makeup and 5th grade girls?

**imagine** · 08-23-2011, 01:07 PM

Title should say Make up and 5th grade girls

Do 5th grade girls wear make up to school? Am I unreasonable to think that they are to young?

Little Miss ( 10 and a half years old and in 5th grade) came down ready for school today in a full face of make up including mascara.

She had only gone up stairs for a minute. I thought to brush her teeth. Got into my make up and put it all on Expect maybe the base and concealer. She even made a mix of lipstick and gloss to make a tinted lip gloss.

When I noticed the unusual lip gloss on her lips I commented on it. She answered back it was HER lip gloss. I ask which one and she said the cotton candy one and leaned in for me to sniff it.

This was all strange so I took a closer look at her face. Yep make up including mascara. I ask her if she was wearing mascara and she said no. She LIED. She clearly was wearing it so I had her go wash it off before heading to school. Which was hard to do as it was water proof mascara and we do not have remover for it as i only wear make up once in a blue moon so there was none.

We addressed the lying and washed off the mascara.

I'm willing to talk about the make up if 5th grade girls truly are wearing make up to school. Probably not a full face but a little bit. But willing to talk about it and talk about proper skin care if you/we choose to wear it.

The lying bothers me a bunch too. Trying to figure out how to handle this while keeping the lines of communication open.

**Russ** · 08-23-2011, 01:17 PM

Fixed the title for you.

**Ashley01** · 08-23-2011, 01:30 PM

A little girl I watch she's 10 she has make up but it's for play only. She's allowed to wear lip gloss but not the pink sparkley stuff Just the clearer. I don't think I'd let my daughter wear it for anything but play kids these days are already growing up way faster then they need to.

**sahm2boys** · 08-23-2011, 01:33 PM

i have boys so i could be wrong here
but as a lil girl i loved make up
if i had a little girl in 5th grade which is so close to middle school i would probably allow lip gloss..(no dark colors) and mascara..i think that would be ok...

**StartingOver** · 08-23-2011, 01:33 PM

My dd11 just started 6th grade. But I know last fall when I visited her 5th grade classroom for a room party, I could not get over the amount of girls wearing make up. Eyeshadow, mascarra and colored gloss. Some even looked like they were wearing blush.

I commented on this later that night to my dd. She said "Oh yeah mom, everyone is wearing it!" She has showed me pics on facebook of these girls and it's unbelievable. They look like they are 7th graders!

I personally think full make up is too much for a 5th grader. These girls at this age have such beautiful skin, they don't need it.

**happymomof4** · 08-23-2011, 01:34 PM

Believe it or not girls that age wear full make up. I didn't let my girls at that age. But I did find out in 7grade my older daughter was putting it on when she go to school with other kids make up.

We had this big discussion about using other peoples mascara because of eye infects, etc.

Well about a week or so after the discussion she ended up with a stye in her eye. She was so upset she thought she was going to go blind. I guess the discussion we had worked. LOL!!!

I took her to the doctor got meds. Then we went out and bought her own make up and the right colors for her and she skin and what I would allow her to wear. She was in 7th grade by then now she is a Junior in college.

Maybe you should take a ride to the school when the kids are going in or come out in the morning and see how many girls really wear make up. Middle school girls wear thongs. I don't know why parents buy this stuff for 13 yr olds. But they do. My son is 23yr old now and he use to talk about the girls when he was in middle school wearing thongs.

So this stuff is not new these girls have been wearing make up and dress way to old for years.

**Neeley** · 08-23-2011, 01:36 PM

The elementary school DD went to did not allow any make-up. Fifth and sixth graders could wear a little lip gloss, but nothing else.

I think it is a little young for a full face of make-up. I think a little lip gloss or a light lipstick and maybe a touch of blush or powder. But, I feel that foundation, mascara and the whole nine yards is too much.

Good luck!

**Syn D** · 08-23-2011, 01:36 PM

Our girls weren't allowed to wear make up till they were 15 yrs. old,, so I don't think your being unreasonable..

**McD** · 08-23-2011, 01:41 PM

I'd say 5th grade is a little young for full make-up. Perhaps some gloss and maybe a bit of body spray. Her putting it on/playing with it, etc. is normal. I remember wanting to wear eye shadow and shave my legs at that age.

If it were my Moo Cow who had done it, I would be concerned that she got into my things without asking (shows a lack of respect, and the lying.

**Debbie-cat** · 08-23-2011, 01:50 PM

I would be concerned most with the lying and lack of respect. I would sit down with her and come to a compromise. I believe if you just so no to all of it, she will sneak it in her backpack and put it on at school. Thisis not what I would want. If she bids something insignificant like like from you, what else would she hid when she hits high school? This is a perfect example of picking your battles. Good luck.

**frugalfriend** · 08-23-2011, 02:01 PM

I personally think 10 is way too young. I'm dealing with this exact issue with my dd, too. She is 12 and started 7th grade today. I REALLY do not want her to wear makeup yet, I think she is too young. She has beautiful skin and eyes without it. But, of course she uses the line "everyone is wearing it!" <--- hate that line, grrr! I tried to put it off until she is 13, but she begged me to wear a little mascara and blush. I finally agreed to that. She's been wearing lip gloss and nail polish for a long time. She has been sneaking and shaving her legs for awhile.

Why do they want to grow up so quickly? I guess I can answer my own question because I thought exactly the same way when I was her age.

**imagine** · 08-23-2011, 02:10 PM

Originally Posted by McD

If it were my Moo Cow who had done it, I would be concerned that she got into my things without asking (shows a lack of respect, and the lying.

Oh we are concerned over that very concerned, way more so then the make up wearing. It has been addressed this morning and will be addressed again by us when Dad is home too. Lying is nonnegotiable as is being disrespectful.

Make up on the other hand I will negotiate and come to a solution everyone would be happy with.

What also bothers me is that she felt that she had to lie to get what she wanted when we have always been a family that talks and discusses and works out solutions. She just had to come and ask, present a case, and we could discuss.

Hubby thinks she might be hearing different from her friends on how to handle "Parents" meaning how it works with their parents. (We know Buddy has been hearing this from his friends) Hubby has tried to reassure both children on how our family works and reminds them that is not how all families work.

**Contrary Housewife** · 08-23-2011, 02:11 PM

My nieces, at 11-13 are finally allowed cosmetics. I got them each an age appropriate body spray for christmas, and one of the girls got a manicure set with nail polish. They can have lip gloss, but not lipstick.

IMO kids younger than that don't need to be painted up.

**mommy4ever** · 08-23-2011, 02:20 PM

Remove the "forbidden" fruit of make up.

I have 3 girls, 14, 12 and 7. When the 2 older ones hit grade 5, they wanted make up. I brought them out. They got the following: cleanser and moisturizer w/sunscreen. Clear mascara, light lipgloss and soft colored eyeshadow.

The first wore make up for a whole week, then decided she didn't need to. This last year at 13 she experimented alot with make up, and we're back down to minimal again.

The next one wanted make up too. Again in grade 5, same things as her older sister. She is entering grade 7 now, and rarely ever wears makeup.

Now the littlest one has been asking for play make up. However she has really sensitive skin so I went with the real deal on eyeshadow for her, but in the lightest neutral colors. The little stinker has a very good hand at applying make up. But she doesn't wear it for anything other than dress up.

What we noticed, is once they had their own, they stayed out of mine, didn't sneak their friends make up at school. Eliminated any lying. Now I wouldn't do it to reward the behavior at all. Once her punishment has been dealt with for lying, it's time for a sit down and discuss makeup. Explain what it for, enhance, not disguise, etc. Less is more, type thing.

For us, we used coupons and got every thign we needed for under $5 and didn't need to worry about them looking like they were 20 years old..lol The appeal of the forbidden fruit was gone once they had some of their own.

**shoiji** · 08-23-2011, 02:31 PM

"You look like a clown!" is the greeting I would have when I attempted to wear makeup in the beginning. My friends also were greeted this way. Yes, do remember being that age when started experimenting. Unfortuantely magazines are out there with makeup on models that really is not meant for everyday wear or maybe never.

There are tinted lip moisturizers out there one being burts bees which would be appropriate. If she wants to put something on her lashes you can suggest a little vaseline. Will just make them shinnier. Light colored nail polish is also fine. It is important that you show your daughter the proper way to take off the makeup and to care for her skin.

I would try to stress that as she gets older she can use more makeup if she wants to. That makeup is really to enhance what you already have. Also, that magazines really do have models that are overly made up and that does not mean it is appropriate for everyday wear. You could also tell her that wearing makeup can be fun to wear but you would rather she understand that she should not be wearing so much makeup right now. Besides there won't be anything to look forward to as you get older.

Hopefully you can get your daughter to understand what you want her to know about makeup without to much fuss. Your daughters experimenting with makeup though sounds perfecting natural and age appropriate. Hopefully she will find that less is more.