Except that Caitlin is 10, and one of a growing number of children who haven’t even reached puberty yet think nothing of spending hours being pampered in beauty parlours.

More and more hairdressing salons are branching out into the beauty business in response to demand for treatments for children, while new establishments catering exclusively for youngsters are springing up around the UK and Ireland.

Recent research revealed that more than six out of 10 girls aged seven to 10 now wear lipstick, and more than two in five wear eyeshadow or eyeliner.

Almost one in four wear mascara, and three in five wear perfume.

Even more worryingly, almost 50 per cent of girls between five and eight want to be slimmer, according to a 2005 British Journal Of Developmental Psychology study.

Caitlin’s mum Lisa, 33 – who has two other daughters, Rachael, five, and nine-month-old Emmalouise – says that Caitlin began to show an interest in make-up when she was just three.

“She was fascinated when she watched me get ready for a night out,” Lisa says.

“I wasn’t allowed to wear make-up until I was 16 – that’s probably why I’m softer with Caitlin. Young girls are going to try these things. I don’t think it’s too much too young.”

Caitlin has a French manicure every two weeks, costing £7.50 a time, and spends her £10-a-week pocket money on make-up.

Lisa, who works in the travel industry, says she spends between £200 and £250 a month on her daughter’s hair, make-up and designer clothes from Ted Baker, Diesel and Miss Sixty.

She has just let Caitlin have her first fake tan, which cost £50, and she allows her to wear perfume and lipgloss to school.

Lisa says: “If she’s going to a party she wears eyeshadow, glittery mascara, lipstick, perfume, and her nails are painted.

“Her dad told her not to wear make-up because it’s bad for her skin, but she says: ‘Don’t worry, I use moisturiser.’ And she does – every day.”

Caitlin says: “I wanted a fake tan because I’ve got blonde hair and I don’t tan very easily – it’s good to get a tan now and then.

“I’ve liked make-up for years. I feel prettier when I wear it. I don’t think I’m too young. All my friends wear it too – we want to be older.”

Child psychologists are increasingly critical of what they see as the sexualisation of children.

Dr Pat Spungin, founder of Raisingkids.co.uk, says she fears for the children of mothers who encourage the idea that beauty is the be-all and end-all.

“Who would think this could possibly be a good thing for their daughter?” Dr Spungin asks.

“It’s too close to the sordid underbelly of the beauty industry – the beauty pageant – where little girls are completely sexualised.

“It’s almost like these girls are dolls – something to be admired for being pretty, not for their character or personality.”

However Lisa says: “I disagree. Caitlin’s not sexualised – girls don’t wear make-up for boys, they wear it to dress up.

“It’s not like we let her out walking the streets, we always know where she is – mostly with her girlfriends in our house, or at one of their houses.

“She loves my Playboy heels and wants a pair, but I wouldn’t let her wear them out unless it was to a party.

“It’s difficult as a mum when your daughter admires your clothes and make-up and wants them for herself.

“Perhaps I give her too much, but I don’t like her to want for anything.”

'Unattractive children can feel left out'

Three-year-old Erin Renshaw has her hair and nails done at the Little BigHeads Salon in Wilmslow, Cheshire.

Her mother Andrea, 34, a sales manager, says:

“I don’t think little girls like Erin dressing up or being pampered is harmful – it’s innocent fun.

Some people might think she’s too young, but I don’t see anything wrong with letting your little girl be a princess for the day. She loves feeling pretty.

I think it’s hard for children these days if they’re not attractive – they can be bullied and left out.

It’s not like I’d let her wear a bikini on holiday or anything really grown-up.

I put blusher on Erin a lot of the time – she can look so pale without it. She loves wearing it and calls it ‘brushie’. She says it gives her ‘happy cheeks’.

I straighten her hair too because I don’t really like
it curly. She loves going to the salon – she’s so well behaved and is fascinated by what the beauticians are doing.

I don’t mind Erin having her nails painted and I do them for her at home, so why not have them done here at the salon?

It’s better here – for £6.95 they use all the stick-on jewels and glittery bits as well.

She loves sparkly make-up. She badgers me to buy her Lelli Kelly shoes, which come with a free make-up gift, and sometimes I let her wear a bit of lipgloss.

It’s difficult to know where to draw the line these days.

Girls are aware so much earlier of beauty and ‘being pretty’. And I don’t mind Erin liking this – I enjoy watching her having fun too.

But it’s only pretend. She won’t, for example, be getting her ears pierced or wearing clothes that I consider to be too risqué.

I think girls would have loved doing this 20 years ago – it’s just that our mums wouldn’t have had the money to pay for it in those days.”

Is this too much too young, or just harmless fun? Why do young girls like dressing up and wearing make-up so much? Where should the line be drawn between girls playing dressing up at home and letting their mums take them to beauty salons?

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Photography: Alan Peebles, Alicia Clarke