How to Teach Your Tween to Apply Makeup Subtly

Most girls become interested in makeup in their tween years. Most parents want them to hold off on the makeup until they are much older. If your tween is dying to wear makeup and you find that you are starting to lose your resolve, you can teach them to wear makeup subtly.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Bronzer
• Her own skin care regimen products
• Her own make up brushes
• lipgloss

1. The first and most important part of wearing makeup is to teach your tween to take care of her skin. Find a gentle skin care regimen with cleanser, toner and moisturizer and teach her to use to twice a day, every day. Let her know that if she does not take care of her skin that using makeup will cause acne and other skin problems.
2. Take her shopping for a light foundation. Most brands have a product that will hide flaws without giving a heavy feeling.
3. Show her how to use foundation to only cover marks and flaws that she wants to minimize. Teach her that there is no need to put a think layer of makeup on an otherwise flawless face. If she does need a full face of makeup due to discoloration or scarring, show her how to blend the makeup into her neck to avoid the mask look.
4. Instead of using eye shadow, and blush, show her how to add a quick sweep of bronzer to her eyes, cheeks, nose and forehead. It will allow her to glow without looking made up.
5. Try to match the hair color as much as possible with the mascara. Using too dark a mascara will make her look too grown up, or too Goth and broody. For younger tweens, purchase clear mascara with vitamin E to make the lashes strong and shiny.
6. For lips, gloss is all a tween needs. Buy her moderately shiny colors and rewarded her with a new lip gloss every now and then. If you supply the makeup, you will prevent her from purchasing inappropriate items herself.

Tips & Warnings

• Allow her to use 3 or 4 makeup items
• Purchase natural colors for her