I think the world is pushing children to grow up too fast. I was in JC Penney once and saw shiny almost thong like underwear... in the little girls section. I think girls have it worse then boys though. They are in a rush to grow up, especially since all their idols are sexed up teen girls. Makes me a little happy that I have only boys.

I have a picture of my then 3 y/o with makeup on. I had make up starting around 11 or 12 to goof around with. In 8th grade, I started wearing it to school from time to time. Full time makeup in 9th grade. I don't really think there's right age, it's more of maturity I guess. If my hypothetical daughter asked for make up, say when she was 9, I would probably get her some and teach her "less is more." It would be a good lesson on self esteem and doing something because you want to vs doing it because someone else is. We would also talk about how we are pretty so matter what but it's also nice to get all glammed up from time to time. Just my thoughts.

I'm not a mother, but I do notice kids growing up faster because I have a younger brother. It's crazy the language they use and how all the young girls are decked out in makeup. I started wearing mascara occasionally in 8th grade. That's it. Just mascara. By the summer before my freshman year of high school, I was wearing tiny amounts of eyeliner. To this day, that's all I wear. I'm currently going to be a sophomore in HS.

I definitely see kids growing up faster now than in even my generation (19/20 yr olds). Cell phones, personal computers, cars, everything is being given at younger ages. I, personally, wore makeup seriously beginning in sixth grade. Ever since, I've always worn makeup everyday. Of course I got the cheap, she can play with it, makeup that didn't cost a lot as a kid. I was never really the type to dress provocatively, since my parents would kill me anyway, but I did like to look nice. I think it's just an individual choice and realization for each child. My mom was the type that never left the house without "her face" on. So I grew accustomed to the fact that she took 20 minutes to do her hair and makeup. Eventually I caught on that it made me look more "mature."

the worldis pushing these girls to grow up too fast, i agree. and it's hard even for teenagers. i know.

as for make-up, i started experimenting with it when i was 13 but i did'nt start wearing it full untill i was 15-16 in my sophomore year of highschool. even so i usually wear just blush and eye make up. i only put on the "good" stuff before going out somewhere fancy.. and i'm 18 now  so i guess when you are in highschool...

and shaving legs lol that's another question.

I agree that kids are growing up wayyyy too fast. A year or so ago, I was in the store paying for mine & my husband's cell phone bill and I saw a kid come in with his mom. I'd say the kid was around eight or nine... and he whips out this Blackberry looking phone saying that he didn't know what his password was and that he accidentally locked his phone. Here I am sitting with the most basic model phone you can have and this little thing has a $400 cell phone!! I was in shock. My niece wears those "thong" like underwear, and she is seven. O.o I wore makeup when I was probably around 16 or so, I mean, I had played with makeup before that, but was never allowed to wear it out -- mom's rules. My sister is now 17 & has been wearing makeup out of the house since she was 12 or 13! My brother is 12 and has had a cell phone (got it taken away 'cause he was calling friends when he wasn't supposed to be). I didn't get a cell phone until I had a job -- mom's rules (again). I also have noticed my parents have gotten a lot more leineint with how they are with my brother & sister compared to how they were with me.

@TornadoChaser - I agree! I am happy I have a little boy right now. I don't think I could handle a little girl (especially going through the teenage years).

No offense, but I'm not sure it was a good idea to tell her that lipstick is to make someone pretty. If you really want her to be a natural beauty (And I don't mean that, "Take twenty minutes to put on make up that will make you look natural!" natural beauty) I'm only twenty, but I never wear make up and I think I look fine without it. I mean, sure, I'd probably look better with the magic that make up can create, but I like how I look without foundation or lipstick or eyeshadow or any of that stuff. I think a better explanation would have been to say that sometimes girls don't feel pretty, and put on lipstick to feel pretty, but such a beautiful girl like her will never need it.

I agree with frogandprince, telling your daughter that makeup makes you pretty is not a good idea.

I like the way my grandmother explained it to me when I asked why she wore makeup. She explained to me that she and every other woman who wears makeup is beautiful without it, but women wear makeup when they want to feel dressed up.

I'm fourteen years old.
I wear make-up, eye-liner, mascara. Hardly ever wear shadow, though. I don't think I grew up too fast, because I still act like a child. But having my parents up my butt saying,

"Oh, stop acting like a kid"
Blahblahblah, "Grow up."

o__o; It's kinda pressuring me to grow up. I mean, if I could, I'd never date boys or go out or anything. I'd just stay home and cuddle with my mother. >_<

I, personally, don't think that makeup makes little girls grow up too fast...
However, she needs to be taught from an early age about positive body images, because it could really mess her up later in life.
Explain to her that women wear makeup when they want to feel pretty/dressed-up, and that makeup looks its best when you can't tell someone is wearing it.
Best of luck
-Brittani

I wasn't allowed to wear make-up outside the house until I was in high-school, and I plan on holding that same rule for my children (if I can have any). I also don't want them to have any of that crappy Tinkerbell/Barbie/Whatever makeup for little girls. I don't really know if/when I'll let them wear makeup before then, even inside. It will largely depend on why they want to wear it. If it's for boys (or girls?), not gonna fly any age before high school.

I'm (almost) fifteen. [less than a month! :)]  The first time I picked up make-up was when I was in fourth grade.  It was eyeshadow, and I only wore it on very special occassions, and even then, you could barely see it.  In middle school, because of peer pressure from everywhere, I was dying to wear make up.  Mascara was the big one I wanted to wear, because it seemed like every twelve year-old girl had mega-long lashes.  My mom said no, and when I finally did get mascara (almost 14), I realized it wasn't so great.

I think that you should let your girls try out all the make up that they want, as long as you stress that they're beautiful just the way you are, and make up can sometimes even hinder than beauty instead of helping it.

The bottom line is, all pre-teen girls (and even younger) are pressured from all around to be older.  Suddenly, its not "cool" anymore to be a kid.  Even when I was in lower elementary I remember kids were teased for watching Sesame Street.  I mean, come on, they're seven.  Also, even though this is so obvious that it probably doesn't have to be said, negative images are swirling through the media every second-- the TV commercial your eight year-old watches on primetime, the porn ad your ten year-old gets in her e-mail account-- it all adds up to horrible self esteem.  Maybe if we started seeing girls with not so much make up with less bones sticking out of them playing girls on TV shows, movies, even ads, the world would be a better place for young girls.  (Psst-- older sis's Hollister bag is included.)

Growing up seems to be a term that is used very lightly here.  I don't think that "growing up" comes from putting on make-up or wanting to do certain things.  Growing up is a maturity thing.  Nothing can make someone grow up too fast.

Throughout history, every older generation has looked at the newer one and pointed out the flaws.  "They're growing up so much faster than I did!"  "Kids nowadays don't have good morals like they did in my time!"  "These kids don't appriciate what they have...why, when I went to school, I had to walk to school uphill both ways in the freezing cold winter!"  Blah blah blah--it goes on and on. 

You can't blame these kids for having more technology than we did (they get cell phones so young!)  Because I'm 20, and even when I was very young there were no commercialy available cell phones, PCs, etc.  They are growing up in a technologically advanced time.

Unfortunately, they are also growing up in a time of extreme sexual advertising.  Are girls being pressured more today to be sexy at a younger age?  Yes.  I don't that anyone is going to deny that.  But kids are very distractable.  It should not be difficult, if you are the parent of a young child, to turn their thoughts away from the hannah montanta "be pretty!"  stuff. 

Just buy them a hamster.  See how long they care about hannah montana then. 

i think it just depends for each girl...

i was a tomboy so i always thought makeup, sparkles, and dolls were gay.

the only time i used makeup was for performing arts and formal occasions.