How do you explain make-up to toddler DD?

[BobbysBeardOfWonder]

If you wear it I mean

She sometimes copies me when I'm putting blusher on, although she doesn't understand what it is yet.

I'm a feminist but I wear make-up - how do I best explain that to a 2.5yo?

I would always say that make up is for when you feel like "looking different" rather than "I use it to look nicer." Maybe explain that sometimes DD likes to wear a blue shirt and have her hair down, sometimes it's nice to have a change and wear a green shirt with our hair up.

Not sure if this would suit everyone, I wear make up and colour my hair though and I honestly don't think I look nicer, just different to how I usually look.

Ds (23 months) loves to watch while I "do brushes". He has a little brush and pokes it in his eyes and eyebrows and mine , then wanders off to try and stick it up the cats bum.

Can't you just say its for fun?

Could you do it when she isn't around? Or pop in to the toilet and lock the door to do it? I don't let dd see me shave for that reason. I don't want her to see it part of a grooming routine iyswim. Unless your makeup is very dramatic, I don't suppose a toddler would notice if she just saw you already made up? And then explain it properly when she is older.

DD is always around. She can sniff me out even if I hide in the bathroom

What do you say once they're old enough to understand then? (How old is that anyway?)

I say it's grown-up colouring-in. Which it is, essentially!

I'm not there yet my dc are little and I don't wear makeup. Dh wears loads of lip balm and dd pretends to put it on , but I guess when you can have a proper conversation maybe just explain that some grownups (don't make it gender specific) wear make up to dress up. But not everybody does and nobody has to?

I say mummy is a bit worn out and aged now and needs a bit of make up to make me feel smart. And that dd is young and beautiful and doesn't need any help in that department ever for years.

Personally I think putting it on in private, and hiding it from a child is really unhealthy.

I always had my makeup on the dressing table. All my DC have used my blusher brushes on their face (because they feel nice). They all know I use makeup because I want my face to be a different colour, just like I go to the hairdressers regularly to change the colour of my hair.

I've no idea if they know I shave my legs or not, it's never come up in discussion. I wouldn't hide it, though. Thinking your mother has naturally smooth legs, and wondering why yours are hairy is going to leave a child They know DH shaves his face though. There are somethings adults do, which children don't.

lynette I don't see why not showing a two year old everything you do is unhealthy if they don't know you do it..why is that a problem? I never said hide it forever I said until they are old enough to explain it to them and they understand.

I think it is unhealthy for a toddler to think you have to wear makeup. To assume it part of the normal grooming process

My daughter is 4 and takes quite an interest in my make up and often likes to pretend to put some on. I don't wear make up everyday, and I make sure that she is aware that sometimes I want to wear it and sometimes I don't. Its up to me to choose how I want to present myself. It is by no means seen as a necessity. I think so far she seems to understand this (i hope)