Makeup for little girls: yes or no?

What little girl doesn't walk around in her mom's heels and applies lipstick all over her face every once in a while? We all think it's funny and harmless to see our daughter imitating us. But is it normal and acceptable for little girls to wear "natural, every day makeup", and is it ethical for companies to market such products to the under-10s?

Toddlers and Tiaras is not about innocent fun, despite the fact that some of the girls and moms enjoy pageants very much. Neither is it about feminism, or a good conversation, or instilling a wonderful work ethic. Whether we like it or not, dolling little girls up and dressing them to look like miniature adults is about a messed up society in which objectification is not reserved for grown women (not that that's nice, but it's at least something we're more familiar with).

I don't like any of the messages my five year-old daughter gets when she sees girls dressed up in little heels, or pants with the word "HOT" or "SEXY" embellished on the butt. I'm sure I'm not the only mother who feels that way, and I'm sure other parents also feel strange when they see seven year old girls promoting "natural, every day makeup" on YouTube.

Makeup isn't the problem, though little girls looking like grown women, and very tarty grown women at that, is the problem. Many little girls still enjoy glittery and shiny things and would love to wear some lip gloss and a necklace. And of course, it's perfectly possible for a girl to wear some makeup without looking like something that should shock us all. As long as my daughter realizes she looks wonderful just the way she is, lip gloss is fine by me.

Apart from the ethical issues that come with the type of image we see on pageant shows, and increasingly elsewhere too, health is another topic. Makeup can clog up the pores, get into eyes, and can even be toxic sometimes. Lots of adult women break out in spots every time they forget to remove their foundation at night, or because they use the wrong skin care products. Do we really want to cause these kinds of problems for our young daughters?