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Beauty

06th Mar 2015

Revealed: The Age At Which Most Women Admit to “Becoming Their Mother”

You have more in common with your mammy than your teen self ever thought possible...

Rebecca McKnight

If you’ve ever thought “I’m turning into my mother”, you might be interested to know at 31 is the age at which you can say it with confidence. 

A new global study called The Beauty of Mothers’ Words delved into the special relationship between mothers and daughters and found that more than half (54 per cent) of women think their mothers told them ‘little white lies’ when they were younger, with two fifths (39 per cent) saying their mother said they looked great even during the awkward teenage years.

The survey, which was commissioned by skincare brand Olay, found that women believed little white lies were used to protect their feelings, left them feeling better and boosted their confidence.

Almost half (48 per cent) of women say they expect to carry on taking a ‘little white lie’ mothering approach when needed with their own daughters.

Gilmore Girls

Ever think you’re turning into your mother? Three in five (59 per cent) of women openly admitted to ‘becoming’ their mother – with the average ‘turning’ point identified as 31 years old. Three quarters of women (76 per cent) are planning to pass on their own mother’s sayings, mantras and words of encouragement to their own daughter or future daughter.

The Olay study also unearthed that mothers remain an important source of wisdom and support via their distinctive and meaningful ‘beautiful words’ or mantras. Common themes were discovered: enabling a daughter to have the confidence and self-pride to look and feel her best; in the achieving of dreams and of ‘never settling’.

In the study, the most frequent mothers’ beautiful words/mantras from around the world included:
• Be yourself
• Believe in yourself
• Do what makes you happy
• Always follow your heart and dreams
• Be family orientated
• Live life to the fullest
• Be honest

Two-thirds (66 per cent) of women around the world hail mothers as being a source of beauty advice, while one in five (21 per cent) say they always go to their mum for beauty advice.

Globally, the top three pieces of beauty advice given by mothers is:
• Get enough beauty sleep (46 per cent)
• Don’t go to bed with makeup on (43 per cent)
• Be confident in your beauty (39 per cent)