what age did you first let your DD try a bit of makeup?

[Undercovamutha]

I'm not talking about 'proper' makeup, but rather humouring the request to be 'just like mummy'.

My DD is nearly 4. About 6months ago she started saying she wanted to try lipstick. I initially said no but then thought there would be no harm in letting her try some of that tinted pearl-shine nivea lipsalve stuff. She is now obsessed with it - even though you can't really see it on! I only let her try it now and again, but she then stands in front of the mirror for ages looking at herself, and often refuses to talk or drink for a good 30 mins so that she doesn't rub it off!!!!

She has now started asking for 'painted' toe nails (apparently her friend has them!). I think I need to draw the line now, as she is only 3 (I blame Disney Princesses for this btw!). But perhaps I need to chill out.

What do you think? (BTW I hardly wear any make-up and very rarely wear nailvarnish, so its not my preening that has encouraged this ).

No harm imo - let her have a go if she wants.
My DD (now 12) did the same at about the same age and now doesn't wear much (if any) at all (like me) so it might be an idea to chill and let her play.

my ds's both wanted painted toenails from about 2yo.
We went to a country park with a big water area on Thu and they were just in t-shirts and pants, and ds2 (4y) with his bright red toenails.

oh gosh yeah i just remembered my son liked his toenails painted for a while too - sweeeeeet.

I don't use make up at all but my 4 yr-old adores lip gloss and has her toenails painted sometimes in summer. I think that's as far as I would be comfortable with personally but pre-dd I would never have believed I would think this was perfectly OK.

It just playing.

My little girl (3) always wants to put make up on when I am, they want to copy everything so I would let her. I let my wee girl have a shot of mine but would never let her have her own just now. Her big sister is ten and got a bag of make up for christmas, but again she just gets to play with it.

My little boy (2) is obsessed with girly stuff, pretty shoes, dresses, lipstick etc and we are so not a girly house. But again its just playing (I hope!). Big strops occur if his sister is getting to wear a pretty dress and he is in boring boy clothes!

He proudly came back from my sisters with painted nails, my partner was not very pleased! All just a bit of fun.

Sorry to be serious, but please remember some nail polish can be really fume-y. I'm sure you would be careful, but my parents only realised I had asthma when it was triggered by my mum giving in to similar requests when I was about 4.

My 2 year old DD wears nail varnish.

I would have been horrified at the idea just a few short months ago.... but she likes it, where's the harm?

She is now angling for lipstick (like mine) so I will get her a lipsalve. It's just the same as walking round in my shoes and wearing my necklaces, I don't think it indicates she's turning into a teenager

My dd 8.11 has her toenails painted occassionally and uses lip salve from the body shop. That is the extent of her make up bag. Someone did get her a horrid kit from Claire's but she only uses that for face paint when there's a fancy dress day at school. One of her friends wears blusher. I queried this with her mum who told me she looked peaky without it

My DD who is 2.4 loves to pretend to put on make-up and quite often is seen with a blusher brush in hand but i dont actually let her put any on. I think she is too young yet for all that business, while i know it's innocent playing, some dont see it that way. She seems quite contented with pretending while i do mine at the moment or I give her a slick of vaseline which will keep her happy

OP - tis probably n/a to me as I have a DS 2.7 (plus don't wear make up very often and he tends to not be watching if I am putting it on).

You asked what people thought so I will give my view:

I am worried about such young girls being taught that "self confidence comes from conforming to certain beauty standards".

Quote taken from The Sexualisation of Children review.

I would urge all parents of DDs and DSs to at least read the executive summary of this report.