Page 7 | 13 yo DD has asked for a bottle of Dior perfume for Christmas.....

BaconAndAvocado · 2021-11-23T14:56:18+00:00

.......to which I replied a firm No. I’ve bought her a bottle of Nina Ricci. A third of the price. One of my friends however didn’t think there was anything wrong in this. To me, she’s far too young for something like this. Like most of her friends, she does wear a bit of make up but obviously nothing high end. Thoughts?

mam0918 · 23/11/2021 18:29

@Comefromaway

I had a bottle of Opium at that age. I'd had cheaper perfumes and fakes but I really loved Opium and it was a special present.

I think I bought my daughter Lancombe at that age. We've both moved onto to Opium Black which is beautiful.

I had Dior Poison probably only about a year older (either 14 or 15) from my mam.

I think for me it solely depends on why she is asking, I got Poison as I broke my nose when young, and being so strong it was one of the only ones I could smell it wasn't 'fashionable' or due to being 'big branded'.

As an adult, I wear cheap means aftershave because it's cheaper and does the same job (and is nicer overall, I hate how girls perfumes are often so 'light', Poison was 'heavy' but not actually all that pleasant smelling) frankly wish I figured that out sooner.

That said sometimes my teen DS drop in wanting stuff that he doesn't actually want at all it's just his friends have it or are talking about it and I won't waste my money on a passing fad (although it's not a perfume it's whatever the fashionable phone or new video game or netflix shoe is).

MilitantFawcett · 23/11/2021 18:31

@Rainbowshit

jeez don;t give her the same perfume you use!!!

My mum does this to me every Christmas. Her reasoning is that if it suits her it must suit me except it never does - she likes very sweet powerful scents (think Angel by Muegler) and I like green vetivers and chypres. I’ve got a nice sideline selling them on EBay though!

mam0918 · 23/11/2021 18:37

I'm surprised everyone saying Nina Ricci is an 'old lady', I've never heard that before... my DH loves it (I can't really smell it) but I'm pretty confident in saying he isn't a granny chaser lol he like it because its what girls wore when he was a teen.

I'm pretty sure I agree that several friends actually had it in school, it's the one in the apple-shaped bottle right? and I was the weird one for wearing Poison which was deemed old lady back then lol.

It might not be 'cutting edge' now as that was 16 years ago but it's hardly Yardleys and Old Spice lol.

mam0918 · 23/11/2021 18:39

'old lady smell'

LindaBlinda · 23/11/2021 18:40

If she's too young for perfume then don't buy any.

Dont dress up wanting to spend less as due to her age.

Either get a dupe of the one she wants. Say she can have the Dior but will be her main present. Or don't get perfume at all.

MarleneDietrichsSmile · 23/11/2021 18:41

I don’t believe this

It must be a wind-up

Nina Ricci for a teenage girl who wants Dior?! Nah…

WTF475878237NC · 23/11/2021 18:47

I think the point OP was making was it's just because she had been told it's a fancy brand not because she actually wants it above any other (cheaper) perfume. Sorry OP if I have misunderstood you though.

PinkMochi · 23/11/2021 18:54

Which scent notes does she like? If she knows what she likes then she can look at different perfumes that have those notes. If someone loves “floral oriental” scents then they might be disappointed with a “fresh” scent.

lazylinguist · 23/11/2021 18:59

I don't understand the idea that she's too young for one perfume but not another tbh. The only difference is budget, not age-appropriateness. Sorry, but buying her a perfume that you use is weird though. Teenage girls don't want to go around smelling of their mum!

Tbh if you were saying that it's a bit depressing that 13yos want perfume and make-up for Christmas, then I'd be with you. But it seems it's just the price or brand you're objecting to.

BarkminsterBlue · 23/11/2021 19:00

@mam0918

I'm surprised everyone saying Nina Ricci is an 'old lady', I've never heard that before... my DH loves it (I can't really smell it) but I'm pretty confident in saying he isn't a granny chaser lol he like it because its what girls wore when he was a teen.

I'm pretty sure I agree that several friends actually had it in school, it's the one in the apple-shaped bottle right? and I was the weird one for wearing Poison which was deemed old lady back then lol.

It might not be 'cutting edge' now as that was 16 years ago but it's hardly Yardleys and Old Spice lol.

The problem is that everyone is referring to Nina Ricci and Dior but these are almost totally meaningless terms. There is a world of difference between Miss Dior and Dune, for example, or between L'Air du Temps and Nina.

If she's never smelled the scent then don't buy it for her blind, but there's nothing fundamentally wrong with 'proper' fragrance for a 13 year old. At her age I had graduated from Body Shop Dewberry to Cerruti 1881 and I got my first Chanel in the duty-free when I was 14 or 15.

HubbabubbaT · 23/11/2021 19:00

You can often get perfumes like Miss Dior half price on eBay - unwanted gifts and the like. YABU - at 13 she could be asking for all sorts of expensive stuff for Xmas and I think perfume is a pretty inoffensive and sensible thing for her to be asking for!

TeaAndBiscuitsAndWine · 23/11/2021 19:25

If the main issue is money, because of the cost of putting things in storage, could you stay with your friend but store your belongings at your parents’ house? If the main concern is that you might not stay friends if you live together, and you would really be better to stay at your parents’ house, could you get Bluetooth headphones for your father to use with the TV so you can sleep earlier? You can get attachments for non-Bluetooth enabled TVs. You could also buy them a smoke alarm.

user33323 · 23/11/2021 19:28

I'm baffled by all these replies. It's £100 a small bottle and she's a child. That is what is wrong. It's not hard to see the problem. They can't appreciate the value at that age and will more than likely waste it or lose it.

WellTidy · 23/11/2021 19:33

I remember getting a bottle of LouLou for Christmas when I was about 13yo. I know that it was £22.95, which was a lot of money for my aunt to spend on me 30+ years ago. I’m guessing one of the small bottles of Dior perfume would be the same, with inflation, now. Not that I’m saying she should have it, but as inflation and perfumes go and online shopping around, it isn’t absolutely top end.

BarkminsterBlue · 23/11/2021 19:35

@user33323

I'm baffled by all these replies. It's £100 a small bottle and she's a child. That is what is wrong. It's not hard to see the problem. They can't appreciate the value at that age and will more than likely waste it or lose it.

Only if you buy the eau de parfum. The eau de toilette would be more appropriate and is half that. That’s why the Nina seems so much cheaper - it is only made in EDT and I suspect OP is comparing the price with Dior EDP. If you compare like-for-like the price is not too dissimilar.

Imissmoominmama · 23/11/2021 19:39

My mum always got me something slightly different to what I’d asked for. Every Christmas I hoped I’d get the exact thing, but she always went for a sale version. I knew I seemed ungrateful, but honestly, it was shit.

MrsHGWells · 23/11/2021 19:39

Buy a few miniatures of various parfums. I wouls not have an issue buying fragrance, however, hormones will play havoc with some.

As a teen your DD is beginning to experiment. I would say this may be a chance to let her blossom versus suppress her choices. Enjoy a day in the shops with your daughter. Make it a bonding. experience.

DrJakes · 23/11/2021 19:46

I think perfume is a wonderful gift which brings much pleasure over time. If you have a budget, tell her roughly what the ceiling is, and ask her for ideas (she might even work out if there is a smaller bottle of the Dior).

If money isn't the issue, get her what she wants. Although, personally, I'd be keen to establish that she had tested it, and was head over heels in love with it, before making it a big present. (No blind-buying expensive full bottles in this house).

RJnomore1 · 23/11/2021 19:46

Of course she come home and asked for something else. She’s probably sussed you’ve bought her that perfume you wear 😂

MimsyBorogroves · 23/11/2021 19:49

My 13 year old DS has asked for a bottle of Paco Rabanne.

Got it, it's what he wants. and smells better than lynx

Mummyoflittledragon · 23/11/2021 19:54

Why the hell would you buy your dd the perfume you wear because it’s cheaper?! Poor girl would like her own identity. My preferred perfume right now is very inexpensive. If my 13 yo dd wanted a £50 bottle of Dior, I’d still buy it for her. Same with brands. I’ve had brands and expensive perfume but am no longer interested. Obviously more expensive items mean fewer gifts. Such is life.

TuftyMarmoset · 23/11/2021 20:03

@user33323

I'm baffled by all these replies. It's £100 a small bottle and she's a child. That is what is wrong. It's not hard to see the problem. They can't appreciate the value at that age and will more than likely waste it or lose it.

It doesn’t sound like she has asked for a specific one. Just looking at Boots website you can get Miss Dior 30ml EDP for £53, or Poison/J’adore EDT rollerballs for just over £30. So it doesn’t have to break the bank to buy something that meets the criterion ‘Dior perfume’!

SeigneurLapindeGrantham · 23/11/2021 20:03

@Dollywilde

Another here who thinks your reaction is a bit weird. I remember when I asked for my first bottle of 'real' perfume for Christmas. It was YSL Rive Gauche and I felt so goddamn classy in it. Honestly, I felt like it was some sort of rite of 'womanhood' to have a proper dressing table with proper perfume on it after a couple of years of Charlie and So... body sprays. I would have been 14 that Christmas, but only just. And Miss Dior is totally appropriate for teens (moreso than my Rive Gauche actually!)

Obviously if you can't afford it then it's a no, but your objection seems to be that 13 year olds can't appreciate that sort of stuff and I think they very much can.

Oh my goodness Rive Gauche was my first proper grown up perfume at the age of 15 and I love it to this day.

Buy her the Miss Dior and make her day.

Sn0tnose · 23/11/2021 20:09

@user33323

I'm baffled by all these replies. It's £100 a small bottle and she's a child. That is what is wrong. It's not hard to see the problem. They can't appreciate the value at that age and will more than likely waste it or lose it.

Depending on which one she wanted, it’s nowhere near £100 for a small bottle. It’s Dior, not Joy.

I’m a bit baffled by your response too. I completely understand if a parent took their child shopping to smell perfumes and make sure she knew which scent she liked best, but if it’s within budget then why would anyone rather buy £100 worth of unwanted crap that will probably end up in landfill, rather than the one thing that the recipient would really love? When you buy someone a gift, aren’t you supposed to think about what they would like to receive, rather than what you would like to give them? She’ll see the value when she sees that her whole present budget has been taken up by the one gift. If she wastes it or loses it then she learns a valuable lesson in looking after her possessions.

Hoolahupsaresquare · 23/11/2021 20:12

Don’t really understand why you’ve got her one you don’t even know she likes ?

If it’s about money then that’s understandable but it didn’t sound it ?

I had some lovely perfumes at that age - I was a huge fan of Ralph Lauren.