Bathroom etiquette for visitors - use your host's shampoo but not their cream?

[Flatbread]

Picking up from another thread and a point Stella raised.

When you are visiting, what do you use?

I use their toothpaste
The nicest shampoo and conditioner
Definitely the face wash, might go half and half on my face if they have two kinds
Bubble bath and bath oils if bathing
And finally a lather of their face cream and body cream. And vary by day, depending on how many they have.

Am I the worsest house guest

Oh and I did have one house guest who asked me over the dinner table whether I had any pile cream she could borrow

I always take my own.

Oh my god, I never use anything! Except soap if I'm washing my hands, obviously. And I would use shower gel if they had put some out but that's it.

I only ever leave out soap and shower gel for guests but I would give them anything they needed, obviously.

I actually can't remember when I last stayed over at someone else's house, apart from my parents - and that doesn't count. There I use everything. Including my mum's posh face creams.

I wouldn't dream of using other people's toiletries. Maybe toothpaste or shower gel if I had forgotten it but I would ask first, but I don't forget, I take my own stuff with me.

I am really shocked that loads of you use things!

Bet they have a nose through their host's medicine cabinets as well Alibaba.

I keep my nice Lush stuff hidden away from dh & the dc, never mind friends!

The family bathroom is stocked with shampoo, soap, shower gel etc for anyone to use, & our guest room's on the same floor so guests would use that one rather than dh & mine.

If it's not close friends staying, & if I remember, I rummage through dh's extensive collection of hotel shampoos etc & leave some on the table in spare room so it's obvious they CAN use them - just in case someone's feeling guilty about using the family stuff & doesn't like to ask.

I try to be reasonably self sufficient when I'm away unless staying with v close friends - in which case we'd definitely expect to try each other's stuff - 'I pinched some of your last night - it's lovely'.

I aim to take my own (save samples out of magazines to save on space :))

Caught short, I'd deffo use their stuff. I assume I'm only there for one shower, right? I haven't moved in for a fortnight?

I'd use the shampoo and conditioner, toothpaste, shower gel, anything I needed to use. I'd ask if I needed moisturiser or whatever. I don't need to slaver myself in creme du mer or wear their perfume

Reading this bemused, if people stay here they are very close friends, so toiletry sharing is absolutely ok! In fact it is encouraged so we can discuss beauty products! Who are all these random strangers you are all inviting to stay over?!

happydotcom - read back your post with the previous one

Caz10 - would you want your MiL rubbing your body butter on her boobs then?

I take my own. I wouldn't feel comfortable about using my hosts toiletries, it just feels like taking advantage. Why would you not bring your own personal things if you knew you were staying over somewhere?

But why would you care if your MIL rubbed your body butter on her boobs? Presumably she'd take it out with her hand and rub it on, and not just dip her boobs in the butter...

WMMC The juxtaposition of those two particular posts tickled me, too!

my dad used my expensive L'Occitane soap (milk shea butter, it retails about £8+ a bar).There was a ^brand new, wrapped bar of soap left for him in the room) Aaaargh!

I wouldn't use anyone else's toothpaste because I need Sensodyne type.

AgentProvocateur - you have clearly never met my MiL.

at MILs with dippy boobs

WMMC -

my fil used my clinque face soap to wash his whole body..(boak)
so it got binned...

hideous he didn't see a problem, though the thought of washing my face with soap that had been near his testicles yuk yuk yuk

I tend to take my skincare with me, we have two en suite guest rooms we have lovely philosophy goodies for guests to use.

I pretty much always arrive with a bulging toiletry bag if staying with people, as I (a) don't like to just assume I can help myself to whatever is in their bathroom - and (b) I am set in my ways and like my products, and prefer not to chance not liking theirs but being stuck using them.

I suppose if I ran out or was staying unexpectedly though I would feel okay about using anything that was pump/spray/squirt that I actually needed. Can't imagine sticking my fingers in someone else's face cream pot or using their bar of soap though - yuck. I wouldn't use anything luxurious or 'special' either - as I would not be best pleased if someone nicked a big splash of my favourite perfume or costly eye cream or something.

I am fortunate in that DH and I have an en-suite bathroom - so that limits the amount of guests who might wander in and dangle their body parts into my lotion

My guest bathroom is well stocked though, nobody would need to bring their own of anything unless they wanted to.

i take everything myself

Definitely take my own.

When we have guests I put toothpaste, shower gel and some fairly bog standard shampoo and conditioner in their bathroom.

"the thought of washing my face with soap that had been near his testicles"

that's made me chuckle... And I news a chuckle I've been up since 3:30 with DS.

My dad thought it was okay to use my bloody toothbrush I only knew because I went in the bathroom straight after him and it was wet, so I asked him and he seemed bemused that I was annoyed! To me that definitely crosses the line.

I normally use my hosts shampoo, conditioner, shower gel and toothpaste but I bring my own if I am staying more than a couple of nights. I always bring my own face cleanser, moisturiser etc. I expect my guests to do similar. I wouldn't mind someone using some of my basic stuff as long as they ask first - sharing is not too gross as I have the Clinique bottles with pumps so they don't need to dig in with their fingers. Would not be happy about guests trying out extras like eye creams or serums, very cheeky!