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 don't think I have ever spent £54 on make up as an adult!!

I don't subscribe to the concept of letting children buy cheap makeup.

Why not?

Just pointing out that the Revolution 12 days of Christmas set that MidniteScribbler linked to has been further reduced to £18 (and delivery free for orders over £15).

Directing your DD to post-Christmas reductions is also a good life lesson. Learn which seasonal products and brands regularly sell off cheaper after Christmas and buy them then. Either 'brand up' and get something you wouldn't otherwise afford or get something for cheaper and have money left for other goodies.

£50 is a ridiculous amount to spend on make-up just because it’s branded with the name of some YouTuber.

Agree with everyone else who’s mentioned Revolution. Take her to a big Superdrug where they’ve got the full range laid out in the shiny boxes, and let her see that she can buy 2 or 3 eyeshadow palettes, and still have plenty of money left over for something else.

Teaching her to budget is sensible parenting.

DD (also 9) uses her pocket/gifted money to buy things that we wouldn't pay for based on their value, so if it's just the value, and you're happy for her to wear makeup, I would let her.

I wouldn't let DD wear makeup for parties etc. I think she's way too young. She also has sensitive skin so when grandparents put makeup on her for fun (when I'm not there) she gets a bit of rash.

It doesn’t mean they can’t have a bit of a splurge every now and again, but £50+ on eyeshadow for a 9 year old- really? God I feel old

Me too! As a kid I had a shoe box of my mother's discarded (biohazard?) makeup. It was so fun, but such a different experience.

I think showing her some other options so she can decide is a great idea.

As the mum of a 15 year old girl I always read these threads with amusement.
My ExH the absolute Disney dad bought DD make up at 8 as she wanted it. I didn't allow it out of the house, but didn't have an argument over practicing.
Over time we discussed a less is more approach to make up and she watched YouTube videos on 'natural' make up. She doesn't wear it to school, but is highly likely to pursue a career in performing arts so make up is worn at other times.
Did allowing her make up at 8 ruin her? No it didn't she is hard working currently is expected to get at least 7s at GCSE whilst rehearsing for three major shows two of which she is the female lead. Did she enjoy the make up? Yes she did. Did it sexualise her? No it didn't.

Completely agree with posters above about exercising guidance. Also agree that none is too young for proper make up.

Apart from that, to me it's an insane amount of money for a nine year-old to be spending on anything that isn't a long term investment - like a bike, sports equipment etc.

If people are giving her money for Christmas ( which I would discourage until she is at least a teen) there should definitely be a save the majority, buy a treat rule.

Knowing the value of money includes learning that you can buy similar less branded items for much cheaper. When eye shadow is on, fairly impossible to say how much the palette cost!

If she is getting similar money for birthday she could have a very nice little fund at 18! Unlikely her make up palette will last until she would even start getting real value out of it in a few years.

Possibly 9 is a bit young but my DD did have 'children's' make up at that age. Stuff that doesn't stain and is easy to wipe off.

Having seen the picture of that particular palette too - hideous! Soo many primary colours. No no no.

However I don't agree with giving children the message that it's better to buy several bits of disposable cheap stuff than one quality item.

Better to get something good quality that will last for years than clutter up the planet with numerous cheap alternatives that break and need to be replaced. Obviously this applies more to clothes and household stuff than make up but it's a similar message for the future. One pot of good eyeshadow that lasts a few years because you only need a bit vs 5 cheap ones that you need more of - that's a lot more plastic pots in the landfill.

My lovely MIL did this with the best of intentions two or three years ago. She spends c. £50 on the DC each Christmas and asks what they'd like. DD was about 12-13 and asked for a particular Naked palette which was about £39. Just that please. MIL bought a cheaper version palette and lots of other actually nice stuff that DD didn't actually want.

MIL thought it was outrageous to spend that much on make up. What she didn't know was that DD had done her research. The Naked palette was cruelty free (unlike MIL's cheapie). It also had all the colours that DD would use.

So after Christmas DD bought it herself. She is still using it now. And all the stuff MIL bought was in the back of a cupboard for a while and has now been charity-shopped. Such a waste of money and resources.

If she gets this at 9, where is there to aim for with special presents when she’s older? It won’t make her feel amazing for long and there are other things which are a massive treat and wouldn’t cost so much. It’s way too much money to allow on one item. We do need to parent. Maybe ask her to wait a few weeks then think again and make a list of other things she could get?

Just woken up and catching up on the replies.
Answer is still no and I've spoken to he this morning, told her about the other palettes available and also mentioned that the JC is strong and could irritate her skin. She's decided she no longer wants it and is excited to pick one of the Revolution ones and have money left over for something else (probably the huge squishy).
With regards to her watching YouTube, she doesn't actually watch it. Can't guarantee she hasn't seen JC at a friends house but will check this out as, if I'm honest, I hadn't realised he was so inappropriate.

I woulden't, she is only 9, a £10 palette from Boots will do to play about with at home, not a blooming £52 one, I woulden't even buy one for myself, an adult, let alone a 9 year old, madness. Different if we are talking about a 15 year old.

That is good op, it is teaching her about the value of money, that if you get the cheaper one, you can have money left over for something else later on.

You tube really isn't appropriate for a 9 year old though! Google terms and conditions state it is for over the age of 13. You tube kids app would be better.

https://www.youtube.com/yt/kids/

£52 for a make up palette is insane!!
Even for an adult with disposable income who likes good makeup and wears it every day!

YANBU and well done for sticking to your guns!!

I have nieces and buy them expensive make up at Christmas. They are 7 & 9.
For me, I like to buy people things they wouldn’t usually spend the money on for themselves.
So of course my neices don’t usually splurge on expensive make up, so it’s a treat to get ‘food stuff’.
I bought Benefit palatte for older one, glittery shite and Rimmel for younger one and pro make up brushes for them both, to start a collection.
They love watching tutorials and learning how to put it on.
They are both very sporty and fit, one plays sport to a very high level, other adores dancing. They are hilarious, creative, loving, complete loons. They don’t wear make up out, it’s just a bit of fun, learning for the future.
I wear make up every day because I love it, makes me feel good, I enjoy applying it. I don’t wear it to attract the men folk.

Rimmel for a seven-year-old? Ye gods.

Interesting that it looks just like a paint box, clearly designed to appeal to the child in people.

Make up for a seven year old! With pro brushes! What happened to dolls and board games??

Honestly the acceptance of children being sexualised is awful! IMO!

The habit of careful saving, even when you are wealthy is an important life skill. Otherwise kids get to age 20 feeling entitled and disappointed they cannot afford a 52 face palette.

Or she can learn that you do your research and decide what is worth buying, and what is not. Buying the cheapest item is not always the best value. With makeup, you need to see what is best for your skin and for you. I have a lot of what would be considered expensive makeup, but it lasts a lot longer, stays on a lot longer and uses a lot less than many of the cheap products I have tried.

If a young girl is interested in makeup, that doesn't mean she's going to grow up to be an anti-feminist or a tramp, it just means she likes makeup. I'm 41, a teacher, a single parent, live on a farm, about as far removed from 'sexy' as you could imagine, but I spent some time this afternoon trying to practice a makeup look I'd seen on youtube. Because I like makeup, amongst the other 20,000 things that I also like. I don't do it for anyone other than myself.

It is far better to teach young people how to apply makeup properly for the best effects, how to take care of their skin, and how to select the best products for themselves, rather than a blanket ban on it. A nine year old learning how to apply some basic makeup appropriately is not a big deal, and better than then getting hold of some two dollar glittery rubbish and putting it in their eyes. If she's already interested in makeup, then her parents saying 'no' is not going to suddenly make her stop wanting to use it.

But they love dolls and board games too.
Why is wearing make up immediately ‘sexualised’?
Do you only wear make up to look sexy?? Do you only wear make up to attract men?
I don’t.
I’m pretty sure her parents and relatives aren’t finding her ‘sexy’ as they are the only ones who see it.
They adore strictly and it’s mostly used when they are copying the routines.

Bring into make up doesn’t mean you have to wear a full face of heavy ‘insta face’ 24/7!

Of course makeup is sexualising - that’s the whole point of it. Red lipstick is worn (knowingly or otherwise) to signal false fertility and attract mates. The natural lips are fuller and redder during fertile parts of the cycle. Older women wear lipstick to look younger and suggest they remain fertile.
Eye makeup (particularly mascara and eyeliner emphasises the sclera and limb always rings - again subliminal fertility signalling.
Everyone understands slightly prolonged eye contact as being very, very sexy.
How can you say make up in pre pubescent children isn’t sexualising them?