How Lovely To Be a...Woman?

When I was a kid, makeup was a treat. Like ice cream. I can remember sitting on the bathroom counter while Mom lightly brushed bright blue eyeshadow and baby pink blush on my face. Laugh all you want, but it really went with the ice blue tutu and sequinned tiara. See, at that young age, wearing makeup meant that something special was going on: a ballet recital, slumber party dress-up, mother-daughter silly time...that sort of thing. It was always just for fun, and just for a very short period time.

 

When I turned twelve, Mom and Dad let me start wearing lipstick. Only lipstick. I thought I was all grown up, and spent way too much allowance money on $1.99 Wet and Wild. At thirteen, powder and blush were allowed. Boy, I'd died and gone to Heaven, and Daddy pretended to be worried about all the boys I'd have following me home. The next year, when I hit high school, Mom took me to the Clinique counter at the mall, and had the makeup artist on staff pick out just the right colors for me, show me how to apply eyeshadow so I didn't look like a hooker, and set me up with a good skin care routine. As she told me then, "As long as you don't wear makeup, you won't need it; but once you start wearing makeup, you'll have to keep it up." How true that is.

 

My mom was smart. I was dying to wear makeup, and this was her compromise until I was mature enough to handle a full routine. She also taught me the importance of skincare, which is why, at 30, I'm not paying for the sins I committed at fifteen.

 

So, now I hear that Walmart is launching a line of makeup and skincare products (a whopping 69 items!), aimed at girls aged 8-12, and I'm torn.

 

The line, Geo Girl, consists of powders, eyeshadows, lipglosses, lipsticks, and mascaras, with text-slang names. Prices range below $6, and everything's all-natural and recyclable. Also, the colors are designed to be sheer enough to just give a healthy glow, and not cover up skin completely.

 

I firmly believe that entire age group is too young to wear makeup. Maybe a little lipgloss on a special occasion; a light everyday lipstick for the older girls, but not a full face of makeup to go to elementary school. Generally speaking, it'll wreak havoc on their delicate skin. There's also a certain level of maturity and judgement needed to know when enough is enough, and not look like a Health and Beauty aisle exploded on your face. Plus, how many small children need help with achieving a "healthy glow"?  

 

Of course, little girls want to wear makeup (generally--obviously, I can't speak for every child). This line is dermatologically-tested, and designed with all-natural ingredients to be safe for children's skin. No parabens, no sulfates, no allergens, and it has a skincare selection. There goes my argument about it wrecking skin. Also, the packaging is recyclable, to teach kids about social responsibility and environmental consciousness. If a child is clammoring for powder and mascara, at least this would be more skin-friendly and educational than raiding big sister's makeup bag, right?

 

I'm not a parent. I'm not a dermatologist. I'm not a psychologist or any other expert of any kind. I'm just a grown-up with, I think, a little common sense. Here's my take: at that age, just keep it fun. There's no harm in playing with makeup, experimenting with colors, and just being a kid. As long as it gets washed off in the tub, there's probably no harm done. As for an entire line of full-face products to wear on a regular basis (and that's the plan), I just don't see the need. If you want to talk about social responsibility, I've never seen an 8 year-old who needed blush. What kind of a message are we sending if we tell her she does.