It used to be that teenagers, not to even think of tweens, had to battle it out with mom over the issue of wearing makeup. But, those days are long gone. Makeup is very popular in the tween culture today, and marketing agencies have taken hold of this knowledge, and kicked it up a notch by making makeup especially designed for girls ages 9 to 12. It is a huge marketing paradise.
Why do younger girls want to wear makeup at this young age? The answer is simple. They want to express independence, mimic their idols (the most popular being Lindsay Lohan, Hilary Duff, Miley Cyrus, among others), and feel part of the crowd among peers.
As stated by Strategis (December 31, 2006), "Most tweens tend to begin putting on make-up and using styling products by the age of 9 or 10. Tweens by and large are avid followers of trends in style...Tweens often take their lead from their older teenage counterparts. Many products marketed to teens often have greater success in appealing to tweens..." As you can see, there is a strong desire of tween girls to look and act older, and they are succeeding.
You may ask, is there any downside to tweens wearing makeup early-on? That is an issue for each individual family to assess. Obviously, this could be a great controversy, if opened up for debate, but one we will not go into here. It is just mind-boggling that tweens control $1.3 billion in purchasing power, and marketing agencies are not missing the boat within the cosmetic industry.
If you do allow your tween to wear makeup, here are some tips on how to control the amount they use and keep a natural look:
- Glance at some of the role models your daughter has taken an interest in to see who she may want to mimic. For instance, if she is into Miley Cyrus (see photo below), then you know she will want to wear softer colors that help keep her natural beauty. On the other hand, if she is totally into Avril Lavigne (see photo below), then you might have to put down some rules.
- Take your daughter shopping for makeup together. Be involved in her purchases.
- Encourage your daughter to start with shimmering lip glosses and light colored eye shadows at first.
- Avoid eyeliners, blush, and eyebrow pencils. Kids this age do not have the mastery of applying this type of makeup properly.
- Reinforce that outer beauty is not everything, and it is what you are inside that makes you beautiful. It is how you treat others that makes the big difference in life. People will remember you for what you did, not what makeup you wore.
Top Recommendation
Bonne Bell has a nice line of natural colors for young girls.
Denise Oliveri - Denise has been writing for Suite101 for many years, and enjoys sharing her experiences and knowledge with readers. Her main occupation at ...
