More than once, I've had to clean smears of make-up left by small fingers from our bathroom mirror, after my seven-year-old daughter dived into my bag of cosmetic tricks. Lipstick ends up on cheeks, black eyeliner wings out towards an ear, and bright blue eyeshadow is the norm. It's quite a strong look for a little girl, but I've never objected to her experiments. I'm not sure I'd feel quite so calm about my nine-year-old daughter doing the same, however, thanks in no small part to corrosive pangs of parental anxiety, fed by social media.
Unrealistic beauty expectations
YouTube and other social media platforms are awash with make-up tutorials by girls teaching their peers how to slather on everything from primers to bronzers, using techniques that would almost put Iraqi-American beauty mogul Huda Kattan to shame. In this world, more is more. You can forget starting out with a dab of blusher and lip gloss. As one beauty YouTuber and entrepreneur, Christen Dominique, jokes as she attempts to create a rainbow-coloured look using only make-up sets marketed at children: "Are you ready to slay the first day at kindergarten?" She goes on: "I was very surprised they had a setting spray and primer at Claire's [Accessories] … I feel like they make this make-up so that kids can follow along with make-up tutorials on YouTube."
Is it any wonder that girls are starting to wear make-up every day from a younger and younger age?
When British charity Girlguiding last year asked 1,900 girls and young women between the ages of seven and 21 about their attitudes to their appearance, 16 per cent of 11-to-16-year-olds said they were very happy with the way they looked, compared to 29 per cent who were very unhappy; 52 per cent of those surveyed between 11 and 21 said that bloggers and YouTubers create unachievable expectations of perfection, and 53 per cent agreed with the statement: "I sometimes feel ashamed of the way I look because I'm not like girls and women in the media."
There is an argument that grown-up women wear make-up, so how is this any different? The answer is because this is a child. She cannot navigate that world properly with informed consent and decision-making, and she may be influenced by other people or pressures.
One woman who is often in the media spotlight and mercilessly criticised for her appearance is the 2016 United States presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, who discussed the subject during a Facebook Q&A session in 2015. "It's a daily challenge," she said when asked how she manages to think about her day ahead as US secretary of state while also picking out her wardrobe and fixing her face. Then, there's the time it takes to put on make-up each day and the costs of the products that add up over the course of a lifetime.
But it's not these grown-up practicalities that make parents cautious when it comes to the question of whether it feels right for their children to be wearing make-up. As Dr Emad Farrag, a child and adolescent psychiatrist at Maudsley Health in Abu Dhabi, explains: "The main concern of parents who have an objection to make-up is the sexual aspect – their child becoming a sexualised female. There is an argument that grown-up women wear make-up, so how is this any different? The answer is because this is a child. She cannot navigate that world properly with informed consent and decision-making, and she may be influenced by other people or pressures."
Dressing up or under peer pressure?
Farrag is careful to separate young kids between the ages of four and seven wearing make-up as part of role-playing, and older girls in their tweens and teens. In this older group, motive matters and it's important that parents talk to their daughters to gain an understanding of what's driving the behaviour. "One of the things that would be of concern is if they want to comply with social norms and be part of social media; there is a pressure there," Farrag says. "Does she believe that she looks ugly and that make-up's going to make her feel better about herself? Is it peer pressure? Does she want to attract boys or be attractive to boys as part of that peer group?"
It might be that a child needs reassurance. "If she says, it's 'because I am ugly and I have these joined eyebrows', then reassure her about her beauty; reassure her about what is special about her," Farrag says.
Parents also need to look at the messages they are sending to their children as part of that social pressure. "There are parents who say: 'You need to do your eyebrows', or this or that. The message that you're sending to the child is, 'You are not good enough'," Farrag says.
While most parents would be appalled at the thought of undermining their child's precious self-confidence, how many mums take their children to local beauty salons for the occasional "princess mani/pedi"? My eldest daughter once attended a beauty-salon themed seventh birthday party in Abu Dhabi, returning home in triumph with a towel embroidered with her name. What messages do these convey?
One Abu Dhabi mum who is aware of the balancing act is Rhian Richards, who has two daughters, aged 10 and eight. "I feel the girls should grow up believing that there is so much more to them than the way they look, and there are far more interesting things in the world for them to focus on. But it's more complicated than that," she says.
I don't want her to feel intrinsically disapproved of, as she loves make-up so much, so I kind of shrug my shoulders and let her get on with it.
"My 10-year-old daughter barely looks in the mirror, whereas my eight-year-old uses marker pens as make-up if she doesn't have access to any [real cosmetics]. I don't want her to feel intrinsically disapproved of, as she loves make-up so much, so I kind of shrug my shoulders and let her get on with it. We have way more important battles to face, to be honest."
While Richards acknowledges that the teenage years might bring this issue into sharper focus, Farrag agrees that wearing make-up is just one of a number of skirmishes parents face. "Parents will never win this argument, let's be honest," he says. "If parents say, 'no', children will probably go out and buy lip gloss from elsewhere. But I think it is important to pick this battle – don't expect to win it, but at least be part of it."
Titan Sports Academy:
Programmes: Judo, wrestling, kick-boxing, muay thai, taekwondo and various summer camps
Location: Inside Abu Dhabi City Golf Club, Al Mushrif, Abu Dhabi, UAE
Telephone: 971 50 220 0326
More on animal trafficking
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The biog
Name: Mohammed Imtiaz
From: Gujranwala, Pakistan
Arrived in the UAE: 1976
Favourite clothes to make: Suit
Cost of a hand-made suit: From Dh550
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Sri Lanka World Cup squad
Dimuth Karunaratne (c), Lasith Malinga, Angelo Mathews, Thisara Perera, Kusal Perera, Dhananjaya de Silva, Kusal Mendis, Isuru Udana, Milinda Siriwardana, Avishka Fernando, Jeevan Mendis, Lahiru Thirimanne, Jeffrey Vandersay, Nuwan Pradeep, Suranga Lakmal.
Miss Granny
Director: Joyce Bernal
Starring: Sarah Geronimo, James Reid, Xian Lim, Nova Villa
3/5
(Tagalog with Eng/Ar subtitles)
INDIA SQUAD
Rohit Sharma (captain), Shikhar Dhawan (vice-captain), KL Rahul, Suresh Raina, Manish Pandey, Dinesh Karthik (wicketkeeper), Deepak Hooda, Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Vijay Shankar, Shardul Thakur, Jaydev Unadkat, Mohammad Siraj and Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper)
PAKISTAN SQUAD
Abid Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Shan Masood, Azhar Ali (test captain), Babar Azam (T20 captain), Asad Shafiq, Fawad Alam, Haider Ali, Iftikhar Ahmad, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Sarfaraz Ahmed (wicketkeeper), Faheem Ashraf, Haris Rauf, Imran Khan, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Afridi, Sohail Khan, Usman Shinwari, Wahab Riaz, Imad Wasim, Kashif Bhatti, Shadab Khan and Yasir Shah.
if you go
The flights
Emirates offer flights to Buenos Aires from Dubai, via Rio De Janeiro from around Dh6,300. emirates.com
Seeing the games
Tangol sell experiences across South America and generally have good access to tickets for most of the big teams in Buenos Aires: Boca Juniors, River Plate, and Independiente. Prices from Dh550 and include pick up and drop off from your hotel in the city. tangol.com
Staying there
Tangol will pick up tourists from any hotel in Buenos Aires, but after the intensity of the game, the Faena makes for tranquil, upmarket accommodation. Doubles from Dh1,110. faena.com
The 12 Syrian entities delisted by UK
Ministry of Interior
Ministry of Defence
General Intelligence Directorate
Air Force Intelligence Agency
Political Security Directorate
Syrian National Security Bureau
Military Intelligence Directorate
Army Supply Bureau
General Organisation of Radio and TV
Al Watan newspaper
Cham Press TV
Sama TV
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
THE CLOWN OF GAZA
Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah
Starring: Alaa Meqdad
Rating: 4/5
Defence review at a glance
• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”
• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.
• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade
• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
RESULTS
Main card
Bantamweight 56.4kg: Mehdi Eljamari (MAR) beat Abrorbek Madiminbekov (UZB), Split points decision
Super heavyweight 94 kg: Adnan Mohammad (IRN) beat Mohammed Ajaraam (MAR), Split points decision
Lightweight 60kg: Zakaria Eljamari (UAE) beat Faridoon Alik Zai (AFG), RSC round 3
Light heavyweight 81.4kg: Taha Marrouni (MAR) beat Mahmood Amin (EGY), Unanimous points decision
Light welterweight 64.5kg: Siyovush Gulmamadov (TJK) beat Nouredine Samir (UAE), Unanimous points decision
Light heavyweight 81.4kg: Ilyass Habibali (UAE) beat Haroun Baka (ALG), KO second round
The specs: 2019 Audi A7 Sportback
Price, base: Dh315,000
Engine: 3.0-litre V6
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 335hp @ 5,000rpm
Torque: 500Nm @ 1,370rpm
Fuel economy 5.9L / 100km
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 247hp at 6,500rpm
Torque: 370Nm from 1,500-3,500rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 7.8L/100km
Price: from Dh94,900
On sale: now
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Brief scoreline:
Manchester United 2
Rashford 28', Martial 72'
Watford 1
Doucoure 90'
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 502hp at 7,600rpm
Torque: 637Nm at 5,150rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto
Price: from Dh317,671
On sale: now
RESULTS
2pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (Dirt) 1,000m
Winner: AF Mozhell, Saif Al Balushi (jockey), Khalifa Al Neyadi (trainer)
2.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner: Majdi, Szczepan Mazur, Abdallah Al Hammadi.
3pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,700m
Winner: AF Athabeh, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel.
3.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,700m
Winner: AF Eshaar, Bernardo Pinheiro, Khalifa Al Neyadi
4pm: Gulf Cup presented by Longines Prestige (PA) Dh150,000 (D) 1,700m
Winner: Al Roba’a Al Khali, Al Moatasem Al Balushi, Younis Al Kalbani
4.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh40,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Apolo Kid, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muahiri
Maestro
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Company%20Profile
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Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
ASHES FIXTURES
1st Test: Brisbane, Nov 23-27
2nd Test: Adelaide, Dec 2-6
3rd Test: Perth, Dec 14-18
4th Test: Melbourne, Dec 26-30
5th Test: Sydney, Jan 4-8
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Alita: Battle Angel
Director: Robert Rodriguez
Stars: Rosa Salazar, Christoph Waltz, Keean Johnson
Four stars
Defending champions
World Series: South Africa
Women’s World Series: Australia
Gulf Men’s League: Dubai Exiles
Gulf Men’s Social: Mediclinic Barrelhouse Warriors
Gulf Vets: Jebel Ali Dragons Veterans
Gulf Women: Dubai Sports City Eagles
Gulf Under 19: British School Al Khubairat
Gulf Under 19 Girls: Dubai Exiles
UAE National Schools: Al Safa School
International Invitational: Speranza 22
International Vets: Joining Jack
SQUADS
Bangladesh (from): Shadman Islam, Mominul Haque, Soumya Sarkar, Shakib Al Hasan (capt), Mahmudullah Riyad, Mohammad Mithun, Mushfiqur Rahim, Liton Das, Taijul Islam, Mosaddek Hossain, Nayeem Hasan, Mehedi Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Ebadat Hossain, Abu Jayed
Afghanistan (from): Rashid Khan (capt), Ihsanullah Janat, Javid Ahmadi, Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Asghar Afghan, Ikram Alikhil, Mohammad Nabi, Qais Ahmad, Sayed Ahmad Shirzad, Yamin Ahmadzai, Zahir Khan Pakteen, Afsar Zazai, Shapoor Zadran
The line up
Friday: Giggs, Sho Madjozi and Masego
Saturday: Nas, Lion Bbae, Roxanne Shante and DaniLeigh
Sole DXB runs from December 6 to 8 at Dubai Design District. Weekend pass is Dh295 while a one day pass is Dh195. Tickets are available from www.soledxb.com
Series result
1st ODI Zimbabwe won by 6 wickets
2nd ODI Sri Lanka won by 7 wickets
3rd ODI Sri Lanka won by 8 wickets
4th ODI Zimbabwe won by 4 wickets
5th ODI Zimbabwe won by 3 wickets
World record transfers
1. Kylian Mbappe - to Real Madrid in 2017/18 - €180 million (Dh770.4m - if a deal goes through)
2. Paul Pogba - to Manchester United in 2016/17 - €105m
3. Gareth Bale - to Real Madrid in 2013/14 - €101m
4. Cristiano Ronaldo - to Real Madrid in 2009/10 - €94m
5. Gonzalo Higuain - to Juventus in 2016/17 - €90m
6. Neymar - to Barcelona in 2013/14 - €88.2m
7. Romelu Lukaku - to Manchester United in 2017/18 - €84.7m
8. Luis Suarez - to Barcelona in 2014/15 - €81.72m
9. Angel di Maria - to Manchester United in 2014/15 - €75m
10. James Rodriguez - to Real Madrid in 2014/15 - €75m
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
Score
New Zealand 266 for 9 in 50 overs
Pakistan 219 all out in 47.2 overs
New Zealand win by 47 runs
New Zealand lead three-match ODI series 1-0
Next match: Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi, Friday
Indian construction workers stranded in Ajman with unpaid dues
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
AUSTRALIA SQUAD
Aaron Finch, Matt Renshaw, Brendan Doggett, Michael Neser, Usman Khawaja, Shaun Marsh, Mitchell Marsh, Tim Paine (captain), Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Jon Holland, Ashton Agar, Mitchell Starc, Peter Siddle