To think buying a £52 eyeshadow pallet for 9 year old is just madness?

[pineapplepenthouse]

I'm talking about the James Charles pallet. £52 for eyeshadow and blusher. My DD9 wants to spend her Christmas money on it but I have said a firm NO! A lot of her friends got it for Christmas (I know this is true as have seen their mothers show it off on Facebook). Each to their own and all that but £52! AIBU?

I had a dressing up kit as a girl. I tottered around in my mum's heels. I played with make up. It was play. I wanted to look like the grown ups. I didn't want to attract a man. If you see that, you're the one in the wrong.

This is not really any different. It's a 9 year old wanting to look like a grown up.

I've grown up to be an occasional make up wearer. When I do, I wear good stuff that's right for my skin and is kind. It's not cheap stuff. I'm on the fence about buy cheap, buy twice. I agree as an adult but for kids make up? I don't know. That palette looks like an expensive toy anyway. (*getting old)

Now I want to buy the 12 days thing from revolution, £18 looks like an absolute bargain for things I don't need...

I did the same, user. I could have had a palette of make-up, however cheap or expensive - and I would still have looked like a clown. That's what children do.

This James Charles nonsense is just insidious marketing. I don't like it, it's almost cult-like the way it's revered. I would let my child have a palette of make-up at 9 if that's what they wanted - they wouldn't be sexualised by it, they'd be slapping on as much as they could on their face. Teens do the same quite honestly and I think it's an awful look.

To veto make-up is to make it more enticing. Why do that? My kids can cover themselves in the stuff at home if they want - but they'll be make-up free when we go out. I'm their mum, not their friend.

I don't care what other people do and can't understand why other people care so much or talk so earnestly and endlessly about such a nonsensical issue.

I tottered around in my mum's heels

Your mum didn't let you spend fifty quid on adult shoes for you to totter around in though...

To those judging- don’t get your knickers in a twist. At 9, make-up is just playing and experimenting. It’s totally innocent (obviously there can be exceptions). It’s just creativity. Think nail paint and fake tattoos. My 7yo is a scruffy, messy, climbing, digging, science-loving little girl who also loves a bit of sparkly eyeshadow. She’s a kid that’s playing.

OP, I’d let her buy it.

To those judging- don’t get your knickers in a twist. At 9, make-up is just playing and experimenting. It’s totally innocent (obviously there can be exceptions). It’s just creativity.

At £52 my knickers twist.

No, she didn't. But the dressing up kit and play make up wasn't free. My eyes water at the cost of a plastic Paw Patroller. Things are expensive. To them it's a toy too. Ev2n if they don't behave that way. They are still children. (I am not saying I would spend that. But I don't think it's cause for flaggelation either)

To be honest she probably wouldn’t manage to get it! It’s stocked on the morphe website and everytime it comes back into stock it’s gone again in 5 minutes. Point her in the direction of Sophdoesnails on YouTube, she’s a YouTube who mainly does drugstore make up - if she’s set on spending it on make up she’ll at least get a decent amount for her money! Brands like make up Revolution, obsession cosmetics, wet and wild, ELF and CYO are ones to look out for.

I'm a hypocrite here, in another similar thread I said opposite bit this is just a bit too much I think, I definitely would be pointing out what other things could be bought with the money, I don't think I would let mine spend it on a eyeshadow

All this talk of makeup being sexualising is utterly ridiculous. I'm a huge makeup fan, have been for most of my 65 years. I'm also a feminist. I paint my face for myself, because I like looking polished and these days I look like a crone without it. It's a fun part of life. Anyone would think this kid wanted to buy crack cocaine.

i would NOT be buying a nine-year-old a brand called wet and wild

I don’t understand why children are given money and hen not allowed to spend it.

They don’t have to pay for an MOT or bills or food for instance, so anything they buy will be an extravagance in one shape or another.

It’s important I think to let them find out for themselves what constitutes value for money; in this case that she could buy a tonne of stuff from Rimmel/Maybelline/no.7 but to be honest it’s the “buzz” of getting THE product isn’t it that’s why we all spend ££££’s on cosmetics.

At 9 I had a fabulous blue eyeshadow and a block mascara. I absolutely looked stupid I’m sure, and definitely wasn’t allowed out of the house like it. Nowadays I go days without wearing make up, then go totally bonkers at Bobbi every 6 months and hide the receipts

But the dressing up kit and play make up wasn't free. My eyes water at the cost of a plastic Paw Patroller. Things are expensive. To them it's a toy too

You are missing the point. Make up isn't £52. This particular make up is £52. If your child is getting make up to play dress ups with them cheap make up would do.

Isn’t wet and wild the name of a theme park in Florida?

But if we're going down the 'would do' route, any old plastic truck would do instead of a £40 Paw Patroller. But to the child, it won't. Rightly or wrongly. Any pair of trainers 'will do'. Unless you're a 15 year old. Then, they won't. (Cue the parents with sensible kids) If you can't treat yourself to the thing you want with gift money, when can you?

i would NOT be buying a nine-year-old a brand called wet and wild

How about a blusher called 'Deep Throat', a lipstick called 'Underage Red' or blushers called 'Barely Legal' and 'Virginity' (NARS, Kat Von D and Kylie Jenner)

Bleugh.

Precisely. If I gave a child money, I'd expect them to spend it as they wish. I feel the same about it being stashed away in savings accounts, if I wanted that I'd give it to the parents expressly stating it was to be saved.

You forgot Orgasm, Beer.

I don't have such an issue with 'Orgasm' I have to say, because it doesn't have the same abusive undertones as the others.

Never heard of this guy but it sounds like an utter racket. I watch YouTube makeup videos because I find them relaxing, but this modern obsession with 'palettes' is fucking hysterical.

How many colours exist on this earth? How many iterations of taupe, grey or metallic brights can there actually be? Eyelids are tiny. These cult palettes are capitalism laughing at women (and a handful of men) and trying to think up the next gimmick they'll all cough up for.

I can afford good stuff these days but my teenage make up memories are rimmel, boots 17 and outdoor girl. How grim that kids are losing out on a rite of passage.

Its £34 not £52 on the official morphe website

It’s was £39 originally, that’s what I paid for it for my step nieces for Christmas.

Morphe is crap makeup though.

If you can't treat yourself to the thing you want with gift money, when can you?

I don't disagree with the sentiment. But when you are 9 years old your purchases should still be guided by parents. It would be completely irresponsible to let a child buy whatever they wanted.

Eyelids are tiny.

😂

I do think the whole 'palette' thing is pure consumerism. I am on a couple of FB beauty groups and these women getting so excited about Huda or ABH 'dropping' their next palette, which sometimes have the same colours as other palettes, with cries of 'neeeeeeeed' etc. I love makeup as much as the next person, but I will buy a palette because I don't already have the colours and like the looks which have been created with it, not because it's just the latest one from the production line.

morris you've made my day! Outdoor Girl! I had forgotten all about that.
And, yes, eyelids are tiny! When you think about it, it's all a bit nuts!

If she's using the makeup to "play around with" as you stated, then I would definitely not allow her to purchase this palette.