances. But when you want me to do a full face on a 12 year old ... that's a different story.

[PRETTYGIRL26]

Wow, I started wearing make-up when I was 12, actually that was when I discovered my love for make-up, my mom didn't approve of my colorul looks but she did understand I had a passion for makeup. I've used makeup since then that was like 1993 or so, I then went on to use Cover-Girl foundation and eyeshadows at 16,. Then at 18 I graduated and starting using MAC. I think she's just discovering her new found love for makeup, I would say let her indulge, just don't let her go outside looking fully made-up but I think every little girl should have a makeup kit, and just play and discover her creativity. I hope this helps.

[RaynelleM]

I lived in the UAE too when I was 10 and I definitely was not allowed to wear make-up to school or anywhere else for that matter. I'm sure both my parents and teachers would have forbid it. Honestly though I don't even remember being concerned about make-up or feeling any pressure to wear any. lol I wasn't even allowed to shave my legs back then!! How times have changed!! Plus, when I lived there (not sure how it is now) it wasn't like I could have gone to the corner drug store and bought make-up on my own like here in Canada. I can't even think of a name of a store that sold make-up over there back then.
My first make-up item ever was a lip gloss, one of those flavoured bonne bell ones, that my mum got me when I first came to Canada and that was in grade 10 when I was 15 and it was a beige-y colour so it just blended into the rest of my face!! Then when I was 16, my mum got me coloured eyeliners (blue & green) and face powder and I didn't start buying my own make-up or experimenting with it until I was 18 (and I had a job to pay for it lol!!). I'm 25 now and my parents still comment on how much make-up I'm wearing and tell me not to wear too much.
I think you have the right idea to talk to your bf's niece about skin care cuz once puberty kicks in she will definitely need to know how to take care of her changing skin and control break-outs etc. otherwise she should just enjoy being a kid! There will be plenty of time for make-up once she is older. Not only that make-up may make her look older than she is and get her some unwanted attention!!

[miszjenny]

holly molly!! 10 year old is just tooooo young. I started wearing eyeliner when I was 17, started wearing liquid foundations at 18, and didn't start wearing eyeshadows not till I was 21.

[browneyedbaby]

I think I was about 13/14 wear I started wearing make-up but only really powder, mascara and lippy sometimes.

I think younger can be ok, if it's just done for FUN at home.

[redambition]

i think 10 is too young for "real" makeup.

i have a 10 year old cousin, and the most she's allowed (which i agree with) is some bonne bell or cheapie sheer lip gloss, and some nail polish every now and then. the nail polish is usually in such shockingly bright neon colours that there's no doubt it was done for the fun factor.

if she wanted to play with makeup at home - i am sure her mother wouldn't be too opposed to it as long as it wasn't worn outside the house. i think that's fine as well - that playing with makeup at home can be part of learning how to apply it.