Too much make-up not good for youngsters: Expert

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, 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 make-up at least once a day as results reveal 46 percent 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 percent of young girls 'forget' to remove their make-up and a further 36 percent leave it on because they are 'too tired' to remove it.

"Applying too much make-up from as young as 12 years old without first using skincare products can cause sensitive skin to become dry and irritated.

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

Mothers also admit to their daughters having insecurities about skin issues with 70 percent regularly hearing complaints from their daughter about it.

"The results of this research suggest that while good skin is clearly very important to young girls, they are caking on make-up to cover their imperfections which unfortunately, enters them into a vicious circle as this excessive use is actually creating more problems for themselves," said Frazer.

"Applying layers of make-up 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," added the expert.