Nicole Richie Says Her 9-Year-Old Daughter Is 'Finding Joy' in Experimenting with Style and Makeup

Nicole Richie may be one of Hollywood’s most fashionable ladies, but that doesn’t mean her daughter is turning to her for style cues. Instead, the 9-year-old beats to her own drum – and that’s just how Richie likes it.

She adds, though, that Harlow steals from her closet “all the time.”

Richie says she encourages Harlow to explore fashion and beauty, and admits that when it comes to makeup, “She’s way further down the line than I am.”

“She loves makeup, she loves a makeup tutorial,” adds the 35-year-old. “That’s her thing. She’s a hair and makeup girl.”

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The star tells PEOPLE she wants Harlow to have a healthy approach to beauty, but notes she hasn’t yet had to have “any sort of serious talks” with her.

“My daughter loves makeup, she loves to experiment with hair, and I let her do that,” says Richie. “She’s finding joy in that and I feel like she’s kind of figuring out for herself what she likes and experimenting with different colors. Whether it’s makeup or not, experimenting with color is really important for the soul. so I just let her go at it.”

Richie and husband Joel Madden, 38, are also parents to 8-year-old son Sparrow.

She previously told PEOPLE that she and Madden are focused on ensuring that her children feel a part of every family decision, and that they all function as a unit.

“I have a huge family,” Richie explained last November. “We all chip in to do anything we do. We decide as a family, we decide as a group.”