Why are some people snobby about Baylis and Harding?

[hollielouise66]

I remember a thread this time last year from a mum whose daughter had given her a Baylis and Harding gift set for Christmas that she planned to regift .

My daughter (14) gave me one yesterday (the Mulberry Fizz set). It looks pretty and smells nice. More than that, I knew she'd have been chuffed to bits that she had found something affordable, which looked festive and which she knew I would like. Granted, it's not the poshest brand in the world but it couldn't have made me happier...

If you like your gift, then that is all that matters. Don’t worry about anyone else’s opinions.

I also agree it's snobbery. And it's not cheap for everyone.
I find a lot the attitudes to receiving gift on MN really unpleasant tbh.
There are way too many people getting upset if they don't get a gift that cost a small fortune and six month's worth of careful planning and consideration.
I got some Bayliss & Harding last Christmas. I'm on a limited budget and don't treat myself very often. It was really nice.

Because a lot of mumnset are sad, snobby social climbers. And they just like pulling people down, makes their sad life seem better.

Sad fuckers. Ignore them.

That's a great gift from your daughter.

I find their hand soap really drying. Much prefer Aldi

I'm as middle class as they come and even I can't bring myself to get snooby about Baylis & Harding - I like their handsoap because it is really good value and looks nice enough.

I like it. But I guess some people can feel offended that plopping Baylis & Harding your trolley at ASDA isn’t so much of a thoughtful gift.

@Coconutmeg

I like it. But I guess some people can feel offended that plopping Baylis & Harding your trolley at ASDA isn’t so much of a thoughtful gift.

That's the weird thing - it's no less thoughtful than wandering through a dept store and picking up the travel sized MB gift sets. If I saw Molton Brown hand-wash in someone's bathroom I'd think they has no idea of the value of money. Over a tenner to wash poo and wee particles off your hands with a pretty smell!

A friend once told me, that if there were three women left on the planet, two of them would be standing behind a tree talking about the other one.

Same is true when it comes to Baylis and Harding. It's in my bathrooms, it does the job fine and it's not worth bitching about.

It doesn't suit my skin so I don't buy it.

So what is the actual difference between the ingredients in cheaper products and "high end" products?

For me it's because it's the lowest effort 'secret Santa' kind of gift for a woman that the giver hasn't usually given a seconds thought to, just grabbed off the supermarket shelf with the weekly shop and/or in a 3 for 2 deal.

That said, I got a bottle of their bubble bath this year and it's in a beautiful glass bottle, so maybe I judged too soon.

OP I received the same set from my DS, I thought it was a nice gift and it smells lovely.

What @DinoDinner said

That is a lovely gift from your daughter

It's really cheap and nasty. It's no better than buying a 20p bottle of sls based, economy bubble bath. B&H is just packaged in those faux posh bottles to deceive people.

Not long ago it was sold in Poundland, but their marketing people did a fantastic job of rebranding so people actually think it's decent.

My daughter bought me one a few years ago. I was appreciative of thw thought. The stuff is gloopy though and just washes away like slime. Be fine if it wasn't so slimy.

I'm not snobby at all about toiletries- all mine come from aldi.

But B&H is utter crap - or certainly all the ones I've tried. The shower gel doesnt lather, as soon as the water hits my hand the whole dollop slides right off.

I love the jojoba almond vanilla hand wash. Smells lush.

I’m not snobby about brands generally, but there are some I avoid, B&H being one of them.

If my child bought me a set though I would of course immediately love it!

It’s not something I would buy myself, not because I’m a snob, but I like strong smelling bubble baths/shower gels etc…

Molton Brown is strong and you can really smell it and I like that. I find with B&H that whilst it smells nice enough, you can’t smell it much in your skin.

It’s nothing to do with being snobby for me.

The shower gel does the job, it gets you clean but as Bernadette says, it doesn't lather well and is quite runny. The body lotion is usually far too runny for my liking too. Never had the soap or handwash.

I'm no snob though, I use whatever is £1 at Home Bargains (Imperial Leather atm, sometimes Nivea if they have it).

As always, please remember that charity shops are not snobby either and will be happy to receive any unwanted B&H!

It makes me chuckle how some brands are deemed a "knock off" of a higher end product, and others are considered "fantastic dupes" (I'm looking at you Aldi Lacura)

Shit, I mean Bayliss & Harding, not Benson & Hedges!

I'm not keen on B and H simply because it just doesn't work well as a shower gel etc. It's all about how the bottles look, the content is rubbish. If it was as good as something like Radox, which is even cheaper, I'd be delighted with it.

I like it! I'm pretty down market these days though, as have a low income.

I do think the issue people might have is that it seems like a Molton Brown knock off.

When B&H first came out it was a Poundland brand, I tried it once and wasn't impressed. I don't understand how it is now marketed as a more luxurious brand and have had a couple of gift sets and have fund the shower gel pretty unpleasant.

I'm far from a toiletry snob, I currently have Asda own brand handwash in my kitchen and bathroom and happily buy original source shower gel for £1 a bottle.