6 Ways To Bond With Your Daughter With Beauty

Let’s face it, the tween years can be tricky. Besides the physical changes of puberty, tweens are establishing their sense of self and who they are as individuals. The pressure of peers and the media influences can make young girls question their own beauty and become more self-conscious, leaving moms trying to come up with old and new ways boost their confidence.

Erica Katz, a tween and beauty expert, mother of two and author of the new book, Bonding over Beauty: A Mother-Daughter Beauty Guide To Foster Self-Esteem, Confidence, and Trust (Greenleaf Book Group Press) says mothers and daughters can bond over beauty. Her book offers moms with an ample arsenal of ideas to bond through all areas of beauty: hair, skin, nails, makeup, hands and feet, nutrition and more.  Below are my top 6 picks.

Hair

Buy a hair mask specifically formulated for you and your daughter’s specific hair type.  Work a little bit of the mask in your hair from root to tip, pull the hair into a ponytail and use hot towels to wrap up your hair and relax and watch a movie together while hair is deep conditioning. You can also listen to music together and talk to her about what’s going on in her life.

Skin

Do an at-home facial (using a recipe in the book) for your daughter and her best friend. Take photographs each step of way and scrapbook labeled “My Very First Facial!” Make a video of your day and edit it together with her favorite music.

Makeup

Go to creativityforkids.com and get the Make Your Own Lip Balm kit.  This is such a fun activity to do with your daughter and her friends.

Hands & Feet

Give your daughter an at-home manicure or pedicure.  Or head to the salon together and let the manicurist put some polish on her nails.

Puberty

Get some coming of age books, like Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume, and suggest that you and your daughter read them together (or separately and discuss it afterwards). Girls typically like to read books about girls going through the same things they are.

Nutrition

Find a great recipe.  Have your daughter write down the ingredients you will need.  Take her shopping and have her help you prepare the new recipe.