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How to discourage your toddler from wearing makeup (especially when you use makeup)

How to discourage your toddler from wearing makeup (especially when you use makeup)

Your toddler wants to look like you, lipstick, eyeliner et al? Here's what you can do.

Written by Naz Haider |Published : June 5, 2017 11:43 AM IST

Every time I start to apply lipstick, my daughter stands next to me, with her puppy eyes, looking at me with such adoration as if I was painting a masterpiece. Then she demands that I put lipstick on her. And you know how it is with toddlers. Once they ask for something, and are denied, their crying pitch goes from 0 to ear splitting in a matter of nanoseconds. Initially, I would simply pretend to put lipstick on her, but she caught up soon. She'll check in the mirror and look at me accusingly for having fooled her. Now I have stopped wearing lipstick around her. I carry my lipstick and apply it once out of the home. I wondered that if applying only a lipstick is so difficult, how do some mothers manage to do a full face of makeup?! I mean, you can't blame the kids, for them all the colours, glitter and texture is attractive. They don't understand terms like chemicals, skin friendly or even positive body image! So what do you do, how do you discourage a toddler, who can barely hold a pencil straight, from asking for and trying makeup? Here are some tips that have helped me, and might help you as well.

  • Explain that its a 'grown-up thing': You do a lot of things that your child isn't allowed to. So explain them what 'grown up' things are and makeup is one of that. Children see, children do, so it won't help to say that makeup is a bad thing, because then your child will question why you use a bad thing. So explain to them that certain things are not suitable, or appropriate for children, and that you yourself did not start using makeup until you were old enough. Telling them once won't drive the message home, but repeating and sticking to it will certainly help.
  • Don't use makeup around them: The best way out, at least for me, was to not use makeup around my toddler. If you are someone who goes full throttle with makeup, it might be difficult to do a full face of makeup outside of home. So what you can do is do your base, concealing and contouring at home, and you can use all the colour products like eyeliner and lipstick later. Usually children are attracted to makeup because it is so colourful, so keeping the colours away might help.
  • Explain that makeup does not mean beautiful: It is not difficult for children to begin associating makeup with beauty. The way you perceive beauty and makeup can highly influence your children. So, as a responsible parent, do not let your child associate made-up eyes or bright lips with beauty. Explain to children that makeup is something you do because you like to, like your child likes playing with toys or dress-up. Do not give a message to your child that you do makeup because it makes you look or feel beautiful. At the tender age of your child, she needs to learn self-love and self-worth before the shades of lipsticks.

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