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Original poster

My DD wants to wear makeup and she's 4!

31 replies

Freddiecat · 12/01/2009 21:37

My 4 year old DD is constantly asking me if she can wear make-up and nail varnish. I'm really against girls wearing any makeup until at least they go to secondary school and really didn't plan to have these conversations now!

I let her wear some clear nail varnish to a family party (mainly to avoid any serious rebellion) and now she's blethering on about her friends who wear coloured nail varnish to school. And it's true - I've seen them with chipped red nails - going into the reception class! On non-uniform days some of them even have sparkly eye shadow on!

Should I have a word with the school do you think?

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SheSellsSeashellsByTheSeashore · 12/01/2009 21:39

Buy her some glittery eyeshadows and let her use them as play, she doesn't have to wear a full face of make-up everytime she leaves the house.

Original poster
Freddiecat · 12/01/2009 21:42

thing is I even have a problem with that! but i guess at least it's a compromise.

Today she even told me about one of her friends wearing a little bra (sounded like a cropped vest but even so)

OP posts:
whooosh · 12/01/2009 21:43

My 3.75yr old is the same.
We just have a rule that it is for weekends only and little girls "are not allowed" to wear make-up outside of home.
I hate nail varnish on kids but toenails are my concession to it all.

Nell12 · 12/01/2009 21:43

Unfortunately it is one of those things girls always want to dress up; school should have a policy about nail varnish.

DD (4) always wants to wear make up when she sees me putting some on. I always sweep the (clean) blusher brush over her cheeks and give her a dab of lip gloss (enough to rub off in 2 minutes!) I then stand her in front of the mirror and exclaim how beautiful she is!

My dd may be gullible, but it seems to work for her

SheSellsSeashellsByTheSeashore · 12/01/2009 21:44

She doesn't go to dd1's school does she

I'm a bit meh about it all so long as she is not tattooing herself or putting permenant holes in herself I'm fine.

Though I do draw the line at fake tan and hairdye which dd1 would like. She is 5.

sagacious · 12/01/2009 21:44

dd is nearly 5
She's asked about nail varnish.I've told her when she stops biting her nails

She went to a friends house for tea and came back with glittery nails (thankfully clear glitter) TBH initially I WAS a bit pissed off but then I got over myself, she was so happy so I've decided for her 5th birthday I'll get her some sparkly polish for very special occasions.

Make up on littlies still makes me inward shudder though

Original poster
Freddiecat · 12/01/2009 21:44

according to her she is not a little girl....

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Original poster
Freddiecat · 12/01/2009 21:46

i have pointed out that that she needs to agree to brushing her hair at least once a week

OP posts:
littleducks · 12/01/2009 21:50

lip gloss? like chapstick stuff with prettier packaging?

sprogger · 12/01/2009 21:50

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
Freddiecat · 12/01/2009 21:51

she has some glitter stuff that she puts on for parties but it still comes down to red nail varnish for school...

OP posts:
blametheparents · 12/01/2009 21:51

This thread is really making me laugh.
Reminds me so much of my DD (nearly 4).

Lol at Freddiecat's DD needing to have her hair brushed.

At Xmas DD was in John Lewis and asked for some glittery children's makeup for Xmas. I said 'No'. She said 'Ok, I'll ask Father Christmas' I said F only gets makeup for gilrs who are at least 10!

Dottoressa · 12/01/2009 21:52

Freddiecat - I am with you on this one. My DD is 4.5 and is desperate for make-up (goodness knows why - I don't possess any of the stuff. Though maybe she's looked at me and thought: this is why girls need make-up )

I will not budge on this one. That said, I did compromise and bought her some lip-gloss (i.e. a lip-salve). Fortunately her school does have a very strict no make-up/nail varnish policy, so nobody at school is setting her an example!

Original poster
Freddiecat · 12/01/2009 21:53

Well I do wear makeup every day to go to work . I'm a secondary school teacher and felt out-glammed by the 15 year olds unless I made a bit more effort.

I do the blusher brush thing but girls just want to be like they friends don't they!

OP posts:
Pennies · 13/01/2009 22:17

I don't know, Whooosh, but I think purple nail varnish quite suits DD2 .

kittywise · 13/01/2009 22:23

I got my just 5 year old loads of cheapo make up for xmas. Of course now she has loads she doesn't use it at all!
I always think the way to stop something is not to fight it!

hermionegrangerat34 · 13/01/2009 22:25

If its any consolation, I only have sons and they both do this! If I'm doing my nails I have to do their toes (I do refuse to do fingernails - I try not to say its about them being boys as I don't want to sexually stereotype, but I do say that makeup is not nice on children).

fridayschild · 13/01/2009 22:27

DS1 and DS2 have both wanted to wear make up because they seeme put it on every day. Usually when they were about 3 or 4. They got something which didn't show (on pre school days) and lipstick / blusher (in the holidays). The urge passed...

Not sure whether this would work for girls though!

savoycabbage · 13/01/2009 22:37

I have got one of these wooden sets which my two dds love.

womblingfree · 27/01/2009 01:01

My DD is 4.4 and loves make-up and nail varnish. She has a fair bit of her own 'little girl' make up (thanks Nana!) and I don't mind her wearing nail varnish at all.

We stick to v. pale or clear with a bit of iridescent glitter for nails (unless it's a special occasion or fancy dress).

The kids make up barely shows, but even so she is not allowed to wear it on nursery days as I've told her she can't wear it when she starts school later this year, and I try to discourage her on other days. She probably only puts it on once or twice a week - usually just indoors when she's dressing up.

She has also been known to draw tattoos on her arm since Daddy got his done just over a year ago

Karamazov · 27/01/2009 01:45

We also compromise with the kids makeup. Children's clear nailpolish with bits of glitter in it (washes off in the bath), lip slave for lipstick and children's blusher, which again seems little more than coloured vaseline. However, I notice that DD is less keen to put it on herself now that she has a dressing up doll (girls world type thing) that she can put the make up on. Like a PP, I never wear make up, so guess she must get it from school. I don't make a big deal out of it, and mostly she is happy to do it on her doll and reserve makeup on her face for parties.

ChippingIn · 27/01/2009 02:51

Madness isn't it!! At first I was like 'I don't think so', but after thinking about it relented. It keeps LO (3.8) quiet creatively entertained for ages, all the littlies I know are the same and really, it's harmless in the way we let her use it. I'm saving my complete NO's for bigger issues! LOL

She has a mix of kids stuff and cheap adult stuff (after destroying some of my not quite so cheap stuff!!) and enough lipgloss to coat the outside of the house, however, she sits at the table to do it (with 2 mirrors) and has it wiped off as soon as it's done (I tell her I will tidy up the little stray bits and swipe the lot off!!!).

For parties she is allowed a little clear or clear with glitter nail polish but knows it is only for very special occasions and certainly not for school and is allowed to put on lipgloss (which also gets mostly swiped before going through the door of the party).

It makes her feel like a 'big girl' and pretty, in the same way her little girl party shoes and skirt do - it's not as though she feels she can't be seen without it!

SuperBunny · 27/01/2009 05:43

My DS (3.4) wants to wear make-up. Like sorggers's DS, he is satisfied if I whizz my blusher brush over his face once I have done mine and a tiny bit of chapstick on his top lip. And he likes to have a little toe painted. I don't see the harm in it.

KelleyBean · 13/05/2011 22:31

I have promised my 4 year old some 'play' make up for her birthday but I only want cosmetics that are safe for children ie paraben free. There are so many horrible ingredients in most I have found and nail vanish is the worst thing you can put on your child especially when they put their fingers in their mouth (it's not good for adults either!).
Could anyone recommend some natural kids products?

EvenLessNarkyPuffin · 13/05/2011 22:53

I'd talk to the school about the nail varnish. Children shouldn't be coming in wearing it, and if they sent a letter home it would make your life a lot easier.