Image: Jo Abi and her daughter Caterina
Having a daughter has forced me to deal with all my issues. I don’t have a choice really, because she watches every single thing I do. And don’t do.
Research has shown that the same-sex parent is the single biggest influence in a child’s life, through their presence or absence, through their words and actions. So when my five-year-old daughter Caterina asked me, “Mummy, why do girls wear makeup”, I felt incredible pressure to answer her properly.
Here’s what I said…
I told her that girls wear makeup because it is fun.
Looks like these celebrity mums have also had the makeup talk with their girls – or are close to it…
Celebrity mums and daughters playing with makeup
I didn’t tell her that girls wear makeup to make them feel better about themselves because I don’t want her to have to use anything to make her feel better about herself;
I didn’t tell her that girls wear makeup so they look pretty, because we don’t need makeup to look pretty;
I didn’t tell her that girls wear makeup so they can get a boyfriend;
And I didn’t tell her girls wear makeup to correct problems with their skin.
I love makeup. I love beauty products. I love clothes. I love shoes. But I don’t ever want to teach my daughter that these things can make you feel better about yourself. I want her to find that from within.
Secretly, sometimes makeup does make me feel better about myself, but I know that’s not ideal. I also know that I’m okay without makeup. Not wearing it doesn’t make me fall to pieces.
When I put on makeup she likes to pretend to put some on too. She pats her face with a foundation sponge and then uses my lip gloss. Sometimes we paint our nails together. But it’s just for fun. I never say, “You look so pretty”, even though I am tempted to. I say, “Wasn’t that fun?”
So here’s my question to you. Am I doing the right thing or am I completely over-thinking this? It’s just makeup, right? That’s my intention - I want my daughter to grow up believing that makeup is just makeup. It is not confidence, intelligence, happiness, achievement, attractiveness.
All that still comes from within her, as I hope it does from me.
What would you say if your daughter asked you why you wear makeup?
We think you'll also enjoy:
I buy all my beauty products at the supermarket