Lights! Camera! Make Up!

There is something about make-up that seems to appeal to just about every girl! By the time your child reaches the tween or teen years, she may feel that wearing makeup is a necessary part of her daily routine. Some parents worry that their teen is too young to wear makeup. But, is there a 'right' age for your child to begin wearing makeup?

Kids and Make-Up

There is no definite age at which every parent should let a child start wearing make-up: It is a decision that is both up to the family and often influenced by peer pressure. But if you are at the point of trying to decide if you should allow your young teen to start wearing make-up, consider these tips:

• Have a discussion about why your child wants to wear make-up. Perhaps she feels insecure about her appearance or is focused on fitting in.
• Give your child compliments about her appearance when she doesn't have make-up on, so she feels confident about her looks.
• Teach her how to properly apply makeup. You may also want to establish rules about how much she can use. You can even try using a behavior chart to help her follow these guidelines.
• Teach her how to remove makeup as well as how to apply it. Help her understand that good skin care can help prevent acne.

Keeping track of your own makeup may become challenging once your teen or tween begins using makeup. Make sure that your child understands that using her own makeup is important and that she can earn money to buy her own doing chores, earning an allowance, or using a point and reward system for good behavior.