Beauty Treatments & DD's

[FairytalesAreBullshit]

I was wondering what people thought about girls getting beauty treatments. I was talking to my sister and her 16 year old, she was saying how it's nearly payday, so fake tan, waxing, nails the works. At 16 I don't see it as that much of an issue, but it is something that she's been doing since 13/14 with waxing and nails. I kind of get eyebrow waxing at an early age, I can't see nails helping at school with the practical stuff they do.

Should we teach young women to embrace natural beauty, or support all these treatments and makeup from 13/14.

I know make is an age old thing that we had to scrub off in my days at school. But as I'm getting older, I want to promote natural beauty to DD. Although maybe DS needs it too as he's obsessed with his hair and having muscles, hoping he can grow an epic beard one day.

What do others think?

My DD had a friend at school who was lovely but struggled a bit with being accepted. Her DM took her to get all sorts of beauty treatments and it changed her in to a glam young thing with confidence, rather than a pretty young thing without any confidence. She is now 22 and succeeding in a career where she has to use her brain rather than her beauty, but only because the was given the confidence by her beauty!

Me, I'm an ugly old hag who doesn't care much how I look most of the time! I do dye my hair and put some slap on sometimes, but not that bothered. I've never done as well as the young lady mentioned above though, so maybe I should have!

I honestly don't think it does any harm. My little DD aged 9 loves having her nails gelled and I do it at home. She is allowed make up for special occasions and I will soon let her have her amazing eye lashes dyed so they actually show (they are blonde but very long).

However, she is also ambitious. She is a brown belt in karate, wants to be paramedic and plans to become a sensei to fund her way through uni! I think we have the balance about right!

Not sure why I said my DD was 9, she is 11 and has been for 6 months! Talk about brain fart!

I'm a beauty therapist, I own a salon. We have a few teenage clientele that are regulars in that they have their eyebrows or upper lip hair waxed.

We have a few more who like to get their nails done, although we draw the line at acrylics on under 16's. One of the girls has big issues at home and doesn't see her mum very often so when they get together her mum treats her to nails.

And once every year we have a glut of prom girls wanting makeup, spray tans and nails.

I've thought a lot about it and how I feel about it personally, doing treatments on younger girls but to be honest I really don't think it's anything bad or sinister. At 12 I used to shave my legs and armpits, as did the other girls in my school as I would have been teased for having hairy legs otherwise. We weren't allowed to wear trousers. I cut myself by accident with the razor many times. If my mum had been able to afford it I'd have asked to have my legs professionally waxed.

When you hit secondary school, you become much more preoccupied with your appearance and want to fit in and look pretty. Taming Eyebrow, upper lip and leg hair, polishing nails and applying makeup is just part of that.

i think it's much better to get things done professionally than risk cutting yourself, or ruining your eyebrows by over-plucking, or ripping your skin off with home waxing kits.

I find that the beauty industry helps my self esteem immeasurably, contrary to pp.

I feel so much happier and more confident when I'm groomed with nice nails, brows etc.

I think it's good that teenage girls are now more able to use these services, if they like to.

Obviusly, I am not talking extreme or obsessive stuff, but honestly, if it makes people feel better then why not?

Boys are also much more into grooming than they were, so it's not just girls.

I get my hair cut and nails done every month and I take DD6 with me. She has a trim and some sort of sparkly nail varnish, which she loves at the time but promptly peels off within 24 hours.

I have suffered from depression since I was small, which leads to non-existent self esteem and therefore I tend not to look after myself or care about my appearance. That feeds into a cycle where I feel shitter so I put less effort in which makes me feel shitter ...

I want DD to have a normal healthy relationship with her appearance. I want it to be a normal thing that you get regular hair cuts or styles. You have pretty nails if you want them. You buy nice clothes that fit well and make you feel good as often as you need/want them.

So I make a conscious decision to take her along to the two monthly beauty treatments I enjoy and I will unless she says it's not her thing as she gets older.

I am naturally hairy (cheers dad!) and have been waxing my legs and bikini since I was 16, I hated going swimming with the school because I felt so self conscious. My DD already has a mono brow (age 4) and as soon as she is aware of it or feels self conscious I'd take her to get it waxed. I will also take her to get her legs waxed rather than start shaving because I know the effect it has on the hairs long term.
I wouldn't want her to feel uncomfortable about something that is easily rectified and could lead to her being bullied (I was for being hairy )
Fake tan and nails are a different kettle of fish, however, and I would try to steer her aware from (what I consider) non-essential/frivolous beauty treatments.

The issue for me is more practical. Manicures and facials all cost money and women are on average lower earners anyway. It also take time.
I would only consider myself to have spare cash once the mortgage is paid off.
I push myself to be cheap but classic for clothes but have a weakness for make up and skincare. I do not want to pass this onto my daughter. Particularly the time spent on this sort of thing as it will encroach on education, hobbies, childcare and life!
Everything in moderation.