Why too much makeup is not good for young girls Life & Style

Parents are being urged to ensure that their ­children aren’t using too much make-up, ­particularly if they’re young, as it can lead to major skin problems, says an expert.

Girls as young as 12-years-old are afraid to leave their home without wearing a full face of make-up, a new research has revealed.

An independent survey ­conducted by survey-led ­marketing research company, OnePoll, says that one in five girls aged between 12 and 17 are covering up their ­imperfections daily before leaving their home.

A worryingly high number of young girls are also topping up their makeup at least once a day, as results reveal that 46% of young girls will ­reapply make-up, reports ­femalefirst.co.uk.

Skincare experts warn that applying too much make-up at a young age not only worsens existing and immediate skin problems, but can also have an effect on long term skin health and condition that includes confidence and self esteem.

This comes as the study found that 40% of young girls ‘forget’ to remove their makeup and a ­further 36% leave it on because they are ‘too tired’ to remove it.

“Applying too much makeup for someone as young as 12-years-old, without first using skincare products, can cause ­sensitive skin to become dry and irritated,” says ­skincare expert Caroline Frazer.

“Skincare products such as face wash and ­cleanser help ensure that the skin is clean and prevent build-up of ­spot-causing ­bacteria, while moisturisers are key for ensuring that the skin is hydrated and often contain SPF to protect against ­damaging UV rays,” adds Frazer.

Mothers also admit to their daughters having insecurities about skin issues, with 70% regularly hearing complaints from their daughter about them.

“The results of this research suggest that while good skin is clearly very important to young girls, they are caking on makeup to cover their imperfections, which unfortunately makes them enter into a vicious ­circle. The excessive use of makeup is actually creating more problems for them,” says Frazer.

“Applying many layers of makeup will only serve to block pores, create and ­harbour more bacteria, and inevitably lead to greater skincare problems as well as confidence and self esteem issues,” adds the expert.