to think that we're being a bit thick spending all our money on cosmetics

[southeastastra]

and shit

really who cares if we just wear jeans and a t shirt every day.

we're crackers spending £££ on fashion

I'm low paid and after my direct debits & food bills I do spend quite a bit on cosmetics & toiletries, & on my hair.

I would rather live on value baked beans than not buy Clinique face cream & make up! I'm terrible (but not thick).

I've had the benefit of coming in to this thread late but I would say that of all 'products', cosmetics has something for all budgets, it really can cost very little or it can cost £££.

I love Estee Lauder for face, Max Factor for mascara/nails and Rimmel lipgloss.

Your OP potentially sounded a bit sneery and judgemental; you neglected to include what you wear, how much you spend and it had all the hallmarks of buns-in-waiting. Maybe if you'd written more in your OP, it would have explained what you wanted better... and perhaps not finish off your thread with a parting shot that AIBU is a different breed of mnnetters.

I realise you didn't ask for a critique either... sorry.

at being called 'condescending' when you used 'thick' in the header.
If that wasn't what you meant, maybe ask for it to be removed?

I can't help thinking that this is a thickly-veiled, feminist OP anyway...

I think the OP was including herself in the description (the clue is in the word "we") so I don't see how she can be described as judgemental or condescending.

But it's ok for her to call us condescending, hackmum?

Don't think the OP a sounded sneery and judgemental at all. She said "we" meaning herself as well not calling everyone else "thick". Jeez, it was fairly light hearted, some folk are so touchy.

You take it how you like, I took it as either the Royal 'We' or the All-Women 'we'.

It's fine to call yourself thick, if you extend that to other people, it's likely to prickle.

It's insulting to think most women waste money on that kind of rubbish. Plenty of us spend our money on school fees for the children, mortgages, investments, our careers and other sensible roots for our money and we don't lice off male earnings using any pocket money to buy a bit of lip stick to keep our man continuing to pay for us.

Er speak for yourself Lotus, what with your roots & lice 'n all.

Chopsy I just love your description of make up as face paint for grown ups. A lot of it does involve drawing on your face with pencils and crayons after all .

I spend within my budget on both makeup and clothes. I have to have a few very smart outfits for work, and sometimes I'll spend a bit more on something very good quality that will last many years. I'm more into saving than spending excessively but I don't go without and I don't have a hair shirt mentality.

I don't think I know anyone where I live now who spends "all their money" on clothes, makeup or fripperies. I knew a fair few back in the UK who moaned about being skint when they had all the latest electronics, new car, iPad for their five year old etc.

Cut your cloth, I suppose. Be sensible, spend within your means and have the odd treat?

Please don't try and be disingenuous about your OP, SEA. You've been around long enough to know that if you post a goady OP then defensive replies is what you'll get.

"Do women spend too much of their disposable income on looking good?" = pseudo-intellectual ponderings

Your OP- goady oneliner to provoke a reaction.

Not difficult.

I also love wearing make up and if I could spend more on it I would. I wear at least a bit of mascara and foundation every day (mostly bc of blonde eyelashes that turn invisible).

I wear it because I want to, am happily single and men can think what they like - it's not for their benefit.

I don't think we're thick but I do think we probably spend more than the stuff is worth. I've only worn make up twice in the last fifteen years. My collection consist of premium brands I could never afford now. Stuff looks good on my make up ledge though, very nice packaging.

I splurged on it because I bought into a lot of crap I read in the magazines I bought at the time.

When I stopped wearing make up people asked if I was ill, I explained it was my face.

Good for you CountryMummy. I too stopped wearing make up 3 years ago after reading the Naomi Woolf book, The Beauty Myth.

I spent £37 on a Marc Jacobs lipstick yesterday. I enjoy spending money on makeup and skincare and I don't feel the need to explain or apologise.

I don't think I've ever been described as thick.

Good for ALL women... living their lives free to do what they want to do!

I don't think anyones (including the OP) is out to deny anybody the right to spend their money on what ever they like, or wants those that buy make up to account for themselves. Wasn't the point why do we feel the need to do so and why so much of it? After all apparently the average British woman spends up to £40,000 in a lifetime on her hair and £100,000 on cosmetics.

I have to wear clothes. Firstly, I live in Scotland, and it is often very cold up here. Secondly, there are laws about public nudity. And thirdly, the sight of me naked would cause mass nausea.

So I have to buy clothes - and it makes sense for me to buy clothes that I like, and enjoy wearing, rather than spending the minimum, and being miserable about what I wear.

I don't spend a fortune on cosmetics, but I will buy nice perfumes and occasionally treat myself to an expensive shower gel - because using these gives me a little lift, and that's a good thing. I could - and often do - use fairly cheap, basic shower gels, but sometimes it is good for me to have a little treat - for the sake of my mental health.

Maybe if OP had asked that question in a less insulting way, sourdrawers, she'd have got those answers.

Why do people spend £300k on a car? £4m on a house? £100+ on perfume? There's not a need to spend that much, surely, but people do. They just do.

What bothers me most is that women ask these questions of other women and DO expect them to be able to account for their reasons. It's pure judgement, under a 'feminism' banner.

Would I be more intelligent if instead of cosmetics I bought oil paint and instead of my face used canvas?

judgement, under a 'feminism' banner I think you're being a wee bit cynical there LyingWitch. It's the 'people just do' aspect that deserves a bit of discussion I think.

Whilst I'm certainly not judging other women for wearing make up or spending disproportionate (or not) amounts of cash on so called 'hair care'. I certainly am interested in why we feel compelled to do so. What form the pressures to do so take, where they come from and why is it so accepted that we must give in to them?