Makeup For Young Teens...When to Start Wearing It and How Much is Appropriate?

I recently did makeup for a junior bridesmaid who just turned 12...she was adorable!!  She wanted a full face of makeup, and of course her mom wanted it to be light and age appropriate.  Here's the final result...a perfect blend of pretty polish that is subtle enough to make mom happy....

I wanted to shape her brows, but she'd never had it done before and was nervous, so I skipped it. Tweezing really hurts, especially if you're a newbie!!  I didn't want her to have redness and watery eyes on her aunt's wedding day...she can learn to "suffer for beauty" another time.

Notice that even with subtle makeup, you can still really see how definition with a bit of shadow makes her eyes look bigger, and how blush on her cheekbones slims her face?  The magic is that it doesn't look like a lot of makeup...love that. To me, this look is perfect for a 12 year old, especially considering that for weddings, even flower girls are usually allowed to have a bit of gloss, blush and mascara!

All of this got me to thinking...

At what age do you think girls should start wearing makeup? How MUCH makeup is appropriate?

How old were you when you started wearing makeup?  I'm not talking about play makeup or just for a wedding, but daily wear.....

According to Yahoo and over 500 women polled, the average age to start wearing makeup regularly is about 13. Does that surprise you, or sound about right?  Personally, I started playing with makeup around the house when I was 7 or 8, but didn't start wearing it daily until 8th grade... mostly just mascara, gloss, powder and blush.  I added liner and eyeshadow the next year when I started high school....and probably wore a bit too much, but hey...it was the 80s!  I think EVERYONE was wearing too much.  I remember arguing with my mom over it, but she knew about my passion for makeup....she eventually gave up!  I never felt like I NEEDED it so much as I just wanted to wear it, it was the current style then and it was a form of self expression.  The love of makeup was already in full force for sure.....

 Last year, I was hired to do makeup for FOURTEEN 14 year olds......you heard that right!  That is a whole gaggle of teen girls, people. Check it out....

This was at the end of their 8th grade year, and most told me that they wear at least a little mascara and gloss to school daily.  For their dance, they chose to get (and were allowed to get!) a bit more glammed up with foundation, blush, shadow, etc....but still soft and age appropriate.  No harsh liner, no contouring....just light makeup to enhance their natural good looks and make their features shine. I focused on covering any skin issues, warming up cheeks with a healthy glow, a light shimmery wash of color on eyes (golds, taupes), mascara and gloss in pink and peach tones.  That is all they need...aren't they gorgeous!?!  PS...I had to move lightning fast to get them all ready in just a few hours...not easy!! (#engergizerbunny #superfast!)  I have never been so glad to skip brow grooming and false lashes...I literally had about 10 minutes per person.  Each girl was polite, sat still and gave me her full attention so that everyone could get makeup before the dance. What a lovely group of young ladies...their moms should be proud!

What about you....were you allowed to wear makeup for special occasions growing up?  What about wearing makeup regularly as a teen....and a what age? Did you and your mom argue about how much makeup you could wear?  I'd love to hear your thoughts and stories in the comments below!

A lovely 8 year old getting just a touch of makeup for a special occasion...her mom's wedding!

Smart Barre Studios - Commercial Shoot

If you're a follower of Lip Service, then you know I do weddings...a LOT of weddings!  I adore working with brides and getting to be a part of their special day...it's very fulfilling to help someone feel truly beautiful on one of the most important days in their lives.  But...that's actually NOT how I got my start as a makeup artist! (Need a little backstory?  Click here....)  I started out as on-air talent filming commercials and video productions, and then starting doing makeup behind the camera. Over the years, I added wedding makeup, boudoir, business headshots and lessons to my list of services, but I also love doing tv/film, and print work for magazines.

When I get the chance to get back to my "commercial roots" I always enjoy the opportunity to work with the production team and see the client's project come to life.  It's challenging, but in a fun way that keeps me on my toes, so keep checking back as I start catching up and posting about other commercial projects I've done this year!

This particular shoot was for Smart Barre Studios, based right here in Fort Worth, TX, with 4 local locations and 1 in San Antonio.  If you're not familiar, Smart Barre is a unique combination of ballet/yoga/stretching that lengthens your muscles while toning your body.  Want that lean dancer's body look?  This is how you get it!  All of the instructors have a background in dance, but you don't need to be a dancer to take a class, they assured me. Founder Allison Poston (yep, former ballerina!) contacted me about doing a shoot a few months ago, because they needed updated images for their website.

Making up Kristi, co-owner of Cityview Location

Before/After of Erin, one of the instructors

The makeup had to be light and very natural, but skin needed to look good on film and of course, all of the instructors wanted to look pretty! The goal is for each woman to look naturally beautiful, while looking like they aren't really wearing makeup, like Kristi, Erin and Renn, shown here.  I got started on makeup while Renn Traylor (also a part-time Smart Barre instructor) got started on natural updo's and ponytails that were polished, but simple.  Check it...another fun fact about this shoot?  One of my already booked brides (we're both named Jen and both from Wisconsin too!) also happens to be a part-time Smart Barre instructor, so I got to meet her at this shoot, and then I did her wedding makeup just a few weeks later!  Major "what a small world" kinda day.. gotta love it.

Polished, yet natural looks were perfect for this shoot!

After all the girls were ready to go, it was lights, camera, ACTION! This shoot was a real workout for all the ladies, as they demonstrated move after move for the camera...sometimes holding each position for several minutes.  The end results?  Stunning!  I'm sure their muscles were a little sore, but the results were worth it...scroll down to see gorgeous images that show the Smart Barre workout in action.

Super talented commercial photographer Jason Kindig really captured the beauty and strength of the instructors, don't you think?  Check out some of the final images below and if you're inspired to take a class, contact Smart Barre!  No tutu required...promise.

Class of 2014 or Ad for Free People? You decide!

It was a lazy Sunday....nothing booked, so I had slept late and was hanging out with my boyfriend and the kids.   If you know me at all, you know how truly pleasantly weird that is...I'm usually getting up at 6am and going non-stop!  I was looking forward to a day of couch time and catching up on Scandal episodes when I got a call from a photographer I didn't know with a frantic.... "Can you help?  We need makeup for senior pics...stat!"  Me..."Um...when?".  "NOW!"  If I had a cape with MUA on it, I would've thrown that sucker on!   It'd be red with big ol' lips on it, naturally.  ANYWAY,  I packed up my case and headed to Fort Worth where I met the lovely Kelsey, her sweet momma and the amazingly talented photographer Heather Thorne.  Right away, I was super excited...Kelsey is gorgeous! She has incredibly long hair with a fun, hippie vibe..she's tall and has just a bit of an alternative vibe to offset her classic good looks.  Here she is without a stitch of makeup on as I got started:

And the before/after....

I'm telling you, gorgeous girl! She wanted to look natural, but also wanted to be sure her unexpected breakout was covered and that she looked pretty....these are senior pics, after all!  I created a look that both mom and daughter were happy with....fresh, glowing, but yet sophisticated in an age- appropriate way.  I used warm neutrals on her eyes, black and hunter green liner plus some flirty false lashes for pop.  Flawless skin and my signature flushed cheeks and rosy lip and she was ready to go.  You've gotta love it when you can make an 18 year old happy when it comes to makeup! I teased her roots a bit and then twisted sections of her hair around a curling iron for definition (but still loose and "undone" to fit her style) as Kelsey chose her outfits and Heather planned where to shoot around the Magnolia area of Fort Worth.  I could not WAIT to follow up with Heather and see how this shoot turned out...I just had a feeling, ya know?  Are you ready?  Check out these fabulous images...again, courtesy of Heather Thorne Photography...

I just love the boho chic vibe!!  The overall shoot wound up like a lookbook for a chic boutique or Free People, not your everyday senior pics, that's for sure. My senior pic involved floofy 80s hair and some kind of blue feathery thing around my shoulders...just one head shot in the school gym with a bunch of people in line behind me, boom...done.  Nothing special, but that's what everyone's senior pic looked like....yep, I'll say it...back in the day!   Wish I had a copy handy, I'd post it just for grins...and to show the contrast with how FAB these images are in comparison! Wow, things have really changed for the better in regard to senior pics...these show so much more personality. In the end, that lazy Sunday wasn't meant to be, but I'm so glad I picked up the phone and was available for this last minute session!  Can't wait to work with Heather again.  And.....happy graduation Kelsey! What a great way to celebrate......

I'll get to those Scandal episodes eventually....