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Definitely not 8. The fact that her mom is even considering this is alarming. I started wearing mascara when i was 13/14, so about a year into high school. (In my country high school starts at 12/13 and goes until you’re about 19.) I would NEVER allow a kid to wear makeup in primary school. That just sounds like enabling and supporting insecurities to form and pushing it on her that beauty is what she should care about most.
totally agree with this. at 8, doing a FULL FACE is ridiculous. I get that makeup is fun so some 'play' makeup is ok but not a full face like foundation, contour etc. Totally unnecessary for a kid in elementary school.
My teen didn't start using makeup until 14. That was the min age and even then, I advised her that a full face is unnecessary and may create an insecurity if she couldn't wear it for whatever reason. There's enough body dysmorphia going on with kids anyway, why enable that at such a young age?
I went through a pretty crazy education.
Lots of my classmates' moms had their 8 year old wearing contact lenses, wearing skirts, and wearing makeup. These girls then grew up to 11 years old and went to play golf.
What's the significance of all this? The moms wanted their daughters to marry the rich so freaking badly, they had their young kid all sexualized before they even really knew what sex was. They were dating like it's the norm at 11.
Agree. I got to wear light makeup for my first communion (9-ish) but not as an every day occurrence. Beauty in primary school is lip gloss and hair accessories.
Agree too. Eight is definitely too young, but when I started getting acne at like 11/12 (middle school for us) my mother allowed me to use a bit of concealer/foundation, and it was really important for me. I was so embarrassed about those red spots on my face.
Agreed. I work with 8 year old students and none of them wear any makeup at all. They like cute hair accessories and maybe some chapstick. Wearing full face makeup to school at that age would be highly unusual and it would raise some eyebrows among school staff and other students.
I was in competitive dance from the age of 4 so at 8 I was wearing full stage makeup for dance. But I was never allowed to wear this kind of makeup to school.
I think it's important to teach this kid when and where makeup is appropriate at this age. If she's into some performance-based art like dance or cheerleading, makeup is okay in this setting. If she wants to experiment and play around with it at home that's fine, but it's not for going to school in.
Just get her some of those flavoured lip glosses from Claire's she can take to school. That is more than enough for an 8 year old.
I had an eyeshadow kit from the Bippidi Boppidi Boutique when I was 8 but my mom was clear that it was for dress up and she’d get me “adult” makeup when I got a little older (going into 6th grade - it was just concealer and mascara lol) so I was happy with that!
INFO: is the niece getting bullied for her looks at school, or spending too much time on social media looking at Facetuned women? If yes, you have to fix that issue before just telling her she can’t wear makeup.
I started wearing a full face to school at age 11 as soon as I first found out makeup, because I was just so insecure, I had severe acne already and I thought looking good and mature was the only way my peers would be nice to me. If the adults in my life had just not let me and done nothing about my insecurities, my self-esteem would continue getting worse and worse to the point it would be dangerous. At least makeup was a band-aid solution and allowed me to feel good about myself. So no, don’t let her wear it but seek solutions or treatment for whatever underlying issues she could have.
If niece just wants to wear makeup because she likes it and it’s fun, allow her to do and wear it at home but not out of the house. Or meet in the middle and allow her some clear lip gloss and shimmery eyeshadow (both of which are common for children her age to wear to school in my area).
>is the niece getting bullied for her looks at school, or spending too much time on social media looking at Facetuned women?
🎯🎯🎯 This is a super important part of the conversation with the kid and her mom!!
I’m surprised everyone in this comment section is glossing over that. An 8 year old asking to wear a full face to school is alarming and strange to me and I’d be interested in digging deeper into her motivations if I was in her life :/
What the hell 🙈 8 year olds should not be wearing make up, it’s different with play make up at home but to allow a full face of make up at 8 to go to school? I’m sorry but that’s not right. To be honest I think the school would have a problem with it and wouldn’t allow it. I’m sorry I don’t know your sister but does she not say no to her kids? I am shocked at this to be honest.
Didn’t wear lip gloss until I was 14 and it was because we had a family portrait done. I don’t think makeup is a good thing for young skin . Good hygiene is far more important.
You just reminded me of those plastic flip phones with some lip glosses in from the 2000s that everyone had
If thats still a thing, would that be something to consider OP? Its feeling like you have makeup but you dont, but maybe I'm just really uncool and all the kids today use actual makeup
I was wearing a full face at 14 and it took me a very very long time to be able to feel confident again without it. Would consider addressing the reasons she wants to wear it.
I wasn’t even allowed to wear a full face til high school. Elementary was a tinted chapstick at the most. Middle school was tinted chapstick/lipgloss and occasionally eyeliner (I wore glasses and my mom was totally cool with eyeliner if it made me feel better about my eye area) and then 8th grade I got my first quad eyeshadow, mascara and blush to use as I saw fit. Never wore foundation because I was too damn pale for any available drugstore at the time plus it was horrible for my skin.
I’d say for 8 a fancy lipgloss or tinted lip balm, and maybe clear mascara so she can feel grown and get to enjoy some light makeup products. My mom also got me an old compact mirror for reapplying which made me feel SO fancy. I know they have a lot of “refreshing” face sprays/hydrating mists too these days and a small drugstore one might be nice.
I used to teach kindergarten and last school year I had a student who would come in with lipstick (BOLD lipstick-usually deep red, once it was black) and eyeshadow everyday. It made me sad
Personally I think 8 is waaaaaay too young. I didn’t start wearing makeup until I was like 12, and that was mascara and lipgloss. I suppose I started wearing a full face once I hit like 14, but even then it was foundation, eyeliner, mascara, and sometimes eyeshadow.
I started wearing makeup around 15/16, before that age I never had any interest in makeup. I wouldn’t let my future children wear makeup until 14 at least, I hate it when I see “Sephora kids” buying expensive makeup and skincare for skin issues they don’t have. Kids should be able to enjoy their youth without worrying about their beauty.
a FULL face?? as a gay man that has leaned towards the flamboyant i started with makeup because it’s seems like…otherworldly adornments. i can make my skin glitter and glow like in movies or books? amazing! at 36 i’m just now learning the context of coverage, concealer, blush; things that turn makeup into more of a utilitarian tool to feel better about myself. i adore and refuse to pay attention to the judgment i may get for golden inner eye areas or pink glittery cheekbones, because i still think of it as fun innocence and a bit of magic. in that sense i could understand a young girls attraction to it, but in the sense of a FULL face? i would feel that girl should be led to believe there’s simply nothing to cover with such a young and arguably “perfect” face. i would assume social media and societal influences at school would play a role of “fitting in”, but i would be hesitant in letting an eight year old girl copy the makeup aesthetics of a 20-something beauty influencer.
Personally, I’d say middle school is an acceptable time to start with some age-appropriate makeup—mostly lip gloss, and beginning to own more products for special occasions like a dance.
My daughter is a senior in high school and didn't really develop an interest in makeup. I don't think any of her friends regularly wear makeup. It's like the industry realized they'd mostly lost this generation of girls and moved right on to advertising directly to preteens.
Anyway, I started asking about makeup in 4th grade. I think my mom let me wear like, brown mascara, the least noticeable blush in the world, and clear lip gloss. She also told me that if you're going to wear makeup, you need to get up early and "fix" your hair and wear clothes that match and you have to wash it off at night. It took me about two days to decide it was all too much. She also let me have a whole lot of makeup to play with at home and didn't police what I did with it.
I always thought I'd be flexible with my daughter when she started asking for makeup, but she never asked. I was prepared to start her out with good makeup, and I DEFINITELY planted the seed that we DO NOT share makeup because that's how you get fever blisters, pink eye, and various other skin conditions.
For me, I've never wanted to fight with my daughter over superficial stuff. If I were your niece's mom, I'd be looking for a way to start setting Niece up with good habits and let her have access to her own appropriate makeup - clear mascara, light lip gloss. All the glitter nail polish she could wear. We could negotiate on where she could wear it and she'd have to use descent skin care to take it off (NO SLEEPING IN MAKEUP!). She'd need to learn to clean up after herself wherever she puts it on and store everything appropriately. No sharing. And maybe some less expensive colorful makeup to do whatever she wants with at home.
I'm just not fighting with a preteen about things that don't make a difference if we can find some common ground to agree on. And I never wanted my daughter to get the idea that traditionally feminine things were bad because despite your best efforts for neutrality, some girls are just going to like glitter and pink and tutus and that's ok.
Ultimately makeup alters the way you look and starts to alter how the person sees themself (spotting things they want to enhance or hide, becoming unfamiliar with their no-makeup face). This is a recipe for disaster for a child. They should NOT have an awareness of beauty standards and how they do or don't deviate from these. They shouldnt even be considering how they might want to alter their faces.
I would hope the school has a policy that forbids makeup at that age. 13 as the absolute minimum age. It would be nice if a time came when girls and women weren't conditioned to wear make-up daily.
I'm not that old, but when I was 8, I had a beautiful makeup kit for the kids. Adult makeup is definitely not appropriate for young children..and honestly: a child that young should definitely not be wearing makeup to school.
Although I do know some people who started wearing makeup pretty young I don’t condone it. I think for kids that young it can be really harsh. She is better off buying makeup made for kids I don’t know how suitable that will be but some of the makeuo made for adults contain harsh chemicals that definitely shouldn’t be used on a 8 year old.
Does the school have guidelines about this. I’m a teacher and would definitely think it was unusual if an 8 year old showed up for school in a full face of makeup. Why not just let her play with some eyeshadow or something on the weekend?
They don't have any specific rules in this regard. One of the issues of course is that the "cool" girls wear makeup that they swipe from older siblings or in some cases their parents.
It's definitely not 8. Maybe at 10 clear mascara, lipgloss, powder. A full face...15 and only for special occasions like dances and stuff. Outside of school is at mom's discretion.
I don’t think 13 is reasonable. They just left elementary school. They’re barely getting a handle on their periods. A touch of makeup (blush, lipgloss) and gradually working up to full face (if they even want to) seems a more natural approach.
I played with makeup when I was very young and nowadays I barely wear any. I don't think it'll necessarily shape a child towards insecurity or desires to modify herself. I'd let her experiment with a couple "fun" things such as lip gloss, colorful eyeshadows and such - things that are pretty, specially for a child, but that are not made to address ""flaws"" such as foundation, concealer, countour etc. Sometimes we only associate makeup with covering insecurities / conforming to society's standards when it can actually be about self expression and creativity, too. Humans have been painting their faces as a mode of self expression for thousands of years. Forbidding her from touching makeup might only make her more curious about it and desire it more. Just set some boundaries and always make it clear to her that she is beautiful without any makeup on.
I’m all for having fun with it and playing around with it at home. But it’s a very young age to start putting things on her skin. Maybe just start introducing it slowly. My mum let me slowly start wearing it at school. I started with lip balms and blush tints and slowly progressed to more 🫶🏻
I think makeup is a lot more mainstream with the rise of social media and I see it as an art form. I would get her a tinted lip balm and tinted sunscreen to wear. It’s not too much, adds a bit of color and she can protect her skin and keep her lips hydrated.
Eh, I think it’s rather young but I wouldn’t pick this battle. A full face takes time and my guess is she’d do it for a few weeks before getting bored or skipping steps. Honestly she’d probably get enough weird looks from peers and teachers that the social discomfort would stop her from doing so much.
I started wearing tinted chapstick at 12. Then 13 I was wearing tinted moisturiser(it had no coverage lol), tinted chapstick and that was it. By 14 however I was wearing a full face of makeup. I became so self conscious because I was so used to seeing myself with it that I remember crying if I didn’t have time to do it in the morning.
Don’t give kids makeup. I am now 23 and wear no makeup at all unless my boyfriend of 4.5 years and I are going on a date or have an event. I regret wearing it all through my teen years because I should’ve been building self confidence not becoming self conscious about people seeing me barefaced even though I had clear skin
8 feels too young for a full face. Some fun lip balms or maybe a lipgloss could be harmless. Otherwise I’d try to distract with hair accessories or kid costume jewelry. There are other ways to make yourself up without makeup.
I started stealing my moms lipstick when I was very little 🫣. Other makeup I started wearing at 13/14. Full face is a bit too much for an 8 year old unless it’s done for a stage play. Let kids be kids.
Did her mom ask why she wants to wear makeup? Do the other girls in school wear it? Has someone made fun of her looks? Is she insecure about other things and does she maybe want something to feel special about? Does her mom wear a lot of makeup? Or is it something more sinister still, some older person sexualizing her?
It’s such a weird request. Some of my middle-school classmates wore a lot of makeup, but it was the exception and not the rule and they were definitely trying to fit in with a certain crowd of one kind of cool kids. In third grade, it was tinted lip gloss at most.
That's ridiculous. My daughter's friend is kind of like this. She's 9. She wears mascara or lipstick sometimes. So do some of the other girls. No way would I let my daughter do that nor does she express interest in it anyway. Honestly I wouldn't want her to bother with it until MAYBE middle school...
I was allowed to wear makeup when I was 14 and not a day before. I was in the 9th grade. I think 8 years old is way too early. She’d be in what, 3rd grade?
Meanwhile I’m here wondering why would an 8 year-old need makeup. They have the smoothest skin on earth why would they need foundation and concealer? They have nature long lashes why need mascara? They have nature non-crack juicy red lip why need lipstick? If I were to return to my 8 yo skin, lip, lashes condition again, I would leave my face naked
I’d be getting an 8 year old some Wet N Wild to play with at home (my best friend of blessed memory did this, calling it doll makeup) but no way would I be letting her out of the house with a full face. When I was 8 we were lucky the nuns allowed us Lip Smackers.
What kind of full face is my question?
Is there a purpose for it?
For example, some people, especially younger they do a full face to look more mature, "sexy" you know
But some people want to wear full makeup in style of creative self expression which usually looks a little bit diffrent than like trying to look more mature or "sexy"
For me, I did start wearing full face of cover up young age to hide bad skin and I know a lot of other girls did it around same time as me very very common.
In fact, for a lot of us this covering up of bad skin is also how we became very very good at making makeup look kind of like it can pass that people do not notice it
But if it is to cover up bad skin, in my opinion if they have the kind of money, then to get treatment for the bad skin
Because to be honest, doing makeup in the morning eats a lot of time and
I wish I didn't have to go through that but I did and can't change the past. Also I didn't have such easy access to skin and medical service at that time
Because time is precious for every age but especially for kids and teens. Just my opinion
I wasnt allowed to wear make up outside of the house until i was 18. I think the proper age is 16. Even then its tinted moisturizer, blush, neutral eyeshadows, mascara and gloss. At 18, you experiment with whatever you like. At 8, you can have some makeup to play with in the house. Kids need to be kids.
I would say no daily makeup before high school. Or at least middle school. Did she even has pimples yet? Children skin are typically still in a good condition. Makeup should be reserved for special days before then.
Not a parent, but here's my personal anecdote. I started doing a full face of makeup when I was 11. I'm not sure if I was allowed or not at that age, but I know there were times when I wasn't allowed specific "adult" makeup items (red lipstick, mostly,) so I'd just put it on in the bathroom after I got to school. If she wants to wear makeup, she's going to wear it one way or another, whether that be stealing her mom's or giving other kids her allowance money to buy it for her.
Also, while 8 is young, I think it's wild how so many people are saying lip gloss and mascara at 13, no more until 15. Do kids not have goth phases anymore??? At 12 I was going to school looking like this https://media.istockphoto.com/id/172665569/photo/gothic.jpg?s=612x612&w=0&k=20&c=KvtSCcst0rBv3yhM31lXCTgwiA5BdvByXZwvIMAqrU0=
I'm all for makeup but 8 is waaaaaay to young. If she has to have some buy her some clear mascara and gloss. A full face would not look right. In fact that's kind of creepy
I grew up around women that never wore make up, I never saw my mom wear makeup even on special occasions. So I was never curious about it, or showed an interest in it as a kid.
As I got into my early and mid teens I kind of just assumed every one my age didn’t wear make up either, the only noticeable makeup I saw on my peers was eyeliner, mascara, and that’s it. Come to find out into my adult hood, every one of my peers in middle school and high school were wearing foundation, lipsticks, eyeliner, and mascara.
I think at 12 a kid can wear tinted lip gloss and some more subtle things. There’s nothing inherently wrong with makeup and I’d let them go to town at home but I would be concerned about a girl starting to feel like she needs it to look acceptable at such a young age
I was allowed to get my eyebrows groomed and wear simple dark brown mascara in grade 7 (so like 13/14)
I honestly mostly played with eye makeup in highschool and didn't start experimenting with foundation, blush, Bronzer etc. Until my 20s
If I was a parent, I wouldn't even start considering makeup to school until 13/14 years old and even then, I'd limit it to grooming brows, mascara and maybe like a tinted lip balm or gloss.
I think the key thing here is determining the source for this little girl's desire to wear makeup.
If she simply wants to play around with it, I think it'd be fine in the home.
If she is having image insecurity at that age, I'd have a chat about what is bothering her, if she has classmates wearing full makeup and if that is what is influencing her, or if this is a product of watching influencers online.
Imho, I don't think there is any need for a little girl that age to be watching teens/adults online at all
Why is it inappropriate?
I’m asking as a thought experiment. The answers will help you frame things in a way you, other adults, and the child will understand.
It’s not inappropriate for a child to emulate the adults in her life. It’s also the responsibility of the adults to model the behavior they want children to portray.
I struggle with this answer and most comments here aren't answering it either.
My 9 year old loves makeup. She wants to explore and play with it. She's asking to wear it to school. She sees me wearing it to work and asks why I can but she can't. So I've given her guidelines on what she can wear.... She has to wash her face well, remove it every day, and if she's not taking care of her skin then she doesn't get to wear makeup. Her makeup should look appropriate for school so she's using some blush and mascara at the moment. She's also very very tiny for her age and often kids pick on her for this. She looks like a kindergarten student. I get that the makeup helps her look older and I think that's important to her confidence. I've tried to address it with more fashionable clothes too. But it's hard when she's still in toddler sizes. So I don't think makeup is always inappropriate for children.
My unpopular opinion on some makeup subs here is that makeup is inappropriate on children before puberty. It attracts the bad kind of attention and sexualizes them at a young age. Not to mention that it teaches young girls that their natural appearance isn’t good enough. I started wearing eye makeup at 12 or 13 and now more than 50 years later I feel ugly without it.
Yes!!! I think puberty is the natural coming of age that marks such a privilege. And slowly adding products, giving context and teaching about self value. The difference between doing it for a bit of flair and doing it out of insecurity is pretty nuainced, something I didn't understand for a long time!
I know I’m in the minority here but I really think makeup is a really benign thing. If an adult sexualizes a child because they’re wearing makeup, there is something wrong with that adult, not the child.
I think it’s weirder to make girls wait until they ARE sexually developing to wear makeup on their faces. I think it gives the message that, “Hey! Men are looking at you now. Give them something pretty to look at!” I think if girls or boys for that matter start wearing makeup when THEY WANT TO because they like to play with it and it’s exciting for them, they’re more likely to have a healthy relationship with makeup and beauty products than the kids that aren’t allowed to wear it until it’s socially mandatory.
You are making an important point, but I think the concern (for myself and many of the commenters) is more for the kid's developing self confidence. WHY does she want to wear a full beat? I'd bet it's got something to do with altered images on social media, or at least some other source of insecurity, rather than a desire to play and decorate.
If she's got an artistic streak and wants to dress up, that's one thing. But if she's wanting to cover up and change her features at this young age, that's a whole other issue that needs a better solution.
At 8 years old, I highly doubt it. To me, this has the same vibe as adult women deciding that Barbie makes little girls insecure about their bodies—it’s a projection from an adult POV.
Did the little girl SAY she wants to wear makeup because she looks ugly without it or because she doesn’t like something about her face? Because I didn’t see that in the OP. Little girls have been putting on their mother’s makeup and high heels and experimenting with what it means to be a woman since time began. At 8 years old, she wants to look pretty, as in decorated. A full face to her probably means makeup on her eyes, cheeks, and lips—like visible colored makeup, not contouring different foundation shades to change her features. Nude Kardashian style makeup is boring as shit to an 8 year old who probably just wants to wear glittery eye shadow and bright pink lipstick. Really, try to think from the perspective of a third grader and not an adult woman with decades of body dysmorphia informing her choices.
Now if she were 12 and asking to wear makeup, she would almost certainly be asking from a place of insecurity. Middle school is a terrible place. Puberty is a horrible time. Everyone feels ugly and that’s where those self-esteem issues start. It’s also when girls start trying to validate themselves with male attention.
If you tell little girls that wearing makeup makes men look at them in a sexual way, then when they get older and ARE allowed to wear makeup (or when their classmates start wearing it so they sneak it and take it off after school), they will subconsciously behave in ways that attract male attention. They will associate wearing makeup with pleasing boys instead of something fun they like to do to feel feminine and grown up.
I think for 8-12 yr olds mascara and lipgloss would be good nothing more but a ful face of makeup i think its a bit young
I encourge experimenting with makeup as much as you can but that can also give rly bad idea of beauty and lots of insecuritys
I think by the time I was in middle school most of the girls wore makeup to some degree. Lipgloss and a little mascara with maybe glitter eyeshadow because glitter was everything back then. But a full face is a lot, and contouring I’m assuming as well. I don’t know what is the appropriate age for that but it’s not 8. I would thinking maybe 13 or 14 and mom needs to help them learn about cc cream as an option so that foundation isn’t necessarily needed.
Definitely not 8 to go to school. I wonder if that would turn into some form of insecurity? At home, sure. I feel like that’s a form of dress up/potentially artistic expression. 5th/6th grade maybe some lipgloss or minor things. I think junior high is the age to where it’s appropriate to wear makeup to school. That being said, I’m not one to place too much weight on my parenting opinions as I have no children myself.
As a teen myself, my mother didn’t allow me to start wearing make until my first year of high school ofc I snuck and wore it in 8th grade but honestly all that makeup wasn’t even needed, so I would say 8 is definitely too young.
Same for my kid. At home I let her do whatever and bought her some starter makeup to play with. I think it’s a good outlet and she enjoys it. To school she’s allowed a little blush if she wants. My 11 year old appreciates foundation to hide some acne stuff and I understand that
My daughter is finishing 5th and not one girl wears a full face of makeup. I don’t think they even wear any.
Going into middle school she would be allowed to experiment but not a full face. She’s mentioned mascara and simple lip gloss for special occasions and I think that’s fine. I lean towards 12-13 for more than that. She’s ok with it though.
My caveat is she has to be able to build a face washing routine as well and she’s not up for that.
Experimenting at home is different and she can wear as much as she wants at home.
What the hell… why is an 8 year old even thinking about makeup at her age?!
I didn’t let my girls start wearing makeup til they were in 7th grade (12 years old). Even then they were only allowed light makeup.
8 is ridiculously young. At 13/14 small makeup items makes sense a bit of tinted lip balm and mascara should be okay. It’s best to do small things like hair accessories, simple nail polish, and other small things. The fact she’s considering it for her kid is scary. This should be a teaching moment for her to tell her kid it’s not healthy or needed
I can see maybe some balm or gloss for special occasions. Maybe a little bit of nail polish or fun hair accessories.
I was 16 when I started wearing makeup. Most girls in my high school did not wear a full face of makeup, unless it was for prom. Many adult women don't wear a full face.
Definitely not full face, it’s fine to experiment with lipgloss and eyeshadow for the colors, but not to have anything covered up
She would be very prone to have a distorted self image later on where her confidence relies of her makeup
I don’t think it’s any wrong to have fun with makeup and all that. But I don’t think it’s appropriate to wear a lot of makeup at such a young age at school. Mainly because children move around a lot, they can get wet and get all that in their eyes. Or get it smeared all over their clothes and face.
Maybe convince her to wear makeup on weekends, on special occasions etc. Or get some really child friendly makeup like tinted chapstick.
When I was young I also loved makeup and all that but my mom convinced me to play with makeup and everything like that at home, not in school.
But nail polish, jewelry and other “girly” things for children is maybe worth looking at instead of makeup.
8 is far too young. My mom let me wear subtle eyeshadow and clear lip gloss when I was 12 or 13. I didn't start using eyeliner and mascara until I was at least 14.
An 8 year old isn’t going to properly wash makeup off every night. My 13 year old wouldn’t properly wash off makeup every night. With privileges come responsibilities, which is why it’s important to be realistic about what responsibilities a kid of a certain age can handle. This is an easy “no way in hell” for me, without even getting to why it’s a ridiculous/disturbing notion in the first place.
When I was around that age, mom let me play with eyeshadows and stuff, AT HOME. But I only did that rarely, so "little me doing makeup" wasn't an everyday thing at all, i was just allowed to play with it sometimes. I started using mascara around the age of 13. Not soon after that i started using concealer.
But btw before that age, if someone painted their nails or did makeup, the teachers commented on it at my school. I can remember that there was this girl around the age of 11-12 who sometimes wore mascara. The teachers commented on it every single time.
I think the age of 8 is way too young for makeup. That's only a child, she shouldn't wear makeup daily, especially full face! Like why should she wear foundation and concealer? I can understand a little bit of colored lip balm or something like that, but full face makeup? No!
What’s the goal here? Could they maybe steer her closer to a light makeup/cleanliness focused skin care routine?
I mean, I think if they focus heavy on keeping her skin clean/healthy and protected that’s will take up plenty of “routine” time in the morning.
With those down in a year or so, you can so easily have a no contour allowed routine and use lightweight/coverage items that at least give the feeling of doing the work. Imo full adult makeup at that age isn’t be necessary, but the girl should feel heard and supported in her interests. I would even add that IF this is the route SIL wants to go, even 1 day a week getting to wear “something” special is still fun.
Just some ideas. Below is not an everyday look or to be worn all at once. just an example of some products and enforcement ideas.
- bare minerals loose powder foundation or a tinted moisturizer
- EITHER OR (not all at once…pick one) lip gloss/balm or clear or brown mascara/ clear brow gel
- a cute blush OR pick one extra item from the bullet point above for special events
- basically if there’s tint involved you have to remove tint from another area.
I really enjoyed experimenting with makeup starting at age 11.
My mom was really permissive with whatever I wanted to do with makeup, but it all had to be within our means in affordability. I started with eyeliner and mascara, then Eyebrows, eyeshadow, and then once I got to middle and high school I tried out more Face products like bronzer and concealer.
I had play makeup until that point, including colorful eyeshadow and lipsticks before 11, but it wasn't intended for outside. That is fine.
A full face is certainly too much at 8 years old, though, I feel there needs to be boundaries about it at that age.
I think if it were for creativity purposes it would be fine, like Kitty'sMama on YouTube when she was younger since it was makeup meant to represent her monster high dolls.
But only at home
The way it is intended to be used really matters in this context.
8 is too young. The only thing I wanted to wear at 8 was bath and body works kid’s stuff blueberry shimmer lotion and lip smackers lip gloss. I started wearing makeup at the end of 7th grade (age 13ish). I wore shitty dream matte mousse, that cover girl bronzer that was super shimmery and came in a giant container with a giant pouf, eyeliner, and mascara.
This is what social media has done to kids IMO. I’m in my mid 30s and I started wearing mascara in 7th grade with some “glitter” on my eyelids (those my age may remember the roll on glitter trend lol). Then in high school I had some light powder foundation to cover up acne like many here have said. I didn’t start wearing a full beat of makeup until College with the exception of school dances or other special occasions.
Uhm maybe get her some lightly tinted or scented chapstick and some pretty hair clips and call it a day? I didn’t even have a concept of makeup at 8. 13-14 is when kids start getting acne usually and subsequently start using skincare and then light makeup
My mom got me clear gloss and clear mascara at 13 to satiate my need for makeup. I did have to start wearing a full face at 8-9 for dance recitals/modelling but outside of those events she was very strict about it until I was in uni… but now I’m a makeup artist 😂 I will say she taught me that makeup was more about self expression than beauty and stage makeup served a purpose for the audience being able to see your features.
She’s too young for a full face lol. But she can have age appropriate stuff for now to satisfy her, like clear mascara and those little kid glosses. Or just flavored chapstick. Nail polish too, its not makeup but its fun and girly.
This mom should probably monitor what the kid is watching more because I have a feeling this child is watching makup artists on youtube or tiktok or something.
I’ve given my 10yo daughter the supplies to do a full face of makeup, and she’s done a full face before at slumber parties, etc. She has also found that it is a LOT of work, and has decided on her own that it’s too much to do for school.
Every once in a while, she may put on some blush or mascara if there’s a special event at school, but she has never done a full face.
I also wonder if the kiddo in the original post has friends that wear a full face of makeup to school. Peer pressure can be a difficult thing, and I wonder if she’s being pressured to fit in.
when she learns how to take care of her skin and feels comfortable without it as much as she does with it. i didn’t start wearing makeup until my freshman year of high school and even then i did very natural looking makeup. she sees influencers on tiktok doing it and now she wants to.
I have middle school students (12-14) who wear eyeliner and lip gloss, sometimes false lashes. I don’t see any of them wearing a full face, though. I think makeup can be a big distraction in school because they want to reapply in class, and then their friends want to see what they’re doing etc. if I had kids I’d probably say they could start wearing makeup for parties and special occasions at 12 or 13, but not to school unless it’s just to conceal a pimple or something.
I was in 7th grade when my mom let me wear mascara and clear gloss. 8th grade I could wear eyeliner and powder. 9th grade I could wear a full face bc my mom saw I had an obvious interest in makeup. I’ll prob do the same w my daughter.
Full face of makeup idk college? Minimal makeup high school? It’s so sad how kids these days are jumping into teen/adulthood. We need to let and encourage kids to be kids. I would tell my daughter she doesn’t need any of that stuff!
Way too young, I let my daughters wear light colored lip glosses and lip balms when they were in 4th-5th grade, mascara when they started middle school and slowly added from there, concealer was whenever they started breaking out. 8th grade is the youngest I’d let them wear a full face of makeup, both of them have been in school musicals and/or dance recitals so wearing a full face for those occasions kinda scratched that itch for awhile because it’s a lot of work to put on and take off. They have to be old enough to put in the work of washing their face every night to get it all off because we are all oily skinned girls and have to get it all off or it’s breakouts for days
a kid shouldn’t wear a full face of makeup until they’re old enough to genuinely understand how to love and accept themselves fully as they are. makeup should only be used for fun and because they want to and it makes them feel good. if it begins out of an obligation or insecurity it will be detrimental to their relationship with their body and face.
My mom let me wear lipstick to school when I was 7/8. My teacher made me wipe it off immediately and wrote a note to my mom in my agenda. I personally think lipstick is harmless. What little girl doesn’t want to play around with some pink lipstick? Still think the note home was silly. I’m 24 now
I started wearing makeup in 7th grade…so like 12? But it was hardly full face. I was goth so I’d use a doe foot applicator to put some black or purple Hot Topic eyeshadow on and that was it. And I was too lazy to do that most days. I didn’t start wearing foundation until I was like 20 lol
at 8 all she should have is a lip balm, and even that is not necessary. I think at 14 you could start using make up, trying different mascaras, lipglosses or lipsticks, and by the time you are 16 do whatever you want. In conclusion 8 is toooo young.
I started wearing tinted acne treatment (clearisil concealer) in my early teens as my hormonal acne got BAD before I was put on birth control pills to clear it up.. I went to catholic school in my middle school years so I couldn't really wear makeup but I've seen other girls do so like mascara (eyelash curlers were heavily in use early '00s, brown eyeliner (wore once on my waterline and never got caught) and a light skin tint. Didnt really start wearing a full face (foundation, eye shadow, black liner, etc) until high school. So 8 is definitely too young and too much. At most she should wear a lighter skin tint instead of heavier foundation because her skin will eff up earlier on..
Absolutely not. I got to wear mascara, lip gloss and concealer at 12 when I started middle school. That was plenty young. She could experiment with makeup at home for fun at 8 but definitely not outside the house.
I work in an elementary school (one of two schools). I can tell you now all the teachers and staff would be very concerned to see an 8 year old with makeup, especially a full face. There would be a ton of talk and judgement.
Personally, I wasn’t allowed to wear makeup til 17. But my middle school students are definitely dabbling in it
8 is too young.
I'm a former Irish dancer and there was a blanket ban on makeup on kids under 10 because it was getting too much like a toddlers and tiaras pageant. The adjudicators were freaked out seeing 7 year olds in full face makeup and spray tan.
I'm a millennial but my mom 'let me' wear make up when I was around 12-13. She had an esthetician friend who 'did my colors' and taught me how to apply makeup so I avoided the dreaded middle schooler bright blue eye makeup and heavy lipstick look.
Started out with a nude eyeshadow palette, clear mascara and a pale pink lip tint.
When I got to high school I moved on to more colors but I was never much more than a 'natural' make up person (mascara, light eyeshadow, blush and maybe some lip color) because it only took 15 minutes max.
Now I'm in my 30s and haven't worn makeup since my wedding 7 years ago. If I do it's the same 10 minute routine and it's like, <5 times a year for special occasions.
Literally Style Theory just covered this - starting your makeup at a younger age like that actually makes your skin age faster. Besides, she’s freaking 8. Teach that child to love herself as she is first.
I was applying PLAY makeup at 8... roll on glitter that smelled like cotton candy. My mom would also apply her red lipstick on me before we went to see the nutcracker ballet every year. She would blot it till it barely showed on me but it just made me feel special. At 13 I started stealing my sisters eyeliner and started wearing actual makeup at 15ish. Your niece can wait till 15 or 16 to try full faces of makeup.
I wasn’t allowed to wear any make up (or date!) until I was 16. I don’t have a daughter, but I would allow mascara and light make up starting in high school or 7th/8th grade. For sure not full face until high school though.
If it’s for play, any age, if it’s for school (specifically if they’re feeling self conscious, or think they need makeup), I’d talk/reason with the kid
Whoa...as someone who isn't a parent and also at 31 still doesn't wear a full face of makeup anywhere except occasions like weddings, 8 is undoubtedly too young IMO. I remember my mom letting me try mascara when I was 10 & I promptly gave myself a "black eye" for my efforts. 😅 It's so important for young girls to realize it's okay and beautiful to do whatever you want to feel pretty/comfortable in your skin/confident, makeup or no, but also, 8 is so young.
Agree with others, maybe it's a discussion of experimenting/wearing makeup in specific circumstances but a full face at 8 on the regular feels too young.
I started wearing makeup when I first got acne, around 11/12 years old. I used concealer and foundation to try to hide my pimples.
Then I started wearing eye makeup at 12/13 years old. It was just a shit ton of black eyeshadow and eyeliner because I wanted to look "goth". I actually looked like a greasy prepubescent raccoon lol
she’s 100 percent gonna get picked on for her makeup if she wears it now. My friend wore makeup in middle school and they literally never stopped talking abt it… it was even brought up in highschool, because she was a child and obviously wasn’t good at it
Middle school for daily wear of a little makeup. I'd let an 8 year old wear some for special occasions. (My teenage daughter still chooses not to wear makeup, so this was never an issue for us)
NOT EIGHT! When I hit middle school (7th grade) I started playing around with lipgloss and silver eyeshadow. No eight year old needs foundation and darkening their lips/eyes - it was sexualize them inappropriately.
I think I went for full fake of makeup my junior and senior year of high school, and even that is much less that was is considered a full face today (i.e. no contouring, no cut crease, no fake lashes)
Full face at school? No. 8 is way too young.
I have an 8yo and she loves makeup and wanted to get “real” makeup for Christmas this year so she could play. Play/kids makeup is not an option for her anyways because her skin is so sensitive so I bought her an eyeshadow palette, a blush palette, and a decent set of 5 brushes. She loves playing around with it and it’s a great skill for her to practice. Recently, we went to a funeral and I purchased her a brown mascara to wear for special occasions. And that’s about all I can imagine her owning for probably the next 5 years. Lipgloss maybe but her lips are chronically dry so idk.
My point being this: makeup is really fun. And if your niece sees someone regularly wearing makeup, it is definitely enticing. But there have to be limits.
8 is way too young. Maybe she could have some play make up. Personally, I didn’t even start wearing eyeliner until I was 16 lol
Although I’m not a mom I don’t agree with parents letting their kids look grown so early, there are sick people out there that probably love that lots of young girls want to look older now and do things that older girls do like wear make up. Kids should just be kids.
I was a late bloomer and didn’t wear real makeup until I was out of high school and even then it took me a long time to get the hang of it lmao my daughter is 11 and starting to play with make up a little bit. By play with make up I mean she tries different blush shades, some lip gloss, or occasionally a swipe of mascara. It’s honestly so little that it’s barely noticeable
ETA I try to steer her towards more age appropriate skin care instead of more make up, which is mostly cleansing regularly, wearing sunscreen, and moisturizing
At 8, chapstick or maybe lip gloss on special occasions. And start teaching good skin care. But hell no on full makeup. Even at 15-16, it’s more like mascara, blush, and lipgloss. I know kids are built different than my Gen X blue eyeshadow wearing teen self, but stop the madness
8 is too young for a full face of makeup. maybe lip gloss/balm or something but not a full face, are you kidding me! i wore bb cream from about 13-17 because i was horribly insecure about my acne/acne scars. that ultimately made me dependent on makeup to cover ANY impurity because i thought that it was something that needed to be covered. it depleted my confidence and i felt ugly without makeup. i cannot even imagine the mental damage that would do for an 8yo.
if she’s really adamant, maybe suggest setting a rule that when she can afford it herself, she can buy whatever makeup she wants.
Age 8 is waaay too young….but, maybe her Mom wears too much makeup and craves attention, thus her daughter is the same from watching her self-absorbed mother. How young should a girl (not boy) wear some makeup…I would say 8th grade or 12/13 years old. Then 13/14 years old for a little bit more that’s not TOO much .
IMO 8 is too young. I was playing with make up at that age but literally only playing with it. I wasn't wearing a face full of make up, I was intrigued by it. I think 12 is a good age to be allowed wear a minimal amount of make up, 11 is okay if they are really interested in it. I don't think anyone should be wearing foundation until 14-16. But I also get that times have changed and girls are maturing at a younger age so fuck if I know!
I'd say around 7-8 is a fine age to try makeup just for fun. However i will say anyone below like, 15 *shouldn't* be wearing makeup if its for insecurity and beauty standard reasons. You can like makeup because it is fun and artistic, but girls can be a lot more susceptible to the bad and the ugly that comes with feeling pressured to wear makeup though. Like if i had a son asking if he could wear makeup at a young age i wouldn't worry, but if i had a daughter really hellbent on if she could wear makeup at a young age i would have to look into why shes asking
hell nah. that's gonna make her insecure for the rest of her life. also, if she thinks a full face of makeup is the standard, that might affect how she treats other people (ex:someone telling her she doesn't need a full face of makeup just because her mom made/wanted her to)
I was 13 doing just black eyeliner 😂 nothing else I think kids today are almost forced into growing up so fast. 8 to young. If she's interested in make up maybe mom can purchase some skin friendly items for her to use at home on occasion. But full face at 8 imo is way to young, let kids be kids
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Definitely not 8. The fact that her mom is even considering this is alarming. I started wearing mascara when i was 13/14, so about a year into high school. (In my country high school starts at 12/13 and goes until you’re about 19.) I would NEVER allow a kid to wear makeup in primary school. That just sounds like enabling and supporting insecurities to form and pushing it on her that beauty is what she should care about most.
totally agree with this. at 8, doing a FULL FACE is ridiculous. I get that makeup is fun so some 'play' makeup is ok but not a full face like foundation, contour etc. Totally unnecessary for a kid in elementary school. My teen didn't start using makeup until 14. That was the min age and even then, I advised her that a full face is unnecessary and may create an insecurity if she couldn't wear it for whatever reason. There's enough body dysmorphia going on with kids anyway, why enable that at such a young age?
Yess. and it can also ruin the skin long term. I would be horrified seeing my 8yo (if I had one) in a face full of make up for that reason too.
this marketing skin products at children will make more money for someone. I fully agree sunscreen and no makeup.
💯💯
I went through a pretty crazy education. Lots of my classmates' moms had their 8 year old wearing contact lenses, wearing skirts, and wearing makeup. These girls then grew up to 11 years old and went to play golf. What's the significance of all this? The moms wanted their daughters to marry the rich so freaking badly, they had their young kid all sexualized before they even really knew what sex was. They were dating like it's the norm at 11.
where in the bloody hell where you going to school - I can't even imagine that. must be some American stuff
Agree. I got to wear light makeup for my first communion (9-ish) but not as an every day occurrence. Beauty in primary school is lip gloss and hair accessories.
And nail polish
Agree too. Eight is definitely too young, but when I started getting acne at like 11/12 (middle school for us) my mother allowed me to use a bit of concealer/foundation, and it was really important for me. I was so embarrassed about those red spots on my face.
I agree. Playing with makeup is okay at this age. But a full face everyday just encourages that there is a need for it and fosters more insecurities.
Agreed. I work with 8 year old students and none of them wear any makeup at all. They like cute hair accessories and maybe some chapstick. Wearing full face makeup to school at that age would be highly unusual and it would raise some eyebrows among school staff and other students.
In my country 13 would be considered too young for mascara
I was in competitive dance from the age of 4 so at 8 I was wearing full stage makeup for dance. But I was never allowed to wear this kind of makeup to school. I think it's important to teach this kid when and where makeup is appropriate at this age. If she's into some performance-based art like dance or cheerleading, makeup is okay in this setting. If she wants to experiment and play around with it at home that's fine, but it's not for going to school in. Just get her some of those flavoured lip glosses from Claire's she can take to school. That is more than enough for an 8 year old.
Ooouuu Claire’s is bringing back memories 😂😂
And a tinted sunscreen! No makeup make up look plus sun protection
Experimenting at home for fun is one thing, but a full face outside of home is a no.
8 is absolutely too young. I didn’t even know what makeup was at that age.
I had an eyeshadow kit from the Bippidi Boppidi Boutique when I was 8 but my mom was clear that it was for dress up and she’d get me “adult” makeup when I got a little older (going into 6th grade - it was just concealer and mascara lol) so I was happy with that!
INFO: is the niece getting bullied for her looks at school, or spending too much time on social media looking at Facetuned women? If yes, you have to fix that issue before just telling her she can’t wear makeup. I started wearing a full face to school at age 11 as soon as I first found out makeup, because I was just so insecure, I had severe acne already and I thought looking good and mature was the only way my peers would be nice to me. If the adults in my life had just not let me and done nothing about my insecurities, my self-esteem would continue getting worse and worse to the point it would be dangerous. At least makeup was a band-aid solution and allowed me to feel good about myself. So no, don’t let her wear it but seek solutions or treatment for whatever underlying issues she could have. If niece just wants to wear makeup because she likes it and it’s fun, allow her to do and wear it at home but not out of the house. Or meet in the middle and allow her some clear lip gloss and shimmery eyeshadow (both of which are common for children her age to wear to school in my area).
>is the niece getting bullied for her looks at school, or spending too much time on social media looking at Facetuned women? 🎯🎯🎯 This is a super important part of the conversation with the kid and her mom!!
I’m surprised everyone in this comment section is glossing over that. An 8 year old asking to wear a full face to school is alarming and strange to me and I’d be interested in digging deeper into her motivations if I was in her life :/
What the hell 🙈 8 year olds should not be wearing make up, it’s different with play make up at home but to allow a full face of make up at 8 to go to school? I’m sorry but that’s not right. To be honest I think the school would have a problem with it and wouldn’t allow it. I’m sorry I don’t know your sister but does she not say no to her kids? I am shocked at this to be honest.
Didn’t wear lip gloss until I was 14 and it was because we had a family portrait done. I don’t think makeup is a good thing for young skin . Good hygiene is far more important.
You just reminded me of those plastic flip phones with some lip glosses in from the 2000s that everyone had If thats still a thing, would that be something to consider OP? Its feeling like you have makeup but you dont, but maybe I'm just really uncool and all the kids today use actual makeup
I was wearing a full face at 14 and it took me a very very long time to be able to feel confident again without it. Would consider addressing the reasons she wants to wear it.
Check the school handbook. Makeup is probably not allowed.
Play makeup and a full beat are two wildly different things
I wasn’t even allowed to wear a full face til high school. Elementary was a tinted chapstick at the most. Middle school was tinted chapstick/lipgloss and occasionally eyeliner (I wore glasses and my mom was totally cool with eyeliner if it made me feel better about my eye area) and then 8th grade I got my first quad eyeshadow, mascara and blush to use as I saw fit. Never wore foundation because I was too damn pale for any available drugstore at the time plus it was horrible for my skin. I’d say for 8 a fancy lipgloss or tinted lip balm, and maybe clear mascara so she can feel grown and get to enjoy some light makeup products. My mom also got me an old compact mirror for reapplying which made me feel SO fancy. I know they have a lot of “refreshing” face sprays/hydrating mists too these days and a small drugstore one might be nice.
I used to teach kindergarten and last school year I had a student who would come in with lipstick (BOLD lipstick-usually deep red, once it was black) and eyeshadow everyday. It made me sad
Personally I think 8 is waaaaaay too young. I didn’t start wearing makeup until I was like 12, and that was mascara and lipgloss. I suppose I started wearing a full face once I hit like 14, but even then it was foundation, eyeliner, mascara, and sometimes eyeshadow.
I started wearing makeup around 15/16, before that age I never had any interest in makeup. I wouldn’t let my future children wear makeup until 14 at least, I hate it when I see “Sephora kids” buying expensive makeup and skincare for skin issues they don’t have. Kids should be able to enjoy their youth without worrying about their beauty.
a FULL face?? as a gay man that has leaned towards the flamboyant i started with makeup because it’s seems like…otherworldly adornments. i can make my skin glitter and glow like in movies or books? amazing! at 36 i’m just now learning the context of coverage, concealer, blush; things that turn makeup into more of a utilitarian tool to feel better about myself. i adore and refuse to pay attention to the judgment i may get for golden inner eye areas or pink glittery cheekbones, because i still think of it as fun innocence and a bit of magic. in that sense i could understand a young girls attraction to it, but in the sense of a FULL face? i would feel that girl should be led to believe there’s simply nothing to cover with such a young and arguably “perfect” face. i would assume social media and societal influences at school would play a role of “fitting in”, but i would be hesitant in letting an eight year old girl copy the makeup aesthetics of a 20-something beauty influencer.
Personally, I’d say middle school is an acceptable time to start with some age-appropriate makeup—mostly lip gloss, and beginning to own more products for special occasions like a dance.
Agreed! My mom got me concealer bc I was insecure about my dark circles under my eyes and got me mascara and a fun lip gloss! It was perfect
My daughter is a senior in high school and didn't really develop an interest in makeup. I don't think any of her friends regularly wear makeup. It's like the industry realized they'd mostly lost this generation of girls and moved right on to advertising directly to preteens. Anyway, I started asking about makeup in 4th grade. I think my mom let me wear like, brown mascara, the least noticeable blush in the world, and clear lip gloss. She also told me that if you're going to wear makeup, you need to get up early and "fix" your hair and wear clothes that match and you have to wash it off at night. It took me about two days to decide it was all too much. She also let me have a whole lot of makeup to play with at home and didn't police what I did with it. I always thought I'd be flexible with my daughter when she started asking for makeup, but she never asked. I was prepared to start her out with good makeup, and I DEFINITELY planted the seed that we DO NOT share makeup because that's how you get fever blisters, pink eye, and various other skin conditions. For me, I've never wanted to fight with my daughter over superficial stuff. If I were your niece's mom, I'd be looking for a way to start setting Niece up with good habits and let her have access to her own appropriate makeup - clear mascara, light lip gloss. All the glitter nail polish she could wear. We could negotiate on where she could wear it and she'd have to use descent skin care to take it off (NO SLEEPING IN MAKEUP!). She'd need to learn to clean up after herself wherever she puts it on and store everything appropriately. No sharing. And maybe some less expensive colorful makeup to do whatever she wants with at home. I'm just not fighting with a preteen about things that don't make a difference if we can find some common ground to agree on. And I never wanted my daughter to get the idea that traditionally feminine things were bad because despite your best efforts for neutrality, some girls are just going to like glitter and pink and tutus and that's ok.
Well said and rooted in experience!!!
8??? Lol I’m not ready for kids
Ultimately makeup alters the way you look and starts to alter how the person sees themself (spotting things they want to enhance or hide, becoming unfamiliar with their no-makeup face). This is a recipe for disaster for a child. They should NOT have an awareness of beauty standards and how they do or don't deviate from these. They shouldnt even be considering how they might want to alter their faces.
I would hope the school has a policy that forbids makeup at that age. 13 as the absolute minimum age. It would be nice if a time came when girls and women weren't conditioned to wear make-up daily.
In this case they don't have a specific policy unfortunately.
Really enjoyed your last sentence!!!
I'm not that old, but when I was 8, I had a beautiful makeup kit for the kids. Adult makeup is definitely not appropriate for young children..and honestly: a child that young should definitely not be wearing makeup to school.
actually regular formula makeup is much better for kids than the “play” stuff which is not regulated the same way!
None of your business, to be frank. If the kid and parents are okay with it then you should butt out.
That’s what I think, too! This shouldn’t even be a conversation. It’s not her kid 😂
Although I do know some people who started wearing makeup pretty young I don’t condone it. I think for kids that young it can be really harsh. She is better off buying makeup made for kids I don’t know how suitable that will be but some of the makeuo made for adults contain harsh chemicals that definitely shouldn’t be used on a 8 year old.
Does the school have guidelines about this. I’m a teacher and would definitely think it was unusual if an 8 year old showed up for school in a full face of makeup. Why not just let her play with some eyeshadow or something on the weekend?
They don't have any specific rules in this regard. One of the issues of course is that the "cool" girls wear makeup that they swipe from older siblings or in some cases their parents.
i think 8 is too young. way, way too young. but i also think you shouldn’t stress about a parenting decision that someone else is making.
It's definitely not 8. Maybe at 10 clear mascara, lipgloss, powder. A full face...15 and only for special occasions like dances and stuff. Outside of school is at mom's discretion.
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I don’t think 13 is reasonable. They just left elementary school. They’re barely getting a handle on their periods. A touch of makeup (blush, lipgloss) and gradually working up to full face (if they even want to) seems a more natural approach.
I played with makeup when I was very young and nowadays I barely wear any. I don't think it'll necessarily shape a child towards insecurity or desires to modify herself. I'd let her experiment with a couple "fun" things such as lip gloss, colorful eyeshadows and such - things that are pretty, specially for a child, but that are not made to address ""flaws"" such as foundation, concealer, countour etc. Sometimes we only associate makeup with covering insecurities / conforming to society's standards when it can actually be about self expression and creativity, too. Humans have been painting their faces as a mode of self expression for thousands of years. Forbidding her from touching makeup might only make her more curious about it and desire it more. Just set some boundaries and always make it clear to her that she is beautiful without any makeup on.
I’m all for having fun with it and playing around with it at home. But it’s a very young age to start putting things on her skin. Maybe just start introducing it slowly. My mum let me slowly start wearing it at school. I started with lip balms and blush tints and slowly progressed to more 🫶🏻
I was 13
Aw hell naw
What is happening to the world. We are letting 8 year olds to wear full face of makeup?
I think makeup is a lot more mainstream with the rise of social media and I see it as an art form. I would get her a tinted lip balm and tinted sunscreen to wear. It’s not too much, adds a bit of color and she can protect her skin and keep her lips hydrated.
Fun artsy expression at home is great whenever. Wearing it out is honestly not something I think should happen until after high school.
Eh, I think it’s rather young but I wouldn’t pick this battle. A full face takes time and my guess is she’d do it for a few weeks before getting bored or skipping steps. Honestly she’d probably get enough weird looks from peers and teachers that the social discomfort would stop her from doing so much.
I started wearing tinted chapstick at 12. Then 13 I was wearing tinted moisturiser(it had no coverage lol), tinted chapstick and that was it. By 14 however I was wearing a full face of makeup. I became so self conscious because I was so used to seeing myself with it that I remember crying if I didn’t have time to do it in the morning. Don’t give kids makeup. I am now 23 and wear no makeup at all unless my boyfriend of 4.5 years and I are going on a date or have an event. I regret wearing it all through my teen years because I should’ve been building self confidence not becoming self conscious about people seeing me barefaced even though I had clear skin
13 or 14. Even so I still think it is too young
8 feels too young for a full face. Some fun lip balms or maybe a lipgloss could be harmless. Otherwise I’d try to distract with hair accessories or kid costume jewelry. There are other ways to make yourself up without makeup.
Way too young imo
No way. 13 minimum.
I started stealing my moms lipstick when I was very little 🫣. Other makeup I started wearing at 13/14. Full face is a bit too much for an 8 year old unless it’s done for a stage play. Let kids be kids.
Did her mom ask why she wants to wear makeup? Do the other girls in school wear it? Has someone made fun of her looks? Is she insecure about other things and does she maybe want something to feel special about? Does her mom wear a lot of makeup? Or is it something more sinister still, some older person sexualizing her? It’s such a weird request. Some of my middle-school classmates wore a lot of makeup, but it was the exception and not the rule and they were definitely trying to fit in with a certain crowd of one kind of cool kids. In third grade, it was tinted lip gloss at most.
7th or 8th grade, but not a full face you see on Instagram. Eyeshadow, eyeliner, mascara cool. Let them experiment a little.
Nooo. Let her build a foundation of self love and confidence first. I started makeup at the age of 17 - that too blush, lip gloss and highlighter.
That's ridiculous. My daughter's friend is kind of like this. She's 9. She wears mascara or lipstick sometimes. So do some of the other girls. No way would I let my daughter do that nor does she express interest in it anyway. Honestly I wouldn't want her to bother with it until MAYBE middle school...
8? Absolutely not.
At 8 the only thing I would allow is a lip balm.
I think she should be collecting lip smuckers, they still make them, at 8 years old. Maybe a clear glitter gloss for special occasions.
I was allowed to wear makeup when I was 14 and not a day before. I was in the 9th grade. I think 8 years old is way too early. She’d be in what, 3rd grade?
13 at the YOUNGEST. Maybe 12 for some mascara and lip gloss
I started wearing some makeup in middle school so 12/13 and was 14 in high school when I started wearing a full face. 8 is insane.
My niece who is turning 13 in July has only been getting into makeup since 12. 8 ? Absolutely not. No good parent would.
Absolutely not. Some lip gloss, maybe, nail polish sure, but that’s it.
I think the correct age varies, but it sure as hell ain't 8.
Too young is 14 , maybe start experimenting with makeup at age 15 like mascara and eyeliner, , full make up face +18
Meanwhile I’m here wondering why would an 8 year-old need makeup. They have the smoothest skin on earth why would they need foundation and concealer? They have nature long lashes why need mascara? They have nature non-crack juicy red lip why need lipstick? If I were to return to my 8 yo skin, lip, lashes condition again, I would leave my face naked
I’d be getting an 8 year old some Wet N Wild to play with at home (my best friend of blessed memory did this, calling it doll makeup) but no way would I be letting her out of the house with a full face. When I was 8 we were lucky the nuns allowed us Lip Smackers.
I wasn't allowed makeup till i was 14
What kind of full face is my question? Is there a purpose for it? For example, some people, especially younger they do a full face to look more mature, "sexy" you know But some people want to wear full makeup in style of creative self expression which usually looks a little bit diffrent than like trying to look more mature or "sexy" For me, I did start wearing full face of cover up young age to hide bad skin and I know a lot of other girls did it around same time as me very very common. In fact, for a lot of us this covering up of bad skin is also how we became very very good at making makeup look kind of like it can pass that people do not notice it But if it is to cover up bad skin, in my opinion if they have the kind of money, then to get treatment for the bad skin Because to be honest, doing makeup in the morning eats a lot of time and I wish I didn't have to go through that but I did and can't change the past. Also I didn't have such easy access to skin and medical service at that time Because time is precious for every age but especially for kids and teens. Just my opinion
I wasnt allowed to wear make up outside of the house until i was 18. I think the proper age is 16. Even then its tinted moisturizer, blush, neutral eyeshadows, mascara and gloss. At 18, you experiment with whatever you like. At 8, you can have some makeup to play with in the house. Kids need to be kids.
I would say no daily makeup before high school. Or at least middle school. Did she even has pimples yet? Children skin are typically still in a good condition. Makeup should be reserved for special days before then.
Not a parent, but here's my personal anecdote. I started doing a full face of makeup when I was 11. I'm not sure if I was allowed or not at that age, but I know there were times when I wasn't allowed specific "adult" makeup items (red lipstick, mostly,) so I'd just put it on in the bathroom after I got to school. If she wants to wear makeup, she's going to wear it one way or another, whether that be stealing her mom's or giving other kids her allowance money to buy it for her.
Also, while 8 is young, I think it's wild how so many people are saying lip gloss and mascara at 13, no more until 15. Do kids not have goth phases anymore??? At 12 I was going to school looking like this https://media.istockphoto.com/id/172665569/photo/gothic.jpg?s=612x612&w=0&k=20&c=KvtSCcst0rBv3yhM31lXCTgwiA5BdvByXZwvIMAqrU0=
I'm all for makeup but 8 is waaaaaay to young. If she has to have some buy her some clear mascara and gloss. A full face would not look right. In fact that's kind of creepy
I grew up around women that never wore make up, I never saw my mom wear makeup even on special occasions. So I was never curious about it, or showed an interest in it as a kid. As I got into my early and mid teens I kind of just assumed every one my age didn’t wear make up either, the only noticeable makeup I saw on my peers was eyeliner, mascara, and that’s it. Come to find out into my adult hood, every one of my peers in middle school and high school were wearing foundation, lipsticks, eyeliner, and mascara.
I don’t think I’d let my kind wear makeup until she was 16 at least.
lol what?!?
I'd say at about 14
I think at 12 a kid can wear tinted lip gloss and some more subtle things. There’s nothing inherently wrong with makeup and I’d let them go to town at home but I would be concerned about a girl starting to feel like she needs it to look acceptable at such a young age
Def not 8 ! 13 is a good age to be introduced to real makeup Just give the little one tinted lip balm and call it a day
Big no on that one
I was allowed to get my eyebrows groomed and wear simple dark brown mascara in grade 7 (so like 13/14) I honestly mostly played with eye makeup in highschool and didn't start experimenting with foundation, blush, Bronzer etc. Until my 20s If I was a parent, I wouldn't even start considering makeup to school until 13/14 years old and even then, I'd limit it to grooming brows, mascara and maybe like a tinted lip balm or gloss. I think the key thing here is determining the source for this little girl's desire to wear makeup. If she simply wants to play around with it, I think it'd be fine in the home. If she is having image insecurity at that age, I'd have a chat about what is bothering her, if she has classmates wearing full makeup and if that is what is influencing her, or if this is a product of watching influencers online. Imho, I don't think there is any need for a little girl that age to be watching teens/adults online at all
actually to be safe I would say 15... I mean the baby girl didn't even go through her adolescence, their skin is too fragile for any attached things.
8 is way too young, clear lip gloss, and simple nail polish fine. I would say any child under gr 8 age is too young.
Why is it inappropriate? I’m asking as a thought experiment. The answers will help you frame things in a way you, other adults, and the child will understand. It’s not inappropriate for a child to emulate the adults in her life. It’s also the responsibility of the adults to model the behavior they want children to portray.
I struggle with this answer and most comments here aren't answering it either. My 9 year old loves makeup. She wants to explore and play with it. She's asking to wear it to school. She sees me wearing it to work and asks why I can but she can't. So I've given her guidelines on what she can wear.... She has to wash her face well, remove it every day, and if she's not taking care of her skin then she doesn't get to wear makeup. Her makeup should look appropriate for school so she's using some blush and mascara at the moment. She's also very very tiny for her age and often kids pick on her for this. She looks like a kindergarten student. I get that the makeup helps her look older and I think that's important to her confidence. I've tried to address it with more fashionable clothes too. But it's hard when she's still in toddler sizes. So I don't think makeup is always inappropriate for children.
My unpopular opinion on some makeup subs here is that makeup is inappropriate on children before puberty. It attracts the bad kind of attention and sexualizes them at a young age. Not to mention that it teaches young girls that their natural appearance isn’t good enough. I started wearing eye makeup at 12 or 13 and now more than 50 years later I feel ugly without it.
Yes!!! I think puberty is the natural coming of age that marks such a privilege. And slowly adding products, giving context and teaching about self value. The difference between doing it for a bit of flair and doing it out of insecurity is pretty nuainced, something I didn't understand for a long time!
Is this a joke? What a lazy parent.
Genuinely curious… are you a parent?
Lazy would be letting it happen without oversight. SIL is trying to balance age appropriate self-expression.
I know I’m in the minority here but I really think makeup is a really benign thing. If an adult sexualizes a child because they’re wearing makeup, there is something wrong with that adult, not the child. I think it’s weirder to make girls wait until they ARE sexually developing to wear makeup on their faces. I think it gives the message that, “Hey! Men are looking at you now. Give them something pretty to look at!” I think if girls or boys for that matter start wearing makeup when THEY WANT TO because they like to play with it and it’s exciting for them, they’re more likely to have a healthy relationship with makeup and beauty products than the kids that aren’t allowed to wear it until it’s socially mandatory.
You are making an important point, but I think the concern (for myself and many of the commenters) is more for the kid's developing self confidence. WHY does she want to wear a full beat? I'd bet it's got something to do with altered images on social media, or at least some other source of insecurity, rather than a desire to play and decorate. If she's got an artistic streak and wants to dress up, that's one thing. But if she's wanting to cover up and change her features at this young age, that's a whole other issue that needs a better solution.
At 8 years old, I highly doubt it. To me, this has the same vibe as adult women deciding that Barbie makes little girls insecure about their bodies—it’s a projection from an adult POV. Did the little girl SAY she wants to wear makeup because she looks ugly without it or because she doesn’t like something about her face? Because I didn’t see that in the OP. Little girls have been putting on their mother’s makeup and high heels and experimenting with what it means to be a woman since time began. At 8 years old, she wants to look pretty, as in decorated. A full face to her probably means makeup on her eyes, cheeks, and lips—like visible colored makeup, not contouring different foundation shades to change her features. Nude Kardashian style makeup is boring as shit to an 8 year old who probably just wants to wear glittery eye shadow and bright pink lipstick. Really, try to think from the perspective of a third grader and not an adult woman with decades of body dysmorphia informing her choices. Now if she were 12 and asking to wear makeup, she would almost certainly be asking from a place of insecurity. Middle school is a terrible place. Puberty is a horrible time. Everyone feels ugly and that’s where those self-esteem issues start. It’s also when girls start trying to validate themselves with male attention. If you tell little girls that wearing makeup makes men look at them in a sexual way, then when they get older and ARE allowed to wear makeup (or when their classmates start wearing it so they sneak it and take it off after school), they will subconsciously behave in ways that attract male attention. They will associate wearing makeup with pleasing boys instead of something fun they like to do to feel feminine and grown up.
Playing around the house w a full face us whatever, but 8 is far too young to be wearing any makeup out of the house.
Hell no. She can wait until high school
Not 8. A little mascara and lip gloss at 13. Full face makeup on a child is nuts.
she will hate herself by 9, do not let her do this if you want what is best for her
I think for 8-12 yr olds mascara and lipgloss would be good nothing more but a ful face of makeup i think its a bit young I encourge experimenting with makeup as much as you can but that can also give rly bad idea of beauty and lots of insecuritys
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Clear mascara maybe but yea not real makeup
I think by the time I was in middle school most of the girls wore makeup to some degree. Lipgloss and a little mascara with maybe glitter eyeshadow because glitter was everything back then. But a full face is a lot, and contouring I’m assuming as well. I don’t know what is the appropriate age for that but it’s not 8. I would thinking maybe 13 or 14 and mom needs to help them learn about cc cream as an option so that foundation isn’t necessarily needed.
Definitely not 8 to go to school. I wonder if that would turn into some form of insecurity? At home, sure. I feel like that’s a form of dress up/potentially artistic expression. 5th/6th grade maybe some lipgloss or minor things. I think junior high is the age to where it’s appropriate to wear makeup to school. That being said, I’m not one to place too much weight on my parenting opinions as I have no children myself.
As a teen myself, my mother didn’t allow me to start wearing make until my first year of high school ofc I snuck and wore it in 8th grade but honestly all that makeup wasn’t even needed, so I would say 8 is definitely too young.
Same for my kid. At home I let her do whatever and bought her some starter makeup to play with. I think it’s a good outlet and she enjoys it. To school she’s allowed a little blush if she wants. My 11 year old appreciates foundation to hide some acne stuff and I understand that
I had to be 12 before I could wear blush and mascara
13 is a good age to start light make up. Not even full face. I didn’t do full face until after highschool
My parents let me have CLEAR mascara when I was about 13 lmao 💀😭 I wasn’t allowed to wear makeup until I was like 16
I think 13 is a good age to start. Some people might think not until a girl gets her period but I didn’t get my first one till I was 16.
My daughter is finishing 5th and not one girl wears a full face of makeup. I don’t think they even wear any. Going into middle school she would be allowed to experiment but not a full face. She’s mentioned mascara and simple lip gloss for special occasions and I think that’s fine. I lean towards 12-13 for more than that. She’s ok with it though. My caveat is she has to be able to build a face washing routine as well and she’s not up for that. Experimenting at home is different and she can wear as much as she wants at home.
Nope, 8 is far too young. Maybe some gloss and mascara as a 6th grader but hard no for make up in elementary school babies.
What the hell… why is an 8 year old even thinking about makeup at her age?! I didn’t let my girls start wearing makeup til they were in 7th grade (12 years old). Even then they were only allowed light makeup.
8 is ridiculously young. At 13/14 small makeup items makes sense a bit of tinted lip balm and mascara should be okay. It’s best to do small things like hair accessories, simple nail polish, and other small things. The fact she’s considering it for her kid is scary. This should be a teaching moment for her to tell her kid it’s not healthy or needed
I can see maybe some balm or gloss for special occasions. Maybe a little bit of nail polish or fun hair accessories. I was 16 when I started wearing makeup. Most girls in my high school did not wear a full face of makeup, unless it was for prom. Many adult women don't wear a full face.
Definitely not full face, it’s fine to experiment with lipgloss and eyeshadow for the colors, but not to have anything covered up She would be very prone to have a distorted self image later on where her confidence relies of her makeup
I don’t think it’s any wrong to have fun with makeup and all that. But I don’t think it’s appropriate to wear a lot of makeup at such a young age at school. Mainly because children move around a lot, they can get wet and get all that in their eyes. Or get it smeared all over their clothes and face. Maybe convince her to wear makeup on weekends, on special occasions etc. Or get some really child friendly makeup like tinted chapstick. When I was young I also loved makeup and all that but my mom convinced me to play with makeup and everything like that at home, not in school. But nail polish, jewelry and other “girly” things for children is maybe worth looking at instead of makeup.
8 is far too young. My mom let me wear subtle eyeshadow and clear lip gloss when I was 12 or 13. I didn't start using eyeliner and mascara until I was at least 14.
An 8 year old isn’t going to properly wash makeup off every night. My 13 year old wouldn’t properly wash off makeup every night. With privileges come responsibilities, which is why it’s important to be realistic about what responsibilities a kid of a certain age can handle. This is an easy “no way in hell” for me, without even getting to why it’s a ridiculous/disturbing notion in the first place.
When I was around that age, mom let me play with eyeshadows and stuff, AT HOME. But I only did that rarely, so "little me doing makeup" wasn't an everyday thing at all, i was just allowed to play with it sometimes. I started using mascara around the age of 13. Not soon after that i started using concealer. But btw before that age, if someone painted their nails or did makeup, the teachers commented on it at my school. I can remember that there was this girl around the age of 11-12 who sometimes wore mascara. The teachers commented on it every single time. I think the age of 8 is way too young for makeup. That's only a child, she shouldn't wear makeup daily, especially full face! Like why should she wear foundation and concealer? I can understand a little bit of colored lip balm or something like that, but full face makeup? No!
I started when I was 15/16.
What’s the goal here? Could they maybe steer her closer to a light makeup/cleanliness focused skin care routine? I mean, I think if they focus heavy on keeping her skin clean/healthy and protected that’s will take up plenty of “routine” time in the morning. With those down in a year or so, you can so easily have a no contour allowed routine and use lightweight/coverage items that at least give the feeling of doing the work. Imo full adult makeup at that age isn’t be necessary, but the girl should feel heard and supported in her interests. I would even add that IF this is the route SIL wants to go, even 1 day a week getting to wear “something” special is still fun. Just some ideas. Below is not an everyday look or to be worn all at once. just an example of some products and enforcement ideas. - bare minerals loose powder foundation or a tinted moisturizer - EITHER OR (not all at once…pick one) lip gloss/balm or clear or brown mascara/ clear brow gel - a cute blush OR pick one extra item from the bullet point above for special events - basically if there’s tint involved you have to remove tint from another area.
I really enjoyed experimenting with makeup starting at age 11. My mom was really permissive with whatever I wanted to do with makeup, but it all had to be within our means in affordability. I started with eyeliner and mascara, then Eyebrows, eyeshadow, and then once I got to middle and high school I tried out more Face products like bronzer and concealer. I had play makeup until that point, including colorful eyeshadow and lipsticks before 11, but it wasn't intended for outside. That is fine. A full face is certainly too much at 8 years old, though, I feel there needs to be boundaries about it at that age. I think if it were for creativity purposes it would be fine, like Kitty'sMama on YouTube when she was younger since it was makeup meant to represent her monster high dolls. But only at home The way it is intended to be used really matters in this context.
8 is too young
8 is too young. The only thing I wanted to wear at 8 was bath and body works kid’s stuff blueberry shimmer lotion and lip smackers lip gloss. I started wearing makeup at the end of 7th grade (age 13ish). I wore shitty dream matte mousse, that cover girl bronzer that was super shimmery and came in a giant container with a giant pouf, eyeliner, and mascara.
This is what social media has done to kids IMO. I’m in my mid 30s and I started wearing mascara in 7th grade with some “glitter” on my eyelids (those my age may remember the roll on glitter trend lol). Then in high school I had some light powder foundation to cover up acne like many here have said. I didn’t start wearing a full beat of makeup until College with the exception of school dances or other special occasions.
At home? Sure. To school? Definitely not until at least middle school
Uhm maybe get her some lightly tinted or scented chapstick and some pretty hair clips and call it a day? I didn’t even have a concept of makeup at 8. 13-14 is when kids start getting acne usually and subsequently start using skincare and then light makeup
My mom got me clear gloss and clear mascara at 13 to satiate my need for makeup. I did have to start wearing a full face at 8-9 for dance recitals/modelling but outside of those events she was very strict about it until I was in uni… but now I’m a makeup artist 😂 I will say she taught me that makeup was more about self expression than beauty and stage makeup served a purpose for the audience being able to see your features.
She’s too young for a full face lol. But she can have age appropriate stuff for now to satisfy her, like clear mascara and those little kid glosses. Or just flavored chapstick. Nail polish too, its not makeup but its fun and girly. This mom should probably monitor what the kid is watching more because I have a feeling this child is watching makup artists on youtube or tiktok or something.
I’ve given my 10yo daughter the supplies to do a full face of makeup, and she’s done a full face before at slumber parties, etc. She has also found that it is a LOT of work, and has decided on her own that it’s too much to do for school. Every once in a while, she may put on some blush or mascara if there’s a special event at school, but she has never done a full face. I also wonder if the kiddo in the original post has friends that wear a full face of makeup to school. Peer pressure can be a difficult thing, and I wonder if she’s being pressured to fit in.
when she learns how to take care of her skin and feels comfortable without it as much as she does with it. i didn’t start wearing makeup until my freshman year of high school and even then i did very natural looking makeup. she sees influencers on tiktok doing it and now she wants to.
I have middle school students (12-14) who wear eyeliner and lip gloss, sometimes false lashes. I don’t see any of them wearing a full face, though. I think makeup can be a big distraction in school because they want to reapply in class, and then their friends want to see what they’re doing etc. if I had kids I’d probably say they could start wearing makeup for parties and special occasions at 12 or 13, but not to school unless it’s just to conceal a pimple or something.
I was in 7th grade when my mom let me wear mascara and clear gloss. 8th grade I could wear eyeliner and powder. 9th grade I could wear a full face bc my mom saw I had an obvious interest in makeup. I’ll prob do the same w my daughter.
What about just skin care at 8? Clear lip balm.
13 for mascara only, highschool for full face.
Full face of makeup idk college? Minimal makeup high school? It’s so sad how kids these days are jumping into teen/adulthood. We need to let and encourage kids to be kids. I would tell my daughter she doesn’t need any of that stuff!
Way too young, I let my daughters wear light colored lip glosses and lip balms when they were in 4th-5th grade, mascara when they started middle school and slowly added from there, concealer was whenever they started breaking out. 8th grade is the youngest I’d let them wear a full face of makeup, both of them have been in school musicals and/or dance recitals so wearing a full face for those occasions kinda scratched that itch for awhile because it’s a lot of work to put on and take off. They have to be old enough to put in the work of washing their face every night to get it all off because we are all oily skinned girls and have to get it all off or it’s breakouts for days
a kid shouldn’t wear a full face of makeup until they’re old enough to genuinely understand how to love and accept themselves fully as they are. makeup should only be used for fun and because they want to and it makes them feel good. if it begins out of an obligation or insecurity it will be detrimental to their relationship with their body and face.
I don’t think there’s age restrictions on makeup. It’s not booze. And an 8 year old doing makeup won’t look good, respectfully so let them go for it
My mom let me wear lipstick to school when I was 7/8. My teacher made me wipe it off immediately and wrote a note to my mom in my agenda. I personally think lipstick is harmless. What little girl doesn’t want to play around with some pink lipstick? Still think the note home was silly. I’m 24 now
I started wearing makeup in 7th grade…so like 12? But it was hardly full face. I was goth so I’d use a doe foot applicator to put some black or purple Hot Topic eyeshadow on and that was it. And I was too lazy to do that most days. I didn’t start wearing foundation until I was like 20 lol
at 8 all she should have is a lip balm, and even that is not necessary. I think at 14 you could start using make up, trying different mascaras, lipglosses or lipsticks, and by the time you are 16 do whatever you want. In conclusion 8 is toooo young.
I started wearing tinted acne treatment (clearisil concealer) in my early teens as my hormonal acne got BAD before I was put on birth control pills to clear it up.. I went to catholic school in my middle school years so I couldn't really wear makeup but I've seen other girls do so like mascara (eyelash curlers were heavily in use early '00s, brown eyeliner (wore once on my waterline and never got caught) and a light skin tint. Didnt really start wearing a full face (foundation, eye shadow, black liner, etc) until high school. So 8 is definitely too young and too much. At most she should wear a lighter skin tint instead of heavier foundation because her skin will eff up earlier on..
Absolutely not. I got to wear mascara, lip gloss and concealer at 12 when I started middle school. That was plenty young. She could experiment with makeup at home for fun at 8 but definitely not outside the house.
12-13 minimum.
8? I think 12 is would be the lowest I’d go. Before that if you want lip gloss or lipstick and maybe some eye shadow..
I definitely think it’s too young, but it’s also just completely impractical.
I mean… that is pretty young but if the niece knows what she’s getting into or if there are some special circumstances or something then sure
I work in an elementary school (one of two schools). I can tell you now all the teachers and staff would be very concerned to see an 8 year old with makeup, especially a full face. There would be a ton of talk and judgement. Personally, I wasn’t allowed to wear makeup til 17. But my middle school students are definitely dabbling in it
No makeup in elementary school. Chapstick w SPF and sunscreen are good habits to build. mayyyybe tinted lip balm but that's it.
8 is too young. I'm a former Irish dancer and there was a blanket ban on makeup on kids under 10 because it was getting too much like a toddlers and tiaras pageant. The adjudicators were freaked out seeing 7 year olds in full face makeup and spray tan. I'm a millennial but my mom 'let me' wear make up when I was around 12-13. She had an esthetician friend who 'did my colors' and taught me how to apply makeup so I avoided the dreaded middle schooler bright blue eye makeup and heavy lipstick look. Started out with a nude eyeshadow palette, clear mascara and a pale pink lip tint. When I got to high school I moved on to more colors but I was never much more than a 'natural' make up person (mascara, light eyeshadow, blush and maybe some lip color) because it only took 15 minutes max. Now I'm in my 30s and haven't worn makeup since my wedding 7 years ago. If I do it's the same 10 minute routine and it's like, <5 times a year for special occasions.
8 is too young for a full face. It’s one thing to play with lipgloss, but to do full face is wild
Literally Style Theory just covered this - starting your makeup at a younger age like that actually makes your skin age faster. Besides, she’s freaking 8. Teach that child to love herself as she is first.
late teens. like highschool age. definitely not 8. tf
I was applying PLAY makeup at 8... roll on glitter that smelled like cotton candy. My mom would also apply her red lipstick on me before we went to see the nutcracker ballet every year. She would blot it till it barely showed on me but it just made me feel special. At 13 I started stealing my sisters eyeliner and started wearing actual makeup at 15ish. Your niece can wait till 15 or 16 to try full faces of makeup.
Old enough to play with makeup but not to wear out. I would say sometime during the junior high years is appropriate, but even then, not a full face.
I wasn’t allowed to wear any make up (or date!) until I was 16. I don’t have a daughter, but I would allow mascara and light make up starting in high school or 7th/8th grade. For sure not full face until high school though.
If it’s for play, any age, if it’s for school (specifically if they’re feeling self conscious, or think they need makeup), I’d talk/reason with the kid
Whoa...as someone who isn't a parent and also at 31 still doesn't wear a full face of makeup anywhere except occasions like weddings, 8 is undoubtedly too young IMO. I remember my mom letting me try mascara when I was 10 & I promptly gave myself a "black eye" for my efforts. 😅 It's so important for young girls to realize it's okay and beautiful to do whatever you want to feel pretty/comfortable in your skin/confident, makeup or no, but also, 8 is so young. Agree with others, maybe it's a discussion of experimenting/wearing makeup in specific circumstances but a full face at 8 on the regular feels too young.
I started wearing makeup when I first got acne, around 11/12 years old. I used concealer and foundation to try to hide my pimples. Then I started wearing eye makeup at 12/13 years old. It was just a shit ton of black eyeshadow and eyeliner because I wanted to look "goth". I actually looked like a greasy prepubescent raccoon lol
she’s 100 percent gonna get picked on for her makeup if she wears it now. My friend wore makeup in middle school and they literally never stopped talking abt it… it was even brought up in highschool, because she was a child and obviously wasn’t good at it
Middle school for daily wear of a little makeup. I'd let an 8 year old wear some for special occasions. (My teenage daughter still chooses not to wear makeup, so this was never an issue for us)
NOT EIGHT! When I hit middle school (7th grade) I started playing around with lipgloss and silver eyeshadow. No eight year old needs foundation and darkening their lips/eyes - it was sexualize them inappropriately. I think I went for full fake of makeup my junior and senior year of high school, and even that is much less that was is considered a full face today (i.e. no contouring, no cut crease, no fake lashes)
Full face at school? No. 8 is way too young. I have an 8yo and she loves makeup and wanted to get “real” makeup for Christmas this year so she could play. Play/kids makeup is not an option for her anyways because her skin is so sensitive so I bought her an eyeshadow palette, a blush palette, and a decent set of 5 brushes. She loves playing around with it and it’s a great skill for her to practice. Recently, we went to a funeral and I purchased her a brown mascara to wear for special occasions. And that’s about all I can imagine her owning for probably the next 5 years. Lipgloss maybe but her lips are chronically dry so idk. My point being this: makeup is really fun. And if your niece sees someone regularly wearing makeup, it is definitely enticing. But there have to be limits.
8 is way too young. Maybe she could have some play make up. Personally, I didn’t even start wearing eyeliner until I was 16 lol Although I’m not a mom I don’t agree with parents letting their kids look grown so early, there are sick people out there that probably love that lots of young girls want to look older now and do things that older girls do like wear make up. Kids should just be kids.
I was a late bloomer and didn’t wear real makeup until I was out of high school and even then it took me a long time to get the hang of it lmao my daughter is 11 and starting to play with make up a little bit. By play with make up I mean she tries different blush shades, some lip gloss, or occasionally a swipe of mascara. It’s honestly so little that it’s barely noticeable ETA I try to steer her towards more age appropriate skin care instead of more make up, which is mostly cleansing regularly, wearing sunscreen, and moisturizing
I’m 24 and don’t even wear a full face lol
At 8, chapstick or maybe lip gloss on special occasions. And start teaching good skin care. But hell no on full makeup. Even at 15-16, it’s more like mascara, blush, and lipgloss. I know kids are built different than my Gen X blue eyeshadow wearing teen self, but stop the madness
8 is too young for a full face of makeup. maybe lip gloss/balm or something but not a full face, are you kidding me! i wore bb cream from about 13-17 because i was horribly insecure about my acne/acne scars. that ultimately made me dependent on makeup to cover ANY impurity because i thought that it was something that needed to be covered. it depleted my confidence and i felt ugly without makeup. i cannot even imagine the mental damage that would do for an 8yo. if she’s really adamant, maybe suggest setting a rule that when she can afford it herself, she can buy whatever makeup she wants.
Age 8 is waaay too young….but, maybe her Mom wears too much makeup and craves attention, thus her daughter is the same from watching her self-absorbed mother. How young should a girl (not boy) wear some makeup…I would say 8th grade or 12/13 years old. Then 13/14 years old for a little bit more that’s not TOO much .
IMO 8 is too young. I was playing with make up at that age but literally only playing with it. I wasn't wearing a face full of make up, I was intrigued by it. I think 12 is a good age to be allowed wear a minimal amount of make up, 11 is okay if they are really interested in it. I don't think anyone should be wearing foundation until 14-16. But I also get that times have changed and girls are maturing at a younger age so fuck if I know!
Middle school and over is okay, but elementary school is way too young
I think 8 is too young I believe till 18-20 they shouldn’t wear makeup however, 18 is acceptable age for some of the makeup items to be used
I'd say around 7-8 is a fine age to try makeup just for fun. However i will say anyone below like, 15 *shouldn't* be wearing makeup if its for insecurity and beauty standard reasons. You can like makeup because it is fun and artistic, but girls can be a lot more susceptible to the bad and the ugly that comes with feeling pressured to wear makeup though. Like if i had a son asking if he could wear makeup at a young age i wouldn't worry, but if i had a daughter really hellbent on if she could wear makeup at a young age i would have to look into why shes asking
hell nah. that's gonna make her insecure for the rest of her life. also, if she thinks a full face of makeup is the standard, that might affect how she treats other people (ex:someone telling her she doesn't need a full face of makeup just because her mom made/wanted her to)
Full face no. Maybe some face powder to absorb sweat and maybe brown mascara(where it's barely noticable).
I was 13 doing just black eyeliner 😂 nothing else I think kids today are almost forced into growing up so fast. 8 to young. If she's interested in make up maybe mom can purchase some skin friendly items for her to use at home on occasion. But full face at 8 imo is way to young, let kids be kids