When you ask any parent about their children, they’ll have at least a few stories to tell about when they did something hilarious. Especially when it comes to DIY projects and makeup looks. After all, when kids decide they want themselves or others to look pretty, they’ll go to great lengths to achieve this.

Catriona McNicol shared a photo of her toenails after her 3-year-old painted them with glitter, and it went viral. Catriona’s nail art tweet inspired other parents to share funny photos of their own kids playing around with makeup and the sweet DIY fails that resulted.

We collected some of the best photos of both parents letting their funny kids do their makeup, as well as kids putting makeup on themselves, so scroll down and share your own stories about DIY makeup fails in the comments. And when you’re done with this post, check out Bored Panda’s article about artist Dain Yoon who paints on her face to create mind-bending optical illusions.

Catriona McNicol shared a photo of how her daughter painted her toenails

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Other parents followed suit, sharing the adorable and funny results of their own kids playing around with makeup

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An activity that leads to conversations and learning

Bored Panda reached out to Becka, a nanny who had plenty of experience with one of the kids they looked after beautifying them. In this particular case, the child was interested in their hair and it would lead to conversations, asking questions, and learning. “He would be in my room as I did my hair and would ask to try [as well]. Or when we sat watching TV, he would play with the clips in my hair. Completely unprompted he would just ask to do so.” According to Becka, this happened “relatively regularly.”

In their opinion, this kind of activity can strengthen the bond between a child and their parent or caretaker. “I think being close and having little conversations while a child plays, generally but especially when they are doing your nails or playing with your hair, is an expression of affection and they often mirror the affection you give: stroking your hair or patting your head.”

“It is an opportunity for downtime to chit chat while they concentrate on something artsy or creative.”

We also wanted to know Becka’s thoughts about some parents who don’t think that makeup is meant to be played with. “I’d ask why you are against your kids playing with makeup? What ideas have you attached to makeup and the like which makes you associate negatively with it? Children don’t carry those ideas in the same way, they see colors and a canvas and a chance to have your close attention.”

“The little boy I nannied undid one of my plaits once and wanted to try (he was 4 years old) and he was like wow this is very hard and would mention each time I had a plait in that plaits are hard,” Becka said. “He also would ask why I had my hair like that and I’d say because I am going for a run and don’t like my hair in my face.”

Parents should be aware of some possible health risks

Putting on makeup can be a lot of fun, but parents should keep in mind that there are some health concerns related to doing that. According to Dr. Eva Kubiczek-Love, a pediatrician with the Cleveland Clinic, parents should “have an open discussion about makeup” as soon as their child expresses interest in wearing it.

The pediatrician stressed that it’s very important that if your child puts on makeup that they should be using safe products. “Many cosmetics, including those labeled ‘natural’ and ‘organic,’ aren’t regulated to the standards parents might expect.” So doing some prior research before letting your toddlers and teens play around with makeup can prevent future health risks.

But what else should you watch out for? Well, if you notice your child’s skin becoming irritated, red, or if it breaks out in hives, this is most likely a reaction to using cosmetics. If that’s the case, don’t let your child use that product again. If the symptoms worsen or if your child has trouble breathing, it’s imperative that you contact a medical professional at once.

Finally, there’s one additional thing to keep in mind: sharing cosmetics. Now, if you’re a parent, it’s obvious that your kids will be using your makeup. However, sharing makeup can in some cases lead to infection. It’s also vital that you replace your cosmetics every 6 to 12 months to further reduce that risk.

After taking all of that into account, you can safely enjoy making memories as your kids play around with makeup.

Here’s how some internet users reacted to the viral Twitter thread

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