15yr old wearing makeup to school?

[BrentMum1]

My 15-year-old daughter goes to a Catholic Secondary School in which they are very strict on things like makeup, hair dying, piercings etc. In the past year, my daughter has been struggling with acne. She is prescribed Duac topical cream and there has been a difference but she doesn't think so. It is obvious that her skin has cleared up but as everyone knows it can be very hard to see what others can see. So to tackle her insecurities she started wearing makeup - much to my dismay as she is fine without it - and she'd do this only on weekends. But now I've started to notice that she's been wearing it to school. It's a bb cream and a concealer and occasionally I've noticed that she's been wearing mascara. I obviously want whats best for my daughter but I don't know if I should tell her to stop or not. Her school hasn't complained yet but I'm afraid if they do as she'll be sent home and given inclusion for going against school rules.
So.. Should I allow her wear makeup or not?

I'm sure many people will tell you that you know the rules and should stick to them etc. but this is for the sake of helping your DD's confidence so I'd let her continue to wear just enough to cover her acne up a bit.

I would however make her stop the extras such as mascara, and anything else she may try, as this will bring more attention to the fact that she's wearing it and more likely to be caught out.

My dd wears mascara & concealer to school - I think it’s the norm tbh (year 11).,

If make up is against the rules then she shouldn't be wearing it.
What about a tinted moisturiser?

Concealer and foundation is fine. If it’s applied correctly nobody will know she is wearing makeup. If she wants to wear mascara to school then get her a clear mascara or a light brown one so it still looks natural.

No makeup rules are there so people don’t come in with loads of eyeshadow and black eyeliner and bright lipsticks. Regular foundation, concealer, discreet mascara, clear lip gloss etc should not be a problem. Most 15 year olds wear makeup.

I'd suggest to her she just stick to makeup to cover so not to push it too far....unless it's obvious makeup most schools will turn a blind eye as it's more effort than its worth to send a pupil home a bit of concealer a spot.

My friend who works in a strict school tells me she stands at her classroom door with a packet of baby wipes and tells girls to wipe their faces. personally I think that's a horrid thing to do

I think she will be fine as long as she is not wearing heavy makeup. It will help her confidence and I think you picking up on it will come across as pedantic if her school don't seem to have noticed. Let her wear it - if it becomes an issue with school then help her find an alternative solution.

She'll be fine so long as it's not too obvious.

I went to a strict private school whose rules stated no make-up, but you only got made to remove it if it was, for example, bright orange foundation or bright green eyeshadow. Naturally coloured foundation and concealer wouldn't be a problem.

I don't know why some schools get a kick out of telling kids they can't wear make-up. Unless it's a health and safety thing, no workplace tells grown women what make-up they can wear, so I don't see why schools do. But I guess that's another thread!

This is something you leave to the school, if it’s overly noticeable then they will sanction her

You could mention that there’s clear mascara to her if she’s looking for an alternative?

DD is 15y and in Y11. Fairly strict uniform rooms and again no make up, no jewellery except a watch and one pair of lobe studs, no hair dye, etc.

However, DD has had highlights in her hair for the best part of 3 or 4 years. No one has ever mentioned these though they are more natural colours.

She has an earring in her helix at one side, as well as lobes. She also has her naval pierced but obviously that is hidden. One or two teachers check their ears occasionally - but she always has small circle plasters which she will cover it with, or she removes it. She's been asked to remove it a couple of times, but she normally is fairly swift to cover it before they get to her. Most of the teachers don't seem to care.

And like most of the other girls in Y10 and y11 she wears a small amount of make up - a light foundation base and mascara pretty much every day - as well as the minor rule braking such as rolling of skirts. They are forever told to roll down skirts from what I can gather but they seem to let a little bit of make up go by - think they only pull them up on it if it is a full face, big brows or caked on thick and orange. They also dont seem to send them home - its just a trip to the school nurse to get wipes to remove it.

My stance on it is that she can choose to 'break' these rules BUT she has to take the consequences.

She's a good kid though and doesn't get into trouble over other things, she's fairly quiet and keeps her head down and gets her work done. I do think that is often taken into account by teachers.

My DD is 15 and wears concealer and a bit of foundation to school, she has never been asked to remove it.

I agree with Hulababy in that my dd knows the rules, if she breaks them by wearing a bit of make-up or coloured nail varnish then she faces the consequences.

I think as long as the mascara isn't really obvious, and the school haven't noticed it, then it's probably fine. If she's worried about attracting the notice of Mother Superior, maybe only apply mascara to the outer eyelashes, giving a more cat's eye look.

I think it's cruel for schools to outlaw makeup. It can boost confidence tremendously in the spotty teen years. I have two red haired DDs with fair eyelashes - they used mascara every day from age 13 on. It was very obvious and that was what they were aiming for as a look because it was preferable to them than the redhead eyelash-less look they would have been forced to go with in a school that prohibited makeup. Why would a school not understand a sensitivity like that?

I also don't know why schools can't see the contradiction in making strict rules about appearance in order to get the students to stop focusing on appearance. I suspect it's a practice that echoes the idea that women and girls invite the leers and harassment and assault they face by their appearance.

I agree with Deepestdarkestperu's post too. I don't know why some schools get a kick out of telling kids they can't wear make-up. Unless it's a health and safety thing, no workplace tells grown women what make-up they can wear, so I don't see why schools do. They are not preparing girls for life in the real workplaces they will be spending their careers in. Women wear makeup.

I recommend the book 'Teenage Beauty' by Bobbi Brown, which gives tips on attaining a more natural look. Also, if the acne returns, ask for Roaccutane. Acne can have serious psychological and emotional side effects.

However Dd has a spider naevis on her face - she's unbelievably conscious of it - has been offered laser treatment but is terrified of that so good camouflage make up was purchased and she spent ages every morning applying it. Our school has a strict no make up policy - they make loads of noise about forcing girls to wash it off etc. The thought of going to school and having to reveal her blotch was seriously affecting dd and breaking the rules was causing her stress too. So I sent an email to her form teacher and the Head of Year explaining dd's situation and I got back the loveliest reply reassuring dd that no one was going to comment on her make up as long as it wasn't obvious.

I might warn her against mascara but I think by the age of 15, she knows the rules and the consequences and it should not be you enforcing them.