Whilst I get where you are coming from I must respectfully disagree. Children are inundated with messages that how they look, what they have, what they wear isn't good enough from the time we first let them watch TV. By grade 6 some girls will still be quite immature and will not care, but some will have reached puberty and will be very aware of themselves in context of the big wide world. Teaching a young girl that, if she wants a tan, it comes from a bottle and not from hours spent on the beach, is a healthy message. Helping them feel confident about their options with regards to beauty products is far from the worst thing a parent could do IMHO. I only wish my mother had done this for me.
And I think differently again....
I dont think my DD needs theses products at all..... yet.
My DD has just reached puberty, but I dont see that as a reason to make her up, get a tan and get fake nails. I want her to think shes just fine how she is, and she doesnt need to be all fake to be pretty/popular etc...

I do agree, its not high up on the "worst thing a parent can do".. but there are also a lot of bad points to doing up a 12 yr like a little adult and sending them off in to the world like that....unfortuantly it can end up quite dangerous, esp if the girl "feels" like she is older, and acts accordingly... it maybe cause DD has a friend like this (I have posted about her before) that I feel this way??? I really does scare me....

eta.. Tinks, I too love hearing others points of view, I dont have to agree, and neither do they, but I love all the different opinions!! I have learnt a lot, and changed my parenting, over these exact topics!! LOL