Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to be cross that make-up is a gift on the front of a childs magazine?

79 replies

QueenOfAllBiscuitsandMuffins · 13/10/2014 08:47

this can't be the first thread on this matter but my daughter is 3 (almost 4) and loves My Little Pony she was allowed to choose a comic this weekend and her choice, no surprise, was My Little Pony, the childs toy on the front was MAKE UP. This makes me cross. I know I'm not being unreasonable, I just needed to rant.

OP posts:
TheGonnagle · 13/10/2014 10:13

I agree with you, I don't like makeup on little girls either. But then, you did buy the magazine. Just throw the crappy toy away, and next time buy the alpha blocks or something!

TrisisFour · 13/10/2014 10:13

YABU - don't buy it. DD is 5 and loves to have a bit of my Vaseline on her lips when she goes to parties, the one with the pink tint to it. It keeps her lips lovely and smooth! Grin

VermillionPorcupine · 13/10/2014 10:14

Ds2 stands and watches me do my makeup often and I always 'do his' for him. He gets 'powder', 'blusher' (empty brushes) and lip salve. He's 4 and wants to copy.

Ds1 is 6 and now far too old to do such a thing as copy his mum. But for the past few weeks he's been watching dh like a hawk and copying. So he 'shaves' every morning - he has his own 'razor' (one of those plastic veet hair removers, works very well!) and gets a squirt of completely unnecessary deodorant.

It's what dc do, they like to imitate. Play make up is no different.

LadyLuck10 · 13/10/2014 10:18

I think it's very odd of you to think a 4 year old might look sexualisedConfused

Only1scoop · 13/10/2014 10:20

Sexualising your 4 year old....Confused

What a load of tosh

Only1scoop · 13/10/2014 10:21

Yabu and ridiculous

Eva50 · 13/10/2014 10:26

It wouldn't bother me. I don't wear makeup at all. I don't own any. My niece painted ds3's fingernails when looking after him and they use makeup at the after school club. It doesn't bother me but I think it's a bit ironic that you encourage "girly" my little pony merchandise but are worried about a bit of toy makeup.

thereturnofshoesy · 13/10/2014 10:27

yabu
don't buy it
easy

Asteria · 13/10/2014 10:27

Shock at people who think make-up that is marketed towards any child is ok. Face paints are different to pink sparkly lipgloss, blushes and eyeshadows.
I am amazed by the aggression of people who allow their children to use make-up and seem to feel that everyone else should agree. My DSD has been obsessed (since I met her at the age of 6) with altering her appearance to look more "sexy like mummy" (let's not even go there with "mummy" encouraging her 3 DSS to call her "sexy") - which involves make-up, hair straightening and high heels. She looked completely bemused when I suggested that she was beautiful just as she was and should be happy to look like her. I'm not a militant feminist, but there has to be something wrong with a society that encourages children, through various manipulative means, to feel that their appearances need changing - or that being "sexy" is a good thing.

Asteria · 13/10/2014 10:28
  • happy to look like herself
Loveloveloveher · 13/10/2014 10:34

Yanbu. My Little Pony's target audience is young children. The people making the magazine should be more responsible with what kind of message they are sending to young girls.

littledrummergirl · 13/10/2014 10:38

Dd has had makeup since she was 6. She plays with it at home and has plastered it on. She knows its not acceptable for school or other activities.

Last time she wore it she was worried she had put too much on. This is good news as she will be applying less in the future.

For what its worth none of the females in our extended family regularly wear makeup although dh has been known to go to work in whatever nailvarnish dd has painted on him! Grin

CrispyFern · 13/10/2014 10:51

I don't want my DD playing with make up. I don't buy her those sorts of comics.
CBeebies magazines only!

MiuChoos · 13/10/2014 10:52

Well, I don't think you're being unreasonable at all. What on earth do you need any kind of make up for at that age, regardless of whether it's for play or not?
Make up is a beauty aid. At the age of 4 you're already cute and beautiful without loads of gunk on your face.
It isn't a toy. Let kids be kids and give them proper toys to play with.
"Oh, you're a girl! That means you must want make up then." Hmm

VermillionPorcupine · 13/10/2014 10:53

Asteria - I suppose it depends on your view of make up.

I don't see it as 'telling girls they're not good enough' at all. I think that particular message will only be given by certain parents tbh.

Make up is what it is - lotions and creams that you can use to alter your appearance slightly. To look more groomed. I use make up. My dh shaves his face and gels his hair. Both men and women change their appearance daily.

Like I said upthread, my 6 year old 'shaves' every day. He also gels his hair like daddy. Should I not allow him to? Perhaps I should be ramming home the message that his hair is beautiful as it is and he shouldn't feel the need to alter it?

Men shave their face every day...many women (including me!) are fairly open about disliking beards. How awful for men to have to alter their appearance EVERY SINGLE DAY just for society.

OwlCapone · 13/10/2014 10:53

There is a world of difference between sparkly lipgloss and make up such as you see in US style beauty pageants.

kslatts · 13/10/2014 10:55

YABU.

If you don't want your daughter to have make-up then don't buy her a magazine with it on. Choose 2 magazines that you are happy for her to have and let her pick between then.

I personally wouldn't have a problem with a bit of make up.

WorraLiberty · 13/10/2014 10:59

If you, or anyone close to your child has ever worn make-up...even just on special occasions, then it's highly likely your child will want to include it in their dressing up play.

Try as I might, I just can't get fussed about it.

Zippyandbungle · 13/10/2014 11:00

I'm nearly sure my little ponys aren't in their natural equine state. What with their dyed hair, pretty body art and diamonte adornments. Not to mention the lack of, ahem, hairShock

You are giving your Dd are very distorted view of real horses, what will happen when she may start riding lessons and has a melt down at all the brown and grey hairy horses.

Only1scoop · 13/10/2014 11:01

Natural Equine state Grin

VermillionPorcupine · 13/10/2014 11:05

I don't know what you're getting at Zippy - all the horses in the fields near us are pink and purple and covered in glitter and gems. I personally feel My Little Pony has caused such peer pressure they feel they have no choice :(

zzzzz · 13/10/2014 11:07

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

RiverTam · 13/10/2014 11:10

Worra - I wear make-up very rarely, DD (4) loves to watch me put it on - but she has never asked to wear it herself. She can have her toenails painted every so often but not her fingernails (I absolutely hate painted fingernails on little children) and not red, which I also hate on small children. My nail varnish, my rules! Bizarrely, she can cope with some things being for adults or when she's older.

Zippyandbungle · 13/10/2014 11:13

Oh vermillion that is so sad Sad I wonder how they keep up with all the cost incurred what with mane extensions from real Arab breeds. What with most ponies these days not working, not like the days when they would plough the feilds or go down the pit. Sad.

enderwoman · 13/10/2014 11:13

The fact that you bought the magazine will add to their readership and the publishers will continue to push tat like that on their covers.

Next time you want to treat your dd pick something unisex or go for a book/DVD instead.