What Age Should a Girl Start Wearing Makeup?

Q: How old should a young woman be before she starts to wear makeup? My family is preparing for prom. My 15-year-old daughter wants to wear makeup at prom and start wearing it daily. Two of her girlfriends wear lip gloss and eyeshadow. My husband said that when she's 16 she can wear a little makeup. I don't see the harm in her wearing lip gloss and eye shadow daily. The issue has divided our house. I'd like to hear advice from other parents. Thanks, Patty K.

A: My parents did not allow me to wear makeup until I was 16, but I did wear lip gloss in school before that. My friends would share makeup, so I experimented wearing blush, eye shadow and mascara before age 16, too.

Kids will experiment with cosmetics. I think it is better to allow certain cosmetics, like lip gloss, at her age than to forbid any makeup because she may wear more than that anyway at school or when you are not present. We know teenagers, and they often rebel to the extreme if there is not compromise.

Saying "yes" to lip gloss and eye shadow may appease her for quite a while. Lord knows we don't want to see red lipstick and dark, "smoky eye shadow" on a 15-year-old!

I suggest taking her shopping for the lip gloss and eye shadow. You can control what she buys when it comes to color. Make it a positive experience by telling her why certain colors look best on her. - Julia

What age do you think it is okay for a teenage girl to wear makeup? If you have advice for Patty please share in the comments section below.