Granddaughter wants to wear False eyelashes

My granddaughter is nearly 15, she went through this stage when she was around 13. Its what they see on social media or their Mum's etc. I took her to Primark, bought some cheap stick on ones , she used them once and decided they were not for her . Then she tried, stick on nails , she didn't get on with those either. Sometimes it's best they find out for themselves, it needn't cost a fortune

I wouldn’t go out without mine once. I even remember using a torch next to the mirror. It was when all the strikes were going on in the early 70’s
I had a pair that touched my eyebrows! Must have looked totally ridiculous. I was 17 so a little older than this young lady and my parents were a long way away.
She can’t do herself much harm and at least that’s one fad out of the way and if they don’t make too much fuss they might win the next battle. As least the tattoo war won’t be along for a few years.

Please show a bit of understanding to your DGD, tell her she is lovely with or without them, share some of your experiences from when you were that age and things you used to do , wearing bright blue mascara or eyeshadow, rolling up your skirt before you went to school , say why these things were important to you at that time, but you realised it wasn't that good a look soon afterwards but hey ho you are here to tell the tale , but give her time to express herself and say as long as she isn't putting herself in danger, expressing herself and her feelings is a good thing but not always following the crowd is good too and being true to herself.

Remember our mascara, backcombed hair, blue eyeshadow? - all looked pretty unnatural, but it was part of the vibe at the time, just as the false eyelashes are. Girls will experiment with the latest thing just as we did. Her parents should just go with the flow. If she wears them to school and they object they will make her take them off.

Now, if we were talking slug eyebrows I might be less tolerant!

Tbh... It's a fad at Senior school hopefully it will be over soon.
It's temporary, it's not doing any harm I take it the School okay with it?
Not worth the stress.

Remember these?

Yes, older DGD got sore eyes and realised they are not a good idea.

I think I read the glue can damage the eyes not sure the brand that pertained to that. I wore them, not age 12, too young, I was probably later teens, they were considered cool. I was very into makeup as a teenager, my granddaughter 14 is a bit similar,I have to sympathise remembering what I was like. No false eyelashes as yet! Yes definitely pick your battles.

They are dreadful.
The Very Hairy Caterpillars

She'll look back at photos of herself wearing them and cringe 😁

They look awful and so unnatural. Having said that I used to wear them and I had a half wig which I sold in the end. 😳

Madgran77

*Her parents have ‘tried to discourage her’.They are her parents. She is 12.*
WHY DON’T THEY JUST SAY ‘NO’

It may not be worth saying No if there is no risk in her sticking the things on! If there is no risk and she wants to wander round with her friends looking like she is wearing spiders then so what. If she was insisting on smoking vapes; insisting
on going to a night club; insisting on covering her body and face in permanent skull tattoos ...then a categorical No is absolutely valid. But spidery eye lashes ...not worth the battle!!

Pick your battles!

How has she got them in the first place? That is on her parents to be honest.
If they are cheap then the glue will also be cheap and could potentially cause damage to her skin and possibly her eyes.
12 years old is far too young to be wearing them anyway IMO and certainly NOT for school.
Yet more peer pressure on youngsters who always have to following a trend!
Tell her to be an individual…. Not a sheep!

We cross posted, Madgran

I take the 'pick your battles' view. If something is temporary (eg false eyelashes or lipstick) it can do no harm, and lets teenagers express themselves. However awful we might think it looks, and bearing in mind that they are not remotely interested in impressing our generation, they will grow out of it. Making a big deal out of something small is more likely to result in a major rebellion down the line, IMO.

What may seem like small things can be so important at that age, and if the girl is getting upset, why does it matter if she wears them? At about 13/14 I was desperate to pluck my eyebrows (in line with the fashion of the time) and my mother was adamant that I was not allowed. I had quite thick brows, which would be fashionable these days, but I hated them, and looked different from my friends, who all plucked theirs. I remember being really upset and self-conscious, and for what? To allow my mother to feel 'in control'?

No wonder so many crimes are committed by youngsters.

That's rather a stretch, wearing false eyelashes to becoming a criminal.
It's a phase, not to be encouraged, but certainly not showing criminal tendencies!!

Her parents have ‘tried to discourage her’.They are her parents. She is 12.
WHY DON’T THEY JUST SAY ‘NO’

It may not be worth saying No if there is no risk in her sticking the things on! If there is no risk and she wants to wander round with her friends looking like she is wearing spiders then so what. If she was insisting on smoking vapes; insisting
on going to a night club; insisting on covering her body and face in permanent skull tattoos ...then a categorical No is absolutely valid. But spidery eye lashes ...not worth the battle!!

You can also get through these minor crises without laying down the law with an iron fist.

I know a girl who used to travel to college by train every day with my DD. Her mother was extremely strict but also boastful about how "My Sophie" (not her real name) would never wear/do/say that, was perfect and always listened to her mother.

DD used to tell me some hair-raising tales about "Sophie", how she used to take clothes to change into on the train, slapped on the thick makeup and flirted outrageously with the boys, flirted being a euphemism.

Her parents have ‘tried to discourage her’.
They are her parents. She is 12.
WHY DON’T THEY JUST SAY ‘NO’?
I despair at the lack of discipline these days. No wonder so many crimes are committed by youngsters.
Patents need to show who’s boss.
I will get criticised for that comment, but I think it’s tragic that young children run rings around their parents these days just because some parents have no backbone.
Before you ask, I was strict with my daughters and, 50-odd years later, I have a brilliant relationship with them, their husbands and their children. I was never afraid to say ‘no’ when it was needed and very seldom swayed into changing my mind.
You can be a much-loved parent without being a push-over!

Elowen33

I would get her a cheap set from Superdrug or Poundland , she may find them more awkward than mascara.

They can make their eyes very sore.

V3ra

No... but it's very much the fashion at the moment and I don't think it's worth making a song and dance about.
It's not illegal, it's not dangerous, it's unlikely to damage her health in the long-term.
Plenty of worse things she could be doing!

Yes, and if all her friends are wearing them, she will want to so as not to feel left out.

🤞 she'll grow out of it.

Personally, I think they look like very hairy caterpillars.

She is growing up, this is only the beginning

V3ra

No... but it's very much the fashion at the moment and I don't think it's worth making a song and dance about.
It's not illegal, it's not dangerous, it's unlikely to damage her health in the long-term.
Plenty of worse things she could be doing!

👍
As long as she isn't wearing them to school!

I would get her a cheap set from Superdrug or Poundland , she may find them more awkward than mascara.

No... but it's very much the fashion at the moment and I don't think it's worth making a song and dance about.
It's not illegal, it's not dangerous, it's unlikely to damage her health in the long-term.
Plenty of worse things she could be doing!

Where did she get the money from and access to them?