Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Fragrance on kids

15 replies

WellDamn · 29/01/2017 15:34

I've been rolling this around in my head all day and need some other opinions...
I don't know how long this has been going on for maybe weeks. I have a 4yo boy 2yo girl and a 6m baby daughter. Getting ready for mass this morning and my husband is in the bathroom with the boy and I catch him spraying my son with aftershave!! I was horrified!! 'Don't give him aftershave, you weirdo!!!'
'Why not'?
Why not? I'm opposed to it but I'm can't quite express why. They are bathed daily so they're not smelly. The best I could muster was that it was inappropriate for a child to be smelling like a 30yo man. Pre child I could've probably thought of an answer but I had nothing. He then came at me with 'Jesus got given fragrance as a baby' (He's not even the religious one in the family but he's learnt enough to back up his argument with a pretty decent Jesus point 😡).
He says it's just him and his son bonding over grooming and he and his dad used to do it too.
But I'm still grossed out over it. Am I the crazy one here?

OP posts:
FishInAWetSuitAndFlippers · 29/01/2017 15:39

The occasional spray of aftershave is a total non event imo.

It wouldn't bother me in the slightest.

I guess if you had an actual reason then your dh might have listened to you, but it doesn't sound like you have a reason to say no really.

Summerisdone · 29/01/2017 15:45

I don't see an issue with it at all, with DS being only 4 then I'd maybe suggest for DH to make sure only to spray the clothing so as not to have direct contact with his still soft and sensitive skin.
That's what I do with 2 year old DS, I don't do it often because I couldn't afford the waste, but occasionally when he sees mummy putting perfume on, he wants some too so I give him just a little spritz on top of his clothing

Original poster
WellDamn · 29/01/2017 15:48

It was on his bare skin but perhaps I would have less objection to it if it was on clothing. Cheers

OP posts:

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

2 year olds 4 year olds Beauty Families
ArriettyClock1 · 29/01/2017 15:49

Meh, cant see a problem.

Smiffle · 29/01/2017 15:51

Where I come from, we splash baby cologne on our kids because of the heat.

Best smell in the world. Whenever I open the bottle, I'm transported and so are they, despite it being decades ago.

Aftershave might be a little astringent but I don't think quite such a crime!

Ineedmorelemonpledge · 29/01/2017 15:57

Was he rubbing him with frankincense then?Grin

What a daft comeback!

It's a cure for stress and inflammation, not to splash behind your lug holes after a run round with the Gillette.

I would say ok clothing only, skin is sensitive in children, as is the sense of smell. I got an absolutely horrific headache at school once after another kid squirted "Strawberry Shortcake" perfume on me. I threw up
And had to come home.

So as long as he knows he has to deal with that!

Kr1stina · 29/01/2017 16:14

Jesus was given frankincense and myrrh because they were symbolic gifts for a king, to show loyalty and reverence. Myrrh was used at funerals and frankincense showed his priestly role ( also used for inflammation as Pp said ) .

They were not used as perfume or aftershave.

curlii103 · 01/02/2017 09:04

I think I'm opposed to it but if he likes being like daddy why not

Frouby · 01/02/2017 09:08

Ds (3) regularly has a squirt of my perfume if he is in with me and asks for some. I really don't see the problem?

user1483387154 · 01/02/2017 09:10

Really not an issue as long as he isnt using half a bottle at a time

choli · 01/02/2017 09:13

I certainly hope you never have anything serious to worry about, if you can make that big of a deal of something so trivial.

Kr1stina · 01/02/2017 09:30

Well that's helpful choli. You could go through 99% of the threads on MN and post that.

" you are worried about your child failing their exam, just be glad they don't have cancer"

" you are worried about your child having cancer, just be glad you live in a courts where cancer treatement is free"

" your child died, just be glad you have another "

See, you could go through every thread here pointing out that the person is stupid to have these worries. It's not kind and it's not helpful.

Most of our lives are full of trivial worries, since we don't live in Aleppo.

BertieBotts · 01/02/2017 09:37

I had a weird overreaction to this when DS was younger as well. I don't know why it was such a big deal but it annoyed me because he didn't smell like a child!

It doesn't bother me any more. I think it's a non issue unless he's doing it every day.

Kr1stina · 01/02/2017 18:25

I think there's a very instinctive reaction to how children smell, particularly our own. I have two kids of a similar size and I can tell whose clothes are which by the smell.

People go on about sniffing the head of a new born baby.

People will say they sniff their partners clothes or pillow when he's away and they miss him.

I think it's quite instinctive to dislike strong perfumes on babies and small children .

pixiehollow · 03/02/2017 20:30

I realy don't see a problem with it. I have far too many perfumes after working in a perfume shop and my kids often get a squirt they think it's fun and they smell great! I only put it on their outer clothes bar skin might be different. DD often has a light perfume sprayed on her hair 😊 I wouldnt to a baby though

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread