age for makeup

what age do you think is appropriate for a kid to start wearing full makeup?
what age were you/your siblings allowed to wear makeup?
what age will you allow your kids to wear makeup?

i ask because i'm wondering if i'm too old fashioned or too much of a prude. i have a family member who has allowed full-blown makeup (i'm talking about contouring etc) for her daughter at an age i believe is WAY too young.

i wasn't allowed to wear makeup until i was 15. i did sneak some makeup every now and then but nothing serious. once i was allowed to wear it, i went whole hog!!! then got bored of it in about six months. lol

i will never say anything to this family member, but i'm just wondering if i'm completely out of the loop because i only have a son and don't know what teen girls do these days.

age for makeup

I'm sure most others will disagree with me since I have noticed lots of adult women don't wear makeup for some reason. But I'd say I was about 12...concealer, mascara, eyeshadow, eyeliner---that was huge for me as I only got permission in 7th grade, blush, lipstick/gloss. But I can remember as young as 4th grade sneaking my mom's mascara, blush & lipstick. Many years later I asked her how come she never said anything since of course at that age I thought I was getting one over on her. She said eh, you did a good job, so what was the big deal?LOL

age for makeup

Middle School. I teach middle school and most girls are wearing it. I wouldn't want her to be left out or have to feel different.

Re: age for makeup

My 9th grader started asking by 7th i think. I used to be strict but by 8th grade realized i had to let go that i have to let my little girl grow into a woman! Also learned there are bigger problems to deal with and i have to choose my battles

In 8th grade she accumulated more and better makeup than me and not the cheap stuff. She is actually really talented at doing her face! Now i dont say anything and she often takes days off from wearing it.

My almost 12 yo in 7th doesnt show interest yet. Totally opposite children!

Message edited 10/26/2017 1:01:48 PM.

Re: age for makeup

I was not allowed to wear makeup until I was 13. But even then, I wasn't allowed to wear 4 tons of hoochie makeup either. lol I will make my DD wait until 13 as well. I feel that it's a very reasonable age to allow it.

age for makeup

I would probably be ok with LIGHT makeup at 13.

Re: age for makeup

As an adult I only wear makeup on occasion. Just to give an idea on what goes on in my house lol

I wouldn't have an issue with a 6th grader wearing make up on a regular basis. I think the concern for me would be how much/how it looks more than just using it. A little mascara, light eye shadow lip gloss go for it.

My girls are 6 & 8 now and will sometimes put on light makeup if we are going out to dinner or something, no big deal to me.

Re: age for makeup

My niece just turned 13 and she has been doing full blown makeup, contour, hair dye, all of that for at least 2 years now.

Re: age for makeup

At 13 you don't really NEED make up.
Your skin is the best it's going to be!
Firm, tight, glowing, dewy. Full of collagen and hope!


I would kill to have the skin I had at 13- I wouldn't need a stitch of foundation.
And what are we concelaing at 13? Dark circles? Eye bags?
Come on.

I can see a little blush, mascara, eyeliner, lip gloss etc.

But full heavy foundation, concealer and contour/highlight?

Skin that young has a natural highlight to it- it's the dewy "youthful" look that all us old hags are trying to mimic with our 10 lbs makeup bags!

age for makeup

8th grade I'm thinking for my DD

Re: age for makeup

Maybe 8th grade for a little make up - not full blown..no need. My DD is in 6th grade and has zero interest although some of her friends have started wearing mascara. I don't even like blow drying my DD's hair as I believe these are the years to be as natural as possible so we are very low key.

Re: age for makeup

I started buying and wearing Wet and Wild and Brucci around 12 or 13 I think. We'd also get those Tinkerbell cosmetics at RX Place - remember that store? Memories lol

For real, full-on makeup I was like 15/16.

Re: age for makeup

I'll never forget my first day at junior high when I had to eat lunch in the phone booth because I was the only girl in school dressed like the teacher instead of a gogo dancer. The next morning me and my bff Kimmy made sure we looked like a pair of cocktail waitresses before heading off to school. I hadn't quite learned the art of invisible makeup yet. Thankfully Aunt Becky was there to teach me.

Seriously though I'm probably the only prude who thinks makeup is more suited for high school. Like 16ish. Maybe 15. Some of these answers have me 11 year olds dying their hair and contouring?? I recently went to a pizzeria and the next table over had a family with some daughters, the youngest probably 7 or 8, and they all looked like they work the beauty pageant circuit with the full blown hair, makeup, false lashes, belly shirts, daisy dukes, fake nails, and busy with the cell phones. Frightening and distracting.

Re: age for makeup

By 12 or 13+ the average girl has access to social media and is following people that are older and wear makeup (celebrities, youtube stars). Thats where they learn. Its not just an older relatives or teen magazines anymore.

Re: age for makeup

I started wearing makeup young. Maybe 6th grade. Then I went to an all girls school for high school and didn’t wear makeup unless I was going out for a special occasion. I still only wear make up when I am going out. Ironically my mom begged me to wear more make up as a teen and 20 something.

I’m not a fan of hard and fast rules for things like this. I think with some things the more you say no the more they rebel. If my daughter is interested in make up I would much rather bring her to the Bobbi brown counter and have them teach her how to apply it tastefully for her age. I would say around 8th or 9th grade. I don’t want her trying to learn herself and walk around looking like a clown like I did.

Re: age for makeup

Posted by NervousNell

At 13 you don't really NEED make up.
Your skin is the best it's going to be!
Firm, tight, glowing, dewy. Full of collagen and hope!


I would kill to have the skin I had at 13- I wouldn't need a stitch of foundation.
And what are we concelaing at 13? Dark circles? Eye bags?
Come on.

I can see a little blush, mascara, eyeliner, lip gloss etc.

But full heavy foundation, concealer and contour/highlight?

Skin that young has a natural highlight to it- it's the dewy "youthful" look that all us old hags are trying to mimic with our 10 lbs makeup bags!

Re: age for makeup

age for makeup

I don't see the big deal its just makeup. I'd be more concerned with how they are dressed vs some makeup on their face. I would say some makeup starting in middle school is fine...lip gloss, mascara, eyeliner and some concealer (cause i know at that age they start getting pimple) are fine.

Re: age for makeup

Posted by NervousNell

At 13 you don't really NEED make up.
Your skin is the best it's going to be!
Firm, tight, glowing, dewy. Full of collagen and hope!


I would kill to have the skin I had at 13- I wouldn't need a stitch of foundation.
And what are we concelaing at 13? Dark circles? Eye bags?
Come on.

I can see a little blush, mascara, eyeliner, lip gloss etc.

But full heavy foundation, concealer and contour/highlight?

Skin that young has a natural highlight to it- it's the dewy "youthful" look that all us old hags are trying to mimic with our 10 lbs makeup bags!

Re: age for makeup

Posted by StaceyLu

Posted by NervousNell

At 13 you don't really NEED make up.
Your skin is the best it's going to be!
Firm, tight, glowing, dewy. Full of collagen and hope!


I would kill to have the skin I had at 13- I wouldn't need a stitch of foundation.
And what are we concelaing at 13? Dark circles? Eye bags?
Come on.

I can see a little blush, mascara, eyeliner, lip gloss etc.

But full heavy foundation, concealer and contour/highlight?

Skin that young has a natural highlight to it- it's the dewy "youthful" look that all us old hags are trying to mimic with our 10 lbs makeup bags!

Some middle schoolers--mine included--are not experiencing dewy skin, they have acne-covered, hormonal skin! In this case, some concealer, etc for what to them seems like mortifying breakouts is perfectly acceptable.

age for makeup

Oh yeah, no! Some of those girls are walking around with those weird, shiny, contoured faces and I'm like you look like a trashy Snapchatty lemming!

age for makeup

I stared with some light mascara, pressed powder and lip gloss in 9th grade. I don’t think kids should wear heavy makeup. My niece is almost 13 and a lot of her friends are experimenting with makeup, so my SIL took her to an E.L.F. store and they helped her buy some age appropriate and makeup in the right colors for her skin.

Re: age for makeup

Posted by NervousNell

At 13 you don't really NEED make up.
Your skin is the best it's going to be!
Firm, tight, glowing, dewy. Full of collagen and hope!


I would kill to have the skin I had at 13- I wouldn't need a stitch of foundation.
And what are we concelaing at 13? Dark circles? Eye bags?
Come on.

I can see a little blush, mascara, eyeliner, lip gloss etc.

But full heavy foundation, concealer and contour/highlight?

Skin that young has a natural highlight to it- it's the dewy "youthful" look that all us old hags are trying to mimic with our 10 lbs makeup bags!

Re: age for makeup

I wasnt allowed makeup until my Sr. year of HS.

age for makeup

I think I was 15 or 16 when I started wearing makeup. I remember my mom letting me use concealer on pimples earlier. I had awful skin as a teenager. Now I rarely leave the house without makeup.

I hope my DD feels comfortable enough in her own skin to never want wear makeup!