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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

While I'm here - is make up remover a toiletry parents should provide?

169 replies

Homeymum2 · 04/02/2025 16:38

We supply of course deodorant, soaps, shampoo, conditioner - and even fancy hair products - but I don't buy the make up - so I feel like the removal is also her responsibility -

I'm not opposed to make up - I'm just consider it a luxury to buy with her spending money - not mine

OP posts:
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Boydylannumber1 · 06/02/2025 22:37

Definitely you should provide cleanser, its very important to establish good skin care early 2 of my 3 children have had acne, so need good cleanser moisturiser tablets dermatologist cost a fortunebut needes to be sorted. If im in boots ill ask whats needed they use la roche posay as good for bad skin you need to provide these.

CestLaVie123 · 06/02/2025 01:23

Of course it is - makeup removing cleansing face wipes are easy & cheap. Why are you being so stingy towards your DD?

aei22 · 05/02/2025 23:43

Just buy it. Why would you get obsessed by something so irrelevant. You won't teach her the value of money this way, you'll teach her that you aren't in her corner.

NewHeaven · 05/02/2025 23:37

Were you brought up the same way by your own mother? You have such an abnormally cold parenting style towards your own daughter.

DelilahBucket · 05/02/2025 23:19

I buy my son a decent face cleanser and moisturiser to help with his acne. How is make up remover any different to cleanser? Micellar water and reusable face wipes aren't going to break the bank!

livelovelough24 · 05/02/2025 23:13

How old is your child?

ThighsYouCantControl · 05/02/2025 22:33

I couldn’t get worked up about this. I buy make up remover wipes which my daughter also uses. If she’s feeling fancy she can buy fancy shit herself.

Sennelier1 · 05/02/2025 22:28

I've always provided all toiletries my children needed. Now my daughter lives abroad but when she comes home for a few days she just uses my stuff. I think that's fine, wouldn't want it any other way.

HereComesEverybody · 05/02/2025 22:21

Oh OP your posts are sad & they're making me feel so sorry for your dd.

I think you've had good advice here to have a think about why you're finding providing care for her so challenging.

It's pretty depressing reading and it makes me wonder how happy your home/ family is....

lollylawyer · 05/02/2025 21:36

My kids have pretty good pocket money amongst their friends and my broad rule is, I provide basics of everything they need and if they want fancy brands/designer then they buy it (or pay the difference).

so basic branded cleanser, face wash, cloths, cotton pads etc are available in the bathroom (I use basic brands myself so they can just use mine) but they all (3 girls, 11-18) buy themselves extra fancy products.

TikehauLilly · 05/02/2025 21:32

Yabu

With makeup you need to remove and cleanse so essentially wash twice... massage and dissolve and then wash

So definitely need a cleanser and remover

Nomorecoconutboosts · 05/02/2025 21:28

One of the things I love is to nurture and provide for my 2 daughters.
your thread makes me sad, I was brought up by a resentful and angry parent who did less than the bare minimum. I never asked for even essentials because this saved being disappointed. Every month was traumatic and embarrassing, I was hungry and scratching round for basic needs.

your dd may have different priorities to you but I don’t think she’s making unreasonable demands. I bet she dreads every time her deodorant or conditioner runs low or she needs new pads as it sounds like it’s a big deal to have to approach you.

be honest with yourself. You don’t have to share on here. Why can’t/won’t you nurture and support her? Is it due to your own neglect or poor parenting when you were a child so you withhold from her. Several people have asked if you have male dc and if so are you difficult in your attitude to them as well? I can’t see that you’ve responded to questions about whether she has her own allowance to buy stuff.

your poor dd. Don’t always be looking for loopholes to give her the bare minimum. It’s so miserable

MrsBlac · 05/02/2025 20:35

Ha ha this is a funny one. My youngest DD gets £110 pm pocket money between us and grandparents. When I suggested that she buy her own cleanser - her argument was it’s to wash her face and did she have to spend her own money to wash herself. I got the cleanser 🤣

NotALotToLose · 05/02/2025 19:33

Yes! I want to teach my teen how to take take of their skin and makeup removal is a seriously important step. How do you expect them to do this if you don't provide it? Do they need to buy their own tissues/cotton wool/earbuds too? It's literally a basic that anyone who wears make up needs. You don't need to buy one from Harrods, Simple, Boots basic or Garnier will do.

JudgementalRaccoon · 05/02/2025 19:15

cestlavielife · 04/02/2025 16:41

Give a sufficient budget allowance and they buy all their own toiletries
Gets them budgeting

This is similar to what I did with my son, though regarding haircuts not makeup. Previously, I had paid for his visits to the barber, but when he wanted to go every 2-3 weeks (to maintain his ‘skin fade’), we looked again at his allowance and incorporated a rough amount for toiletries etc as opposed to buying everything in with ours. We could then Include the frequency of haircuts we were happy to pay for. Any extra visits he then paid for himself, so he had to prioritise what he spent the rest on and/or use his paper round money. It worked well for us.

CalmMintReader · 05/02/2025 19:13

If I’m in Boots or a supermarket with any of my kids (or if I’m going and I ask if they need anything) and they say they need anything like that, I buy it (including uni age).

WhereAreWeNow · 05/02/2025 18:52

Bloody hell! No chocolate. No cleanser. Poor kid.

PickingFruit · 05/02/2025 18:51

I've just spend £35 on Epiduo acne cream and yes I support buying anything which prevents breakouts etc. Make up - her job. It's hard enough being a teenager

Mere1 · 05/02/2025 18:00

Purplecatshopaholic · 04/02/2025 16:43

Good grief, really? Seems a bit stingy to me. A cheap cleanser is hardly breaking the bank.

My thoughts too.

Dearnurse · 05/02/2025 15:52

My daughter is 14 she has a go henry with an allowance and I give her a bus pass so she buys her own toiletries but I have a stock she can help herself to aswell , makeup remover is a basic so is skincare ..

StormingNorman · 05/02/2025 15:36

gatheryerosebuds · 05/02/2025 09:53

Mind you there was a post yesterday by someone asking whether they should be obliged to buy chocolate for their 14 year old when they had period pains!!

Same poster. Poor girl!

ItGhoul · 05/02/2025 12:56

FrustratedandBemused · 04/02/2025 19:29

Well she can use that to remove make up. That’s what face wash is for.

Face wash isn't very good at removing makeup, especially if it's a blemish-targeted one. You certainly shouldn't be scrubbing your eyes to remove mascara etc with a face wash, especially not one that's meant for acne.

Remove makeup with cleanser, then wash your face.

InvisibilityCloakActivated · 05/02/2025 12:54

I think a standard cleanser from a supermarket is easy enough to pop in the trolley and not worry about. If she wants a £40 bottle of some specific brand then she should save up for it herself.

FabFeb24 · 05/02/2025 12:51

The Tesco micellar water is less than £3. Just put it in your trolley next time you go shopping. It lasts ages too.

heartfluttters · 05/02/2025 10:59

Op you sound like my mother we wasn't allowed anything unless she wanted it.
As you can tell i went NC with her.
Just the basic things a girl wants or needs.
Your parenting is very odd.
She just a kid and wants to be like her friends.
No chocolate no make up remover what next the cheapest sanitary towels.
Washing make up off with just sope can dry the skin out not good.
Calling basic things pampering is out of line.
Op ine day your daughter will be old enough to leave and at this rate i dont think she will come back.
Tbh i think theres more going on what else is she not allowed to have but can.
Shameful.