Fears for girls at pamper parties

THEY offer to make little girls' dreams of looking grown-up and trendy come true. But politicians and children's charities have expressed deep concern about Scotland's burgeoning child-beauty industry.

Businesses offering makeovers and make-up lessons to girls as young as three have sprung up across the country in recent months. And a growing number of salons are offering cosmetic treatments and "pamper parties" to girls, from toddlers to teenagers.

Services include facials, manicures, pedicures, moisturiser masks, body glitter and nail painting, as well as make-up application and lessons.

Some even offer post-makeover glasses of "kid's bubbly" and non-alcoholic "cocktails".

However, MSPs and parents groups claim the trend is robbing children of their innocence, fuelling self-image issues and adding to the sexualisation of youngsters.

Holyrood's equal opportunities committee has been urged to examine the child-beauty trade. Glasgow Nationalist MSP Sandra White said: "The sexualisation of young girls, which in my mind these establishments encourage, is a very serious issue. I am very concerned children as young as three are being exploited in this way.

"We need to let young kids enjoy their childhood and not be treated as mini-mannequins. You have to ask what message this sends out to young girls, that they are worthless unless they are made up to look like certain pop stars."

Tory MSP Margaret Mitchell, committee convener, added: "This does appear to be robbing young children of their childhood. Girls that age should be having fun on bouncy castles rather than becoming fixated about how they look."

Former government adviser Dr Katherine Rake, chief executive of the Family and Parenting Institute, said many children and parents felt compelled to comply with expensive trends. She said: "This type of activity is giving girls an image of themselves based solely around their physical appearance.

"That puts a huge pressure on them to conform to some unachievable standard, which can result in low self-esteem, eating disorders and psychological and health issues."

Jill Cook, manager of charity helpline Parentline Scotland, also said the trend could make existing problems worse.She said: "Childhood is being eroded and we are already hearing from parents whose children are starving themselves and self-harming because they are so worried about their image."

Cook was also concerned at youngsters drinking mock champagne and cocktails, stating: "The simulation of drinking alcohol sends out the completely wrong message."

One salon in Glasgow offers "Little Princess Beauty Party" packages, for girls aged between six and 12, featuring mini makeovers, manicures and pedicures, cleanse, tone and moisturising facials, face and body glitter, nail painting and "a first lesson in the art of make-up" for 20 per child.

Trish Taylor, owner of Pink Parties UK, who organises pamper parties across the Central Belt, rejected the criticism.

She said: "Little girls have always enjoyed experimenting with make-up. Why would anyone want to take that away? What's the next step, stopping girls playing with dolls because it might increase teenage pregnancy?"

Taylor's Princess Parties caters for girls aged three to seven. They feature "sparkly makeovers", "glitzy nails", fruit-based "pink cocktails", pageant-queen tiaras and an award ceremony.

She said: "All our treatments are age appropriate, we insist on getting parental consent and we do not apply mascara unless the girls are teenagers."

Her position was backed by Dr Sara Bragg of the Open University's centre for childhood, development and learning.

She said: "You go to most kid's parties these days and there will be face painting. I'm not really sure it's that different from make-up lessons."

Bragg added: "I'm also not sure that pink champagne or cocktails would mean anything to the children in the same way it would to adults."