Many parents are scared at the mere idea of allowing their children to wear makeup. But becoming an adult is an important part of a healthy childhood. Sometimes this means dressing up in your parents’ clothes, and other times, it means trying on your mother’s lipstick and experimenting with some colorful eye shadow.
Still, the concept of children wearing makeup remains controversial. Whether they are toddlers or teenagers, many people wonder: is it okay to let your child explore cosmetics at a young age?
Makeup can improve your self-esteem
According to these statistics, 42-52% of US teens use beauty products as a means of boosting their confidence. Makeup can be a way for children to practice self-expression and feel more proud, as it is one more way to develop their personal identity from an early age. However, parents need to teach their children that makeup is just one way to enhance appearance and is another form of playtime rather than a way to measure self-esteem.
2. Kids’ makeup isn’t bad, but adult stereotypes are.
Most adults consider children’s makeup inappropriate because it is related to the concept of attractiveness. For this reason, many believe that we must protect their innocence. Expressing yourself through cosmetics isn’t inherently bad, but society’s assumptions about them are. After all, it is their body and they must decide what they want to do with it.
3. It is a way for children to explore creativity
Makeup is an important way for adults to be creative and the same goes for children. Whether playing with fluttering wings or drawing patterns on their faces, makeup also serves as art material, with children’s fingernails, faces and bodies acting as the canvas. Playing with textures and colors is just another form of creative and artistic fun.