Make-up and perfume for preteens, suggestions please.

An eleven year old wearing mascara?
How ridiculous
I agree with Gaunt 47
I certainly wouldn’t encourage a granddaughter of mine to wear make up at that age.
Let her use Pears soap and she can prepare to be a beautiful lady the natural way as we did.
Of course we did have fabulous pink Camay .

Claire's accessories have make up and peel off nail polish aimed at younger people. My 9 year old granddaughter loves make up but isn't allowed out of the house with any on.

Superdrug is very good for younger people make up . Stick to the nude colours then your grand daughter will look natural and also on trend .

I loved putting on make up at that age and there was nothing sexual about it! Just wanted to look like Twiggy! All part of growing up and I still love make up now at 64. Think we are all different.

I would look at Benefit, it is young and trendy but also good quality.

There is something wrong with child education when little girls have nothing better to do than play at being sex objects.

I’ve never worn make-up....I like who I am ...my daughter doesn’t wear make-up ...as she seems to like who she is...my granddaughter laughs at women with ‘slap’ in their faces and asks why they don’t like themselves the way they are. Job done I think!

I actually think 11 child is too young to wear makeup

My 7 year old GD moved house recently and has found some new friends all about her age. When she goes "missing" for a while back she comes with make up on. DiL and DS have cleaned her face, removed nail polish trying to explain she has plenty time when a teenager to do all this. Had a bit of a chuckle last time I visited, GD came in from a friend's, stood in kitchen hands on hips and stated "I know I know, take the muck off my face" and marched to the bathroom. Even at 7 it seems to be the done thing now. I think my DIL etc have the right approach, just because some allow their children to do it, doesn't make it right.

Please don't encourage the sexualisation of an eleven year old girl. Would you be buying a grandson after-shave and a shaving kit? No - ridiculous isn't it! She may like the idea of it, but you shouldn't indulge it.

Child play is really important for the child's learning about his or her future as an independent grown up person.

A girl has as much right as a boy to play at adventurous and strenuous activities such as out of doors in the fresh air getting in some exercise. If you want your granddaughter to grow up to be an empty headed mopsy with poor physique go on and encourage her to think the adult woman's life revolves around make up, clothes , and looking pretty.

I disagree NemosMum and Alexa! What is so wrong with girls dressing up and playing with makeup? Some want to and some don't. It has absolutely nothing to do with sex (except perhaps in your own minds?).

I used eye makeup at 11 (1961) Not much but a bit of mascara & a light eye shadow. My mum let me use hers . All girls like to mess about with makeup.
I still never leave the house without my 'face on'. Nothing wrong with making the best of yourself- surely this is making our young girls appreciate their loveliness & all young girls ARE lovely.

Hetty, childhood time is actually short enough for all the active learning that needs to go on.

Girls have the right to learn better stuff than how to make up . It's wrong to let girls believe make up is of any great importance for her future life as productive and healthy woman.

I wore lippy and thick brown eyeliner (must have looked a sight) from about 11 too. My friend wasn't allowed any (strict religious parents) and, of course, I toned down my look by my later teenage years, whereas she rebelled and wore an awful lot of slap!

No idea but you sound like a lovely grandparent, wanting to give something they would love even if you don’t quite agree yourself.

LullyDully wearing make-up isn't 'sending the wrong messages'. Your statement that they should 'be careful' is horribly close to victim-blaming. Surely those who see 'a message' in make-up should be the ones having a word with themselves about what they're inferring? A child of 11 is merely playing with the stuff. (Though I have to say I wouldn't buy it for my grandchildren - let them be children while they have the chance)

Bodyshop does a limited range. Their fruity shower gels and lip gloss might fit the bill.

The general advise is just mascara, lip gloss, nail varnish for pre teens. No foundation or even eyeshadow.
Benefit is a really good brand , but expensive as is Mac and Bobbi Brown. MUA from Superdrug is pretty good, as is Makeup Revolution. Both cheap but decent quality.
Why not pay for her to have a pamper at a salon - if only a manicure or pedicure or for her to have a special cut and blow dry at a hairdressers?
At a young age, it's really just experimenting.

Paperbackwriter, there is no " merely play". Play is immensely important for children living and learning.

Make up is a part of life for most women and a girl might learn how to use it. My objection is a about the attitude that girls are okay if they grow up empty headed just as long as they are pretty.

I would echo the "get her started on skincare" theme. Good skincare is the basis of beauty. If the canvas isn't right no amount of paint will improve it.

Another vote for skincare here. I’m sometimes horrified by the amount of makeup worn by some of my 12 year old granddaughter’s friends. She only wears a ( slightly) tinted lip balm.
One of them appeared a couple of weeks ago with those awful thick black eyebrows and acrylic nails!

Try Superdrug - the Revolution range has some nice eyeshadow packs, its good quality but reasonably priced on 3 for 2 at moment.

Oh good, let's encourage our granddaughters to focus on appearance and sexualisation!

Isn't lipstick actually accentuating the mouth to resemble a vagina? And aren't dilated eyes a sign of sexual arousement? Or what IS going on?

Personally this Xmas I'll be asking the granddaughters what trip they'd like to take with me or what book they'd like.

I agree with twiceasnice about encouraging them not to use it, my granddaughters were not allowed any make up until they were 14 then it’s just clear lip gloss.

Could the fun of shopping and picking have a lot to do with it.