When I was a tween, I ADORED MAC makeup and always had my nose pressed to the counter, drooling over lipsticks I couldn't afford. The irony is, now I'm older, I never really wear lipstick.
MAC have an ongoing recycling scheme called "Back to MAC" whereby if you bring back 6 empty containers, you can get a free lipstick. Today, I was at a MAC counter armed with several empty containers and determined to find some lipstick I would be happy to wear. I finally settled on one shade, but had enough empty containers for 4 more lipsticks.
Whilst looking, I overheard a couple of tweens (they can't have been older than 12 years old), standing near the lipsticks and trying different shades, talking about which lipsticks they would love to get if only they could afford them. It took me right back to when I was their age. They turned around to leave and I went after them and asked if they'd like some free lipstick. I thrust them two carrier bags with 6 containers each and told them they could take it to the counter and pick a free lipstick each. They looked at me sceptically (probably wondering who the mad lady was!) and, without waiting to hear their reaction, I turned around and hurried off, a little bit embarrassed. As far as I saw, they walked out of the store giggling to themselves, and I figured they had no idea about the scheme and would probably bin the bags.
When I was at the counter waiting to get my free lipstick, one of the MAC assistants came up holding some empty containers and asked the assistant serving me if she'd given them to some girls by mistake. I saw the containers and realised they were the ones if given away, turned and saw the girls a few feet back. It transpired that the girls had said they were given the containers and wanted to return them, in case they were given in error or stolen! I told the assistant I'd given the containers to the girls and that they could use them if they wanted. When I'd finished at the till, I turned to leave and passed by the girls and told them they'd get better use of the lipsticks than I would, and they very sweetly thanked me.
It was only an hour later that I thought, oh shit, what if their parents don't allow them to wear makeup? I put it to a couple of my friends and they're split down the middle. One of them had strict parents and said they'd have been furious and probably punished her for speaking to and accepting stuff from a stranger. The other thought it wasn't a big deal and, if they're parents were that strict, the girls would probably say nothing and keep it to themselves (I don't know whether that's so good either - if that's the case, I'd be enabling the girls to be dishonest/lie to their parents!)
So, what do you all think? WIBU? I keep thinking no, I was just trying to be nice in a fit of nostalgia - but the road to hell is paved etc etc ...