How to Persuade Your Parents to Let You Wear Makeup

Co-authored by Kelly Chu

Last Updated: November 1, 2024 Approved

You want to wear makeup, but you need your parents' permission to try it. Obviously, you need to be able to explain why you think wearing makeup will be good for you. Just as importantly, though, you should take your parents' concerns into consideration. They might worry that you're growing up too fast. But if you present your argument well enough, you can bring them over onto to your side.

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Explaining Why You Want to Wear Makeup

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Don’t start the makeup conversation when your parents are busy or in a bad mood. Wait until they’re in an open, approachable mood to bring up your desire to start wearing makeup. Make sure they have the time to have a long conversation with you at the time. If you catch them at a bad time more than once, your parents might start to feel like you're nagging them, and that never helps you win an argument!
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Research source} If you act childishly, you’ll only make your parents think you're not ready to wear makeup. Instead, show how mature and responsible you are. Don't ever raise your voice and do your best not to let your voice get whiney. If the argument isn't going your way, control your emotions instead of crying or yelling. Your parents will take note of this.

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Research source} Your skin goes through a lot during your teenage years. The hormonal changes in your body might cause your skin to break out, and that can be incredibly stressful. Explain to your parents that makeup isn't always about attracting boys. Concealing your skin problems until you grow out of them will make you feel more comfortable in your own skin.
Research shows that women who view makeup positively feel stronger and more confident in themselves when wearing it.^{[3]
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Research source} You're at a delicate age, and your self-confidence is very important. Without it, you might not make the best decisions for yourself. Your parents want what's best for you, and feeling strong is in your best interest.
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Explain that makeup will help you express yourself. Your parents might think that you want to wear makeup to attract boys. You need to convince them that you want to wear makeup to express yourself, not to fit the mold of what boys like.^{[4]
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Research source} Just like clothes and hairstyles, makeup tells everyone around you — boys and girls, young and old — something about who you are. This is about sharing something about yourself with the world. Just make sure your parents know what you're doing this for yourself, not for boys.
- Makeup is just one aspect of your overall image. Encourage your parents to see it as ‘’part’’ of who you are, not as a defining feature.
- You’re at a time in your life when self-expression is very important to you. You’re figuring out who you are! Try to persuade your parents that a little bit of makeup will help you explore your identity.
Whether right or wrong, society judges women by how they look. Being able to wear makeup properly will help you succeed in the professional world as an adult. Assure them that you won't wear too much makeup.^{[5]
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Research source} Your teenaged years are a time to hone the skills you'll need later. You need to make mistakes like smudging your eyeliner or wearing unflattering colors at a young age, when the stakes are low. You definitely don't want to make them as an adult, when your appearance has more real-world consequences.

Part 2

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Addressing Your Parents’ Concerns

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1
Ask them to explain their concerns. Don't just be willing to hear your parents out — actively ask for their input in the decision. The better you understand why they don't want you to wear makeup, the better you can address their concerns.
- "I know why I think makeup will make me feel better. Why do you think it will be bad for me?"
- Pay close attention to what they say, and try to answer each of their concerns directly.
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Start small at first. Your parents might be worried that overnight, you're going to change from their little girl to a fully made-up woman. Ease that concern by starting small.
- Say that you want to start with only concealer and blush to hide your acne.
- You might ask for a little more leeway every year, as you get older. After a year, ask if you can add eye-shadow to your makeup routine, or eye-liner.
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Ask only for age-appropriate makeup. If your parents are worried that you're trying to grow up too fast, they might be right. Think of how silly your mother would look with bright pink lipstick and blue nail polish! She looks good in makeup because she wears makeup appropriate for her age. Explain to your parents that you'll do the same thing.
- Ask for lightly tinted lip balms or glosses instead of a deep red, sexy lipstick.
- Keep all makeup on your face light and natural-looking. You want to enhance your natural beauty, not change your face. Maybelline Baby Lips is a good tinted lip balm to start out with.
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Negotiate a deal with your parents.^{[6]
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Research source} You don't want your parents to think that you want something for nothing. Be willing to give them something they want in return for your makeup privileges. Some examples might include:
- You can only wear makeup as long as you keep your grades up.
- You'll take on an extra weekly chore around the house.
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Make makeup a bonding experience. Makeup doesn't have to mean that you're growing up and away from your parents. It can actually bring you closer together! Go to a Sephora/local makeup store or watch YouTube tutorials with your mom, you could look at products and find out what is acceptable and unacceptable. YouTube tutorials would give clear ideas of what makeup looks are okay and what aren't. Going into the store also allows for an associate to help find products that satisfy your wants and your parents rules.^{[7]
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Research source} Ask your mother to go shopping with you for the first time so she can teach you how to choose makeup. When you get home, ask her to help you practice applying it.
- Get her advice on how to match makeup to your skin color.
- Take her advice on what colors she thinks will look good on you.
- Make sure to maintain a good attitude the whole time. By making makeup fun for your mom, you increase the odds that she'll let you wear it more often.

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I have asked my mom to let me wear makeup but she says no way. I have so many red pimples. I get good grades. She says that makeup covers up natural beauty but I just want to cover up pimples! What should I do?

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Do let her know that you're feeling insecure about your skin. Ask if you can start with a sheer or low-coverage foundation first, to get your mom comfortable with you wearing foundation. In the meantime, start caring for your skin by washing it every night, using a toner and moisturizer or lotion on your face, and drinking sufficient water.

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My mom does not wear makeup very often and thinks that I should not either. What am I supposed to do?

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Think about what kinds of products you want to wear. Start small with only a few, and later you can build up if you're allowed. Let your mom know what kinds of makeup you want to wear, and show her online or magazine pictures of what you'd like to look like.

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Don't wear anything too bright and bold, your parents may reconsider.

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Wear makeup that looks more natural than dramatic, especially at a young age.

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Always apply makeup lightly because if you put on too much it can clog your pores and cause acne.

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The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

Try asking to wear makeup just for a special occasion (a birthday, a holiday, etc), and start with subtle things, like clear mascara and some lip gloss. Eventually, they may let you do this for more casual occasions, and so on.
Assure your parent's that you aren't using makeup to cover up your true self. Tell them that it's just a way to express yourself, and that, no matter what, you will always love and appreciate your natural beauty!

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Warnings

If you are at a young age (generally before you start to get acne / pimples) you actually DO want to stay away from products like foundation and concealer. Makeup can actually cause you to get acne and pimples earlier.

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Don't give in to peer pressure. Carrying yourself with confidence without makeup is something not many can do.

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