Beauty advice for children
While in Paris at the Isabel Marant atelier, the audience got the opportunity to ask Isabel questions regarding beauty and the collaboration with L’Oréal Paris. One of the questions that came up was brilliant and really got me thinking. The question was: What does Isabel teach her child about beauty? This is a very important subject that’s very much relevant in my life as a mother as well.
As I work a lot with esthetics and looks, I’m well aware of what I want to teach my children and what kind of role model I want to be for them. I want to teach my children that beauty comes from within, but what we want to do with our looks, our outer shell is up to us. We are all born the way we are, but how we choose to portray ourselves and express ourselves outwards is thankfully up to each and one of us. The world today, provides us with options. Many of us have the opportunity to choose what we want to be and become and how we want to look.
I look at beauty, makeup, plastic surgery, fashion and everything that has to do with our looks just how I look at personal development, education and everything in between. There shouldn’t be anything shameful in wanting to be what we feel we want to be, look or become. Today, we have the freedom and that’s wonderful I think. The most important thing is that we all accept that everyone is different, want different things and that looks are just looks. What does it matter if someone wants to wear much or no makeup? It doesn’t tell anything about the person other than preferences and taste. Why is caring “too much” less acceptable than caring “too little”?
As a feminist, I will let my children wear whatever they want as long as it’s appropriate for the situation, comfortable, clean and functional. If my boy wants to wear nail polish or my girl feels pretty and like herself in a (in my opinion) miss matched outfit, I will let her wear it anyway. Although they are my children, I refuse to teach her/him that there is only one way that is the only right way when it comes to self-expression, the moderate midway. I believe, that the sooner they start practicing and trying different things, the sooner they will find what works for them. I also don’t want to belittle looks if that’s something they find intruding, fun and interesting. I mean, I’ve built my career on my interest in fashion and beauty. What’s wrong with that?
I see my job as a parent to provide opportunities in a safe, supportive and loving environment. I put no judgement or opinion in what it is they find interesting and I make sure to not favor any interest over the other, as long as it’s healthy. I want to show them the world and help them get to know themselves. I will support whatever they choose to do passionately. All I want for my children is to be happy and feel unlimited to do what they love. 
knit soft goat cashmere// dress iro// boots zara// bag chanel
Pictures by Juuli Rönkä
