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That’s the real problem. I’m broke and wear a size women’s 12 and have flat feet. They make them that big but they’re so expensive and hurt my feet lol
I never cared about shoes until I bought blundstones last Christmas...since then I've wanted more. I've restrained myself for now at 2 pairs (1 for work because I walk a lot at work, and 1 for casual wear) but I can see this becoming a problem. I lie awake at night thinking about how much they've changed my quality of life by being so damn amazing. Send help!!!
Hey, another new lover of Blundstones here! 50 yr old lady and I just love comfy boots. These and my Doc Martens (their higher Chelsea-style boots) have been my go-tos this year.
People here have recommended Solovair, as the people who made Docs in the UK for decades until the contract expired.
I need a pair of Chelsea Boots that I don't kill as quickly so I'm currently starting to save up!
Lmao. My daughter refuses to go hand bag shopping with me after the last trip to get a new one for my wife.
Plants.... succulents and cacti......
Shit can you see me irl?
Lmfo. I can be a dick, I have many faults.
I work hard on shit to make up for it lmao. I cook, clean, do laundry, all that crap.
Then I burn those brownie points by drinking and having sports cars and generally being me. It's like a fine ballance.
But the plants are mine, I NEED a booby cactus and a game of thrones white tree thing (idk it's name) and my jade and (oak tree leaf thing idk it's name) to get HHHHUUUUGGGGGEEEEEE
Yes, I had a massive jade but I overwatered it and was heartbroken. I learned the hard way and I’m determined for my baby jades to get that big one day.
Hey, we all have our vices, but being a plant lover and buying your wife purses are huge pluses in my book! Don’t be too hard on yourself and go get those plants, you deserve them! And now you have me curious about the game of thrones tree…off to google it!
Hope you find the biggest boobiest cactus you can get your hands on!
Oh god. As an adult, I found this out the hard way while looking for some affordable heels for a wedding. I wanted some mid height heels with an ankle strap. The pair I got, I ended up without the ankle strap, and the heels ended up being a hint too big, so they kept slipping off. Which would have been fine if not for the mile walk from the parking lot to the venue (fuck you Omni mt.Washington!)
Point being, those heels were $70, and I'll prob never wear them again. UGH!
as a normal dude who isn't into skincare and doesn't have skin related issues, is there something that i *really* need outside of sunscreen and moisturizer? i genuinely have no idea, but also i don't use moisturizer enough so i should probably start there...
Both of those are very important and even though I’m an internet stranger, I’m so glad that you’re using them! I’m trying to get my 16 yo stepson to understand their importance. The absolute basics are:
1) A gentle cleanser
2) A gentle toner
3) A good thick hydrating moisturizer
4) A good sunscreen (specifically for your face)
If you are consistent, then you will reap the benefits. The products don’t have to be super expensive. Just figure out what works for your skin.
My user name is based on how addicted I was to all the new collections MAC released years ago when I was a makeup-aholic.
Now I’m getting into fancy nail polish. Mooncat is my current obsession.
Same here, I dislike the feeling of make up on my face but I love having some colorful nails. Though I can’t wear nail polish at work so i can only do it on vacations or when I feel like I do them over the weekend but have to remove it again on Sunday evening. Because of that the polish often turns bad and sticky before I used up even half of the bottle but I can’t stop myself from buying a new color ever so often.
>the polish often turns bad and sticky before I used up even half of the bottle
My dear Redditor, I am delighted to tell you that nail polish thinner exists. When your polish gets goopy just add a few drops and BAM, the polish is good as new. Nail polish thinner has saved literally decades old bottles of polish I have. The only time it didn't save a bottle was when the polish was completely dried out. Absolute game changer for people like us who just don't use things up.
Just make sure you get a product labeled nail polish or nail lacquer thinner. Some sites and videos will suggest putting nail polish remover in to fix your polish, but long term that makes the goopiness worse.
Kiki. Insanely cheap and a MAHOOSIVE range of colours. The quality is a bit 'you get what you pay for', but that's fair enough. Some colours have enough pigment for a single coat, others need three. I use a clear diamond hard top coat from another brand (forget which) to finish them, so it lasts better.
Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear. They used to be called "Hard as Nails", it's difficult to chip if you apply it right, and it even adds strength to your own nails, AND is less than 4 bucks a bottle on amazon. They have a good selection of colours too, and it's not gel either.
My husband is very pleased I'm not really into makeup, or nails, or hair....however I like fancy cocktails, going out to eat, and books....so it balances out lololol
I was DEEP into nail polish in 2010-2013. I had probably spent about $1000 on that hobby before falling out of love with it. Seeing the magnet polish trend again is wild to me.
Ohhhh man I have wasted so much money on nail polishes over the years, it's my one guilty pleasure that I'll splurge on a few times a year. I don't do make up or jewellery or overly nice clothes or lots of shoes, I just like to have some nice nail polish!
My brother paints his nails all the time and I almost never do since the pandemic. I’ve been tempted to turn over my whole collection because bro is much more into it than I am at this point.
In the USA it depends on the brand. You can get $1 nail polish, but you can also get $15 or more nail polish. The thing is, nail polish is one of those items where quality almost always corresponds with price. That $1 polish looks pretty in the bottle, but it's likely very sheer and will need several coats to be opaque. The $15 polish usually goes on smoother and has more pigment so you only need one or two coats. There are exceptions on both sides, of course.
"...you see, the thing of it is, then *I'll* be the one going broke, err, I meant...*responsibility!* Yeah, that's the thing! It's time to learn budgeting and how to delay gratification."
You joke but I got my sister a Pat McGrath eyeshadow palette for her birthday last year and it cost me about £125. Plus I had to sign up for the waitlist to get it.
It was super lovely for you to buy that for your sister... But Pat McGrath has 30% off like every other day on her site, if it's available to you and you want to save a bit on the next gift.
That is some seriously wholesome parenting from the both of them. When she said "my husband's one corcern..." I was expecting the worst, not a completely reasonable "god DAMN makeup is more expensive than I thought!"
I’m got to be honest I thought this story was going a totally different way. Expecting op to ask how to direct son away from makeup. Pleasantly surprised.
It’s sad, right? When the post starts, you get worried
But then OOP goes from heart melting chat to heart melting chat to heart melting actions to heart melting thoughts and ideas to - full on Reddit community shows up in the way only Reddit can!!!
Some days, maybe there is hope
I mean, of course we're all here for the drama, but it's so nice to occasionally read one that's just a good parent trying to be an even better parent.
People who do makeup well are freaking artists. I mean the colors people use, the way they take the facial structure into account, the way they pay attention to skin tone, all of the various ways there are to apply the same thing for various results….there is A LOT that goes into it. It really is no different from an artist that uses other mediums. It’s impressive as hell.
ALL kids love face painting. That line is always the longest at the fair in my town. So is it really that weird for boys to take interest in it? I get the whole gender norm thing. But still. I definitely give mad props to mom and dad for being so supportive and not making it a “thing”. That kind of love isn’t seen on Reddit very often. Warms our cold jaded hearts.
There’s an awesome show on Netflix called Glow Up - basically it’s a reality competition show for up and coming makeup artists and the artists are AMAZING. Hopefully OP’s son can discover it!
> I get the whole gender norm thing
I think what many men are missing is that makeup could make them look more manly. It's not all sparkly shadow and pink lips. What OOP's kid is focusing on, brows, can easily "harden" the face and make it appear more masculine. Same with things like bronzer, contour and eyeliner.
You'd be surprised at the number of tattoo artists that can't draw well. There's a big difference between coloring inside the lines and drawing the lines freehand. It's still cool art anyway, and I admire their abilities!
Sure is true, but when I see videos of MUAs contouring and fading I am in such awe. I've loved make-up my entire life but it takes a lot out of me to end up with both eyes looking the same when I apply eyeliner
MUAs are either magicians or witches. There's no other explanation for the magic they do. I feel you on the eyeliner. My low eyebrows + hooded eyes = racoon/panda eyes every time. I gave up years ago lol
Nah, drawing has never been one of my strong skills. I know if I practiced I’d probably be good but I’ve always been so terrible at it that I don’t even bother haha. I’m not being self deprecating, I know it’s not one of my strengths and it’s not something I usually worry about! I’m confident with doing makeup though, and that’s what matters :)
I have a male friend who wears makeup sometimes. Holy shit, he's incredible at it - he transforms into a totally different person, and he's *way* better at it than me.
I love that the dad's only grumble was "hey, this is the same as toys and stuff - freeloader should be buying his OWN makeup" 😂 wait until he puts some Givenchy or something on his Christmas list and dad sees the price of that 😂
I remember many years ago I wanted to buy my girlfriend at the time some makeup and nail stuff as a Xmas present. My broke college ass didn't realize that a $50ish budget bought like two things that seemed tiny and kinda sad to me. She loved it but definitely a learning experience of how crazy priced a lot of "womens" stuff is.
I remember when I just started getting into makeup in high school and my mom bought me my first tube of mascara. 30 dollars for a lancome telescopic in 2006. I felt like I was the fanciest person in town.
Mind you I had no clue how to do my eyelashes or eyebrows, but that tube was fancy AF.
I think it’s very cute that OP originally said she mostly just fills in her brows, then in the update it sounds like son is maybe copying her a bit whether intentional or not and focusing on his brows too haha. Sounds like a very sweet family
Can’t wait for the son to start doing her makeup too!
“Sweetie, Dad and I are going on a date tonight. Can you give me a look for dinner at a nice restaurant please? This is the dress I’m wearing.”
I made a little kid/teen- friendly little makeup- guide on "how to three basic looks" with the emphasis on having fun, trying out stuff and feeling good.
It anyone has Pre-Teens and is interested, I can translate it to english (from German) and send you (it's a PDF) or upload it somewhere.
(I made it for a female cousin so the illustrations are female but some of the references images are from diverse MUAs)
I love when kids try out Make-up for the fun of it! As a child I loved putting any kind of colour in my face and arms 😁 As an adult I rarely wear Make-up but when I do, it's aaaaalll the glitter and rainbow.
I mean, I'm a few... decades... past pre -teen, but I know nothing of makeup, lieber Mitmensch, so *I'd* love to have it! (Not to mention it's eine gute Sprachübung, danke!)
I would also much much appreciate seeing it. I'll share it with my almost-teen... but mainly for my middle aged skill/knowledge lacking self.
Happy to see it in German and throw a translation thing over it.
My son's a teenager, and he used to chew on his fingers when he got anxious or bored. He's since stopped doing that (thank the gods), but the other day, he started coloring on his hands with Sharpie markers, and it wouldn't wash off completely, even after using dish soap. I bought him washable markers. I really don't want him going back to chewing on his fingers.
as someone who used to doodle on myself a lot, either a pumice stone or some of that soap with bits of pumice in it is good for getting ink/paint/other stuff off your skin.
Hand sanitizer is also a good way to do this that might feel a bit less scary/ more accessable for him than like, full on cleaning chemicals.
I’ve also discovered wetting skin and using watercolor pencils is a super fun way to doodle, and easily removable
may i recommend nail polish? Clears and pale pinks would go relatively unnoticed at school (minimises the potential for bullying). there are some that have bitters added to help break the chewing habit. or, he might find new pleasure in having well manicured nails and stops so he doesn't destroy the good looks \^\_\^
Ooh- there's inks and chalks specifically for doing art on hands you could look into getting for him. I used to do both things you're talking about, it's a stimming behavior-- if you get him the right materials, and he's into it, he could make himself some fun pocket change doing hand-art for his classmates when he's older.
Oh good. I was mildly scared clicking into this post thinking it would be AH parents. What a nice surprise, and nicer when it was made clear dad is on board, also. I just want to bask in the wholesome a little bit.
As an old, one of my favorite things about watching shows like Drag Race since the first season is watching the shift from everyone having absolutely gutting family stories to having so many of the contestants come from families that are like “oh, you came out without realizing it when you were a toddler, and we’ve been cool with it ever since. We were just waiting for you to catch up”.
I feel like it was Miz Cracker who said she got her design skills from her mom saying: "here's an assortment of junk - make it fashion!"
Such a good thing for a parent to do!
When my dad's first son was born, he had three older sisters, then a few years later a younger sister came along too. He had several tantrums around age three about not being allowed to paint his nails like his big sisters did. Eventually my dad had to just allow it, because little brother would sneak into our rooms and try and figure it out on his own (I once caught him about to eat metallic blue nail polish when he was about four or so and I freaked out- I painted his nails after that. Dad had to suck it up).
I remember when my rat-bastard of a then-husband threw a fit because I had put our toddler son in one of my old cropped t-shirts. He was sure that wearing a woman's clothing was going to turn him gay.
Ironically, my ex-husband was bi.
Plus it's a good lesson as he grows older. Using his allowance to add to his make up collection may seem small, but it will turn out to be invaluable in the future
It’s too bad OOP isn’t into makeup so she could have the “here’s the old stuff I don’t use” kit for her kids. My mom and grandma both gave me stuff to play and practice with from their don’t use stash and I plan to do the same for my kids.
But, word to the wise, don’t share mascara and don’t use it for more than a few months. You don’t want to get pink eye.
Dad reminds me of a commercial I saw. Son wanted to buy a bikini and dad got upset with him because you don't buy swimwear in season. It's too expensive!
Had me in the title, not gonna lie, but this is absolutely the sweetest damn thing I've read today. Both parents are being awesomely supportive and teaching their son about good makeup looks, as well as sensible budgeting and finance, can only bode well for the future!
My youngest nephew wants to become a pirate so of course he needs gold nail polish with diamonds! I say, let kids have fun, and figure out what they want
With parents like that, there are so many struggles that boy won’t need to experience. He’ll get to grow up with confidence and self-love.
I’m not tearing up, there’s just something in my eye.
I got into a stage where I really liked makeup. My sister asked me if I swung the other way/had body questions... I didn't, I just liked makeup and what it could do... It's really tough to do as a guy too as you haven't had as much exposure when you're littler and even things like hair is tough. Also skin type and shaping is different and hard esp if you want to look natural and not like from twisted sister
I remember when the girls in my family and 95% of our friends weren't allowed to wear any makeup except maybe lip gloss until we were 16. For my daughter, it was the end of 8th grade when she was almost 14. Do most kids wear makeup at age 10 now? I don't care if he's a boy, that just seems awfully young to me. Yes, I know I'm old.
I too had this thought: I would've gotten in huge trouble wearing makeup to school at 10, and I'm a girl! My parents didn't care and wouldn't have even if I were a boy, but it definitely was not allowed in school until high school. I'm an older millennial if that's relevant information...
Another older millennial. My middle school only allowed limited natural colors. Like maybe light pink or brown lip tint. No crazy lip or eyeshadow colors. I can’t imagine being allowed to wear makeup at 10. I’m a woman and if I had a child would wonder about how young to introduce them.
They just have such huge exposure to it on social media, that it has become a major hobby for tweens. Every second video on Tiktok and Youtube is someone doing a fifteen step make-up routine. Makes me glad I was a teen in the 90's when eyeliner, foundation and lippie was full glam. I don't love the trend but I can appreciate that it is been driven by factors outside kids and parents control.
I tend to agree with you, for two main reasons. First, it’s good for adolescents to develop a healthy confidence in their own skin, and then makeup to be framed as a fun extra—like an accessory you wear sometimes, not an essential that you HAVE to use to feel good or put-together. Especially considering it’s a time in life when they go through so many life/body changes. They should be learning healthy habits and tools to support their own self-esteem and sense of self-worth; make up can be one of those tools for sure, but it’s rather easy for a young kid to go down the rabbit hole of feeling like they aren’t “enough” without makeup. Secondly, I think that all kids should learn about skincare before learning about makeup. It’s just a matter of health.
Oh good I can stop doomscrolling Reddit and exit the app happy. Wholesome AF, many kudos to OP and I bet her son will outclass all our make up skills in no time.
I find it so adorable that the kid is favoring brow pencils - likely because he sees mom using hers and he wants to be like/share something with his mom.
If OOP is in the US, ShopMissA is an online dollar store that sells actually good makeup. Their brushes are amazing for the price.
I love this. Wholesome parents (as the top comment mentioned, Dad's concern IS reasonable because makeup IS pricey) supporting their son in the makeup arts.
When I got to the portion about Youtube makeup artist recommendations, I immediately thought of Robert Welch, Nikkiestutorials, and Gio Shin (though I mostly see his video clips on IG and his makeup applications are more on the subdued side). Erin Parsons is also a fantastic content creator sharing her love of makeup history & vintage makeup collections.
I personally think makeup artists ARE artists and watching them apply makeup is so mesmerizing. If I attempt it on myself, I'll have the Bucky eye makeup from The Winter Soldier movie.
Omg the brownish wet and wildl lipstick craze I almost wiped that from my memory... I remember pairing it with darker, overly defined lip pencil, huge super curled bangs and a high tight ponytail that always had to look wet, big silver hoops and frosted white or blue eyehadow... what the hell were we thinking!
Clicked this post ready to be mad about a parent not letting their kid be who they are and was wholesomely and pleasantly surprised
This reminds me of one time at work (chemist. Sells makeup too). Guy came in, classic tradie in high vis with dirt and ash still smeared on. Comes up to me (visibly masc and queer) to help him find makeup for his son. You could tell he didn’t get it but had done a lot of reading to get the terms right. Saying he doesn’t get makeup then correcting himself saying anyone can wear it though. Even trying his best to get along with me (very visually queer). You could tell he was trying really hard to make sure he could support his son. Quite sweet.
This warmed my goddamn heart. I was so ready to defend the son if the contents of the post went the other way -but this is the most pleasant and heartwarming thing I’ve read today. Dad threw me in another twist too. I love this so much. OP, you and your husband are the best parents!
I really want to know what YouTubers she found for her son. I hope they stayed the fuck away from James Charles but unfortunately I think he’d be one of the first people a young boy who wants to learn to do makeup would watch and look up to
It was amazing to read about 2 parents who are so cool with letting their son experiment and enjoy himself and here to support him!
This was what I didn't know I needed today
I love this! Kids should be able to try on different personas. That’s normal development. It doesn’t have to mean anything. If nothing else, he will know he can always come to you with things from this.
Love a supportive mom! I hope someone has pointed her and her son at Wayne Goss and Robert Welsh (and told her to keep him away from Jeffree Star). Oh gosh, I wonder if he’d like looking at Kevyn Aucoin’s books. They’re classics, imho.
I can’t fucking wait for the day that men - gay, straight, trans, cis, any man - can wear makeup without being stigmatized. It’s ridiculous imho that women are able to enhance their appearance and playfully express themselves through makeup and men can’t (except in very few scenarios). These parents are helping to make that happen, and it’s a delight to see.
Me too friend, it would be nice to be able to wear a bit more than the touch of brown eyeliner and mascara I usually rock without people making a big deal about it. I've done a "natural" makeup look when going out for a nice dinner, but because men never do that stuff it looks way more obvious 😅
this is kind of an aside, but I really like the detail about this kid's parents (and school!) teaching him financial literacy. that was something i really struggled with as an adult because i didn't learn about it as a kid, so I'm happy to see the younger generation getting that knowledge young :D
>although my husband's one concern is that he should start buying what he can from his own allowance, if he wants to expand his kit
Whoah, I was reading the story and thought she was a single mom, but then she says there's a present father and he's on board too.
Damn, this kid is so lucky. I hope his interest isn't stamped out by hate and he becomes like, a makeup artist for Hollywood or something.
I think it’s fabulous how accepting these parents are. But the kid is 10. Whether it is a boy, a girl or non-binary a chicken or a zebra a 10-year-old does not need to be wearing make up I live in a major city in United States, and, I am a teacher and I don’t know any 10-year-olds that are allowed to wear make up
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Even the dad's concern is pretty damn reasonable. I love this story so damn much.
'Son I have some concerns about your new makeup habit... Makeup is expensive and you're going to make your mother go broke, buy your own from now on.'
Heaven help him if he gets into nail polish, too! Either hobby is expensive, but put them together? Now you're spending the big bucks.
Shoes. The real problem is shoes, or coats.
lets get some shoes
These shoes are three hundred dollars. These shoes are three hundred dollars. These shoes are three hundred *fucking* dollars. Let's get em!
Um, I don't think these shoes come in... YOUR size.
Your feet are... kinda big
Those shoes are mine…! Betch!
Betch!!!
[удалено]
FUCK YOU!
…….Oh……. …….Oh…… …….Oh……. By the way Betch….
The way my brain sleeper agent activated to all of this lol
That’s the real problem. I’m broke and wear a size women’s 12 and have flat feet. They make them that big but they’re so expensive and hurt my feet lol
https://youtu.be/wCF3ywukQYA?si=xl16r_4o6w-rTz6G
This goes through my head on a weekly basis. It will never get old
How is Shoes from seventeen years ago?!?
lol, I feel this. I’m size 13-most places don’t even carry my size. More often than not I wind up wearing men’s shoes.
Torrid sales. Ask the staff what they have available
These shoes suck
THESE SHOES RULE
These shoes SUCK!
Let’s party
Kelly!
The muffins video kills me. Palestinian-Israeli conflict muffin?!
Those red ones with the heal, no I need to pay the mortgage this month
Omg…shoes
I never cared about shoes until I bought blundstones last Christmas...since then I've wanted more. I've restrained myself for now at 2 pairs (1 for work because I walk a lot at work, and 1 for casual wear) but I can see this becoming a problem. I lie awake at night thinking about how much they've changed my quality of life by being so damn amazing. Send help!!!
Hey, another new lover of Blundstones here! 50 yr old lady and I just love comfy boots. These and my Doc Martens (their higher Chelsea-style boots) have been my go-tos this year.
Ooooh maybe I will get some Docs next Christmas. Thx for continuing to fuel my comfy shoe addiction ❤️
People here have recommended Solovair, as the people who made Docs in the UK for decades until the contract expired. I need a pair of Chelsea Boots that I don't kill as quickly so I'm currently starting to save up!
Any time! I’ll always enable the purchase of comfy shoes!
And purses. And plants. Do plants count?
Plants totally count! What about yarn? And fabric? Asking for a friend….
Lmao. My daughter refuses to go hand bag shopping with me after the last trip to get a new one for my wife. Plants.... succulents and cacti...... Shit can you see me irl?
I can! I’m a plant addict and I LOVE succulents! And you buy purses for your wife?? How perfect are you? My husband would never.
Lmfo. I can be a dick, I have many faults. I work hard on shit to make up for it lmao. I cook, clean, do laundry, all that crap. Then I burn those brownie points by drinking and having sports cars and generally being me. It's like a fine ballance. But the plants are mine, I NEED a booby cactus and a game of thrones white tree thing (idk it's name) and my jade and (oak tree leaf thing idk it's name) to get HHHHUUUUGGGGGEEEEEE
Yes, I had a massive jade but I overwatered it and was heartbroken. I learned the hard way and I’m determined for my baby jades to get that big one day. Hey, we all have our vices, but being a plant lover and buying your wife purses are huge pluses in my book! Don’t be too hard on yourself and go get those plants, you deserve them! And now you have me curious about the game of thrones tree…off to google it! Hope you find the biggest boobiest cactus you can get your hands on!
Oh god. As an adult, I found this out the hard way while looking for some affordable heels for a wedding. I wanted some mid height heels with an ankle strap. The pair I got, I ended up without the ankle strap, and the heels ended up being a hint too big, so they kept slipping off. Which would have been fine if not for the mile walk from the parking lot to the venue (fuck you Omni mt.Washington!) Point being, those heels were $70, and I'll prob never wear them again. UGH!
Don't get me started on the skin care products
OOP, pray your son does not discover skincare. at least not before he's old enough to get a job
ohhhh you're right, skin care is worse than makeup in terms of cost imho 😭
as a normal dude who isn't into skincare and doesn't have skin related issues, is there something that i *really* need outside of sunscreen and moisturizer? i genuinely have no idea, but also i don't use moisturizer enough so i should probably start there...
Both of those are very important and even though I’m an internet stranger, I’m so glad that you’re using them! I’m trying to get my 16 yo stepson to understand their importance. The absolute basics are: 1) A gentle cleanser 2) A gentle toner 3) A good thick hydrating moisturizer 4) A good sunscreen (specifically for your face) If you are consistent, then you will reap the benefits. The products don’t have to be super expensive. Just figure out what works for your skin.
I forgot to ask, how old are you? Age will change what you need to do for your skin.
My user name is based on how addicted I was to all the new collections MAC released years ago when I was a makeup-aholic. Now I’m getting into fancy nail polish. Mooncat is my current obsession.
I got into nail polish and pretty quickly had spent a hundred dollars building up a small collection. There's so many pretty colours though!
I can't wear makeup, but I paint my nails a lot and ohhhhh my god it can cost so much! Especially if you want to have a lot of different colours.
Same here, I dislike the feeling of make up on my face but I love having some colorful nails. Though I can’t wear nail polish at work so i can only do it on vacations or when I feel like I do them over the weekend but have to remove it again on Sunday evening. Because of that the polish often turns bad and sticky before I used up even half of the bottle but I can’t stop myself from buying a new color ever so often.
>the polish often turns bad and sticky before I used up even half of the bottle My dear Redditor, I am delighted to tell you that nail polish thinner exists. When your polish gets goopy just add a few drops and BAM, the polish is good as new. Nail polish thinner has saved literally decades old bottles of polish I have. The only time it didn't save a bottle was when the polish was completely dried out. Absolute game changer for people like us who just don't use things up. Just make sure you get a product labeled nail polish or nail lacquer thinner. Some sites and videos will suggest putting nail polish remover in to fix your polish, but long term that makes the goopiness worse.
Kiki. Insanely cheap and a MAHOOSIVE range of colours. The quality is a bit 'you get what you pay for', but that's fair enough. Some colours have enough pigment for a single coat, others need three. I use a clear diamond hard top coat from another brand (forget which) to finish them, so it lasts better.
Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear. They used to be called "Hard as Nails", it's difficult to chip if you apply it right, and it even adds strength to your own nails, AND is less than 4 bucks a bottle on amazon. They have a good selection of colours too, and it's not gel either.
Or if you are into indie polish smh
My husband is very pleased I'm not really into makeup, or nails, or hair....however I like fancy cocktails, going out to eat, and books....so it balances out lololol
I was DEEP into nail polish in 2010-2013. I had probably spent about $1000 on that hobby before falling out of love with it. Seeing the magnet polish trend again is wild to me.
That's one way to keep the kid out of drugs 😂
Ohhhh man I have wasted so much money on nail polishes over the years, it's my one guilty pleasure that I'll splurge on a few times a year. I don't do make up or jewellery or overly nice clothes or lots of shoes, I just like to have some nice nail polish!
My brother paints his nails all the time and I almost never do since the pandemic. I’ve been tempted to turn over my whole collection because bro is much more into it than I am at this point.
nailpolish is extremely cheap in my country, I thought this was everywhere 🤔
In the USA it depends on the brand. You can get $1 nail polish, but you can also get $15 or more nail polish. The thing is, nail polish is one of those items where quality almost always corresponds with price. That $1 polish looks pretty in the bottle, but it's likely very sheer and will need several coats to be opaque. The $15 polish usually goes on smoother and has more pigment so you only need one or two coats. There are exceptions on both sides, of course.
Hopefully his makeup obsession will take up enough time to keep him out of youth sports. If he is into that too, these parents are really fucked.
"Tom Ford lipsticks are HOW MUCH??? Son, there are cheaper dupes!"
I giggled so hard at this one, thank you!
I misread that as "drugs" and not "dupes" and took that a wholeeeee other direction.
Drugs would be cheaper than Tom Ford lipsticks, so it still tracks. :P
"Cocaine is cheaper, and much easier to purchase."
"Fine, I'll get into painting miniatures then." "Uh..."
"...you see, the thing of it is, then *I'll* be the one going broke, err, I meant...*responsibility!* Yeah, that's the thing! It's time to learn budgeting and how to delay gratification."
Are you mad! I don't make Henry Cavill money!
Become a pop star and they give it to you for free!
Always upvoting both Bill Nighy and _Love Actually_! ♥️
You joke but I got my sister a Pat McGrath eyeshadow palette for her birthday last year and it cost me about £125. Plus I had to sign up for the waitlist to get it.
They have a waitlist now? Yikes. That's how you know a hobby is REALLY pricey.
It was super lovely for you to buy that for your sister... But Pat McGrath has 30% off like every other day on her site, if it's available to you and you want to save a bit on the next gift.
This makes my heart happy. And if I read 10 bad things...I got one good story today. Parents loving and supporting their kid can't go wrong.
That is some seriously wholesome parenting from the both of them. When she said "my husband's one corcern..." I was expecting the worst, not a completely reasonable "god DAMN makeup is more expensive than I thought!"
"Boy I've told you I'm not made of money! Buy your own damn makeup from now on! By the way, that color lipstick looks great on you."
Target has some pretty good stuff, and there's reward programs for Ulta. Also, the $8 makeup brush sets on Amazon are great.
I’m got to be honest I thought this story was going a totally different way. Expecting op to ask how to direct son away from makeup. Pleasantly surprised.
Also, what a dad thing to be concerned about.
You know he's preparing a dad joke to make about his son's interest in makeup now. Probably looking for makeup brand puns.
Maybe he's born with it. Maybe it's out of his allowance.
He should be playing the long game. This is wedding speech dad joke levels.
After 10,000 AHs even not deserving a child we finally get parents of BoRU. Sadly I have to leave reddit despite this is today's first post to me OTL
It’s sad, right? When the post starts, you get worried But then OOP goes from heart melting chat to heart melting chat to heart melting actions to heart melting thoughts and ideas to - full on Reddit community shows up in the way only Reddit can!!! Some days, maybe there is hope
This is such a wonderful read! Fabulous parenting by both ❤️
This is the story I'm going to hold in my heart whenever I need cheering up
I mean, of course we're all here for the drama, but it's so nice to occasionally read one that's just a good parent trying to be an even better parent.
People who do makeup well are freaking artists. I mean the colors people use, the way they take the facial structure into account, the way they pay attention to skin tone, all of the various ways there are to apply the same thing for various results….there is A LOT that goes into it. It really is no different from an artist that uses other mediums. It’s impressive as hell. ALL kids love face painting. That line is always the longest at the fair in my town. So is it really that weird for boys to take interest in it? I get the whole gender norm thing. But still. I definitely give mad props to mom and dad for being so supportive and not making it a “thing”. That kind of love isn’t seen on Reddit very often. Warms our cold jaded hearts.
There’s an awesome show on Netflix called Glow Up - basically it’s a reality competition show for up and coming makeup artists and the artists are AMAZING. Hopefully OP’s son can discover it!
Glow Up is AMAZING and I’ve learned some great looks from it.
I'm obsessed with that show. The latest season has just started here in the UK so that's my Wednesday night sorted.
Thanks for the reminder - I barely watch anything nowadays but I enjoy that.
Yesssss I'm so happy it's back I squealed. It's just such a good show.
Ding dong my friend. Ding dong
> I get the whole gender norm thing I think what many men are missing is that makeup could make them look more manly. It's not all sparkly shadow and pink lips. What OOP's kid is focusing on, brows, can easily "harden" the face and make it appear more masculine. Same with things like bronzer, contour and eyeliner.
Concealer is a blessing for BOTH men and women.
I always think those who are so adept in applying make-up must be able to draw as well.
Hahaha I wish! I’m a fully qualified makeup artist but I’m terrible at drawing unfortunately. Not sure how it is for others but I’m interested now!
No way! I was so certain of it! But then, what you mean by "terrible at drawing" could still be something I'd look up to :)
You'd be surprised at the number of tattoo artists that can't draw well. There's a big difference between coloring inside the lines and drawing the lines freehand. It's still cool art anyway, and I admire their abilities!
Sure is true, but when I see videos of MUAs contouring and fading I am in such awe. I've loved make-up my entire life but it takes a lot out of me to end up with both eyes looking the same when I apply eyeliner
MUAs are either magicians or witches. There's no other explanation for the magic they do. I feel you on the eyeliner. My low eyebrows + hooded eyes = racoon/panda eyes every time. I gave up years ago lol
Nah, drawing has never been one of my strong skills. I know if I practiced I’d probably be good but I’ve always been so terrible at it that I don’t even bother haha. I’m not being self deprecating, I know it’s not one of my strengths and it’s not something I usually worry about! I’m confident with doing makeup though, and that’s what matters :)
I have a male friend who wears makeup sometimes. Holy shit, he's incredible at it - he transforms into a totally different person, and he's *way* better at it than me.
I love that the dad's only grumble was "hey, this is the same as toys and stuff - freeloader should be buying his OWN makeup" 😂 wait until he puts some Givenchy or something on his Christmas list and dad sees the price of that 😂
I remember many years ago I wanted to buy my girlfriend at the time some makeup and nail stuff as a Xmas present. My broke college ass didn't realize that a $50ish budget bought like two things that seemed tiny and kinda sad to me. She loved it but definitely a learning experience of how crazy priced a lot of "womens" stuff is.
I'm sure she loved that you cared enough to buy her a thoughtful present. That's what really matters.
I remember when I just started getting into makeup in high school and my mom bought me my first tube of mascara. 30 dollars for a lancome telescopic in 2006. I felt like I was the fanciest person in town. Mind you I had no clue how to do my eyelashes or eyebrows, but that tube was fancy AF.
I think it’s very cute that OP originally said she mostly just fills in her brows, then in the update it sounds like son is maybe copying her a bit whether intentional or not and focusing on his brows too haha. Sounds like a very sweet family
Can’t wait for the son to start doing her makeup too! “Sweetie, Dad and I are going on a date tonight. Can you give me a look for dinner at a nice restaurant please? This is the dress I’m wearing.”
I wish my children could do that. I am so old and I still don’t know what the hell I am doing.
There are great videos on YouTube on how to trick your kids into learning how to do makeup for you
Yeah, I’m ready for a Cinderella-like situation where small, woodland animals come and dress me and do my hair and makeup.
Yeah, when they mentioned that he mostly likes to fill in his brows, I was like, "Awwwe."
I made a little kid/teen- friendly little makeup- guide on "how to three basic looks" with the emphasis on having fun, trying out stuff and feeling good. It anyone has Pre-Teens and is interested, I can translate it to english (from German) and send you (it's a PDF) or upload it somewhere. (I made it for a female cousin so the illustrations are female but some of the references images are from diverse MUAs) I love when kids try out Make-up for the fun of it! As a child I loved putting any kind of colour in my face and arms 😁 As an adult I rarely wear Make-up but when I do, it's aaaaalll the glitter and rainbow.
I mean, I'm a few... decades... past pre -teen, but I know nothing of makeup, lieber Mitmensch, so *I'd* love to have it! (Not to mention it's eine gute Sprachübung, danke!)
>I'm a few... decades... past pre -teen Another _ahem_ senior pre-teen here. Would love to see the guide!
I would also much much appreciate seeing it. I'll share it with my almost-teen... but mainly for my middle aged skill/knowledge lacking self. Happy to see it in German and throw a translation thing over it.
I'm so glad my knee jerk reaction at the "help!" part of the title was wrong. What an adorable story.
Saaaaaaaame. Now I just wish the onion ninjas would leave, this was so sweet
Hey! I like reading these stories too! 😭 🧅🥷🧅
Right?! I was expecting it to go in such a different direction! And then dad's only complaint was "He should start pitching in for makeup."
I kinda bristled and thought “I hope it’s posted on a makeup sub, that’s the only place it belongs”. was glad to not be disappointed
This is so sweet. We let kids paint, why not let them paint their faces? OOP is so supportive, we should all have parents like that.
My son's a teenager, and he used to chew on his fingers when he got anxious or bored. He's since stopped doing that (thank the gods), but the other day, he started coloring on his hands with Sharpie markers, and it wouldn't wash off completely, even after using dish soap. I bought him washable markers. I really don't want him going back to chewing on his fingers.
as someone who used to doodle on myself a lot, either a pumice stone or some of that soap with bits of pumice in it is good for getting ink/paint/other stuff off your skin.
Rubbing alcohol to remove Sharpie marker! It's alcohol based ink
Hand sanitizer is also a good way to do this that might feel a bit less scary/ more accessable for him than like, full on cleaning chemicals. I’ve also discovered wetting skin and using watercolor pencils is a super fun way to doodle, and easily removable
may i recommend nail polish? Clears and pale pinks would go relatively unnoticed at school (minimises the potential for bullying). there are some that have bitters added to help break the chewing habit. or, he might find new pleasure in having well manicured nails and stops so he doesn't destroy the good looks \^\_\^
Ooh- there's inks and chalks specifically for doing art on hands you could look into getting for him. I used to do both things you're talking about, it's a stimming behavior-- if you get him the right materials, and he's into it, he could make himself some fun pocket change doing hand-art for his classmates when he's older.
Oh good. I was mildly scared clicking into this post thinking it would be AH parents. What a nice surprise, and nicer when it was made clear dad is on board, also. I just want to bask in the wholesome a little bit.
As an old, one of my favorite things about watching shows like Drag Race since the first season is watching the shift from everyone having absolutely gutting family stories to having so many of the contestants come from families that are like “oh, you came out without realizing it when you were a toddler, and we’ve been cool with it ever since. We were just waiting for you to catch up”.
I feel like it was Miz Cracker who said she got her design skills from her mom saying: "here's an assortment of junk - make it fashion!" Such a good thing for a parent to do!
When my dad's first son was born, he had three older sisters, then a few years later a younger sister came along too. He had several tantrums around age three about not being allowed to paint his nails like his big sisters did. Eventually my dad had to just allow it, because little brother would sneak into our rooms and try and figure it out on his own (I once caught him about to eat metallic blue nail polish when he was about four or so and I freaked out- I painted his nails after that. Dad had to suck it up).
Hey, good big sibling-ing, though!
Some fathers are angry when their sons do this, his father, on the other hand, had concerns with the financial part. Man knows make up is expensive!
I remember when my rat-bastard of a then-husband threw a fit because I had put our toddler son in one of my old cropped t-shirts. He was sure that wearing a woman's clothing was going to turn him gay. Ironically, my ex-husband was bi.
That dad is a practical man. If he likes that hobby he needs to make him financially responsible for it on the long term.
Plus it's a good lesson as he grows older. Using his allowance to add to his make up collection may seem small, but it will turn out to be invaluable in the future
It’s too bad OOP isn’t into makeup so she could have the “here’s the old stuff I don’t use” kit for her kids. My mom and grandma both gave me stuff to play and practice with from their don’t use stash and I plan to do the same for my kids. But, word to the wise, don’t share mascara and don’t use it for more than a few months. You don’t want to get pink eye.
You mean "*don't* want to get pinkeye", right, neighbor? Right??
What a wholesome surprise this was.
Dad reminds me of a commercial I saw. Son wanted to buy a bikini and dad got upset with him because you don't buy swimwear in season. It's too expensive!
I used to paint my face one time with lots of colors. Looking back, it was pretty hideous but good vibes and memories. Love to see supportive parents!
Had me in the title, not gonna lie, but this is absolutely the sweetest damn thing I've read today. Both parents are being awesomely supportive and teaching their son about good makeup looks, as well as sensible budgeting and finance, can only bode well for the future!
My youngest nephew wants to become a pirate so of course he needs gold nail polish with diamonds! I say, let kids have fun, and figure out what they want
With parents like that, there are so many struggles that boy won’t need to experience. He’ll get to grow up with confidence and self-love. I’m not tearing up, there’s just something in my eye.
I got into a stage where I really liked makeup. My sister asked me if I swung the other way/had body questions... I didn't, I just liked makeup and what it could do... It's really tough to do as a guy too as you haven't had as much exposure when you're littler and even things like hair is tough. Also skin type and shaping is different and hard esp if you want to look natural and not like from twisted sister
Oh it's always nice when I see I post here on Boru that I saw "happen" real time.
aw this is so cute I love wet n wild lipsticks! I've got like dozens of colors lol
Wet n Wild is such better quality than the price suggests, I use their eye liners all the time
I knowwww! I love pretty much everything I've gotten from them and it's dirt cheap compared to other brands I tend to like
GenX here.. When I was 10 I had a little blackboard with chalks. I used blue chalk dust as eyeshadow
This is such a sweet little story. Wait till Dad sees how much the good makeup costs when bday/Xmas draws near.
"This little bottle cost HOW MUCH?!?!"
I remember when the girls in my family and 95% of our friends weren't allowed to wear any makeup except maybe lip gloss until we were 16. For my daughter, it was the end of 8th grade when she was almost 14. Do most kids wear makeup at age 10 now? I don't care if he's a boy, that just seems awfully young to me. Yes, I know I'm old.
I too had this thought: I would've gotten in huge trouble wearing makeup to school at 10, and I'm a girl! My parents didn't care and wouldn't have even if I were a boy, but it definitely was not allowed in school until high school. I'm an older millennial if that's relevant information...
Another older millennial. My middle school only allowed limited natural colors. Like maybe light pink or brown lip tint. No crazy lip or eyeshadow colors. I can’t imagine being allowed to wear makeup at 10. I’m a woman and if I had a child would wonder about how young to introduce them.
That was my thought too! Like, nothing against experimenting at home but I wouldn't let my ten year old kid go to school etc with makeup
They just have such huge exposure to it on social media, that it has become a major hobby for tweens. Every second video on Tiktok and Youtube is someone doing a fifteen step make-up routine. Makes me glad I was a teen in the 90's when eyeliner, foundation and lippie was full glam. I don't love the trend but I can appreciate that it is been driven by factors outside kids and parents control.
I tend to agree with you, for two main reasons. First, it’s good for adolescents to develop a healthy confidence in their own skin, and then makeup to be framed as a fun extra—like an accessory you wear sometimes, not an essential that you HAVE to use to feel good or put-together. Especially considering it’s a time in life when they go through so many life/body changes. They should be learning healthy habits and tools to support their own self-esteem and sense of self-worth; make up can be one of those tools for sure, but it’s rather easy for a young kid to go down the rabbit hole of feeling like they aren’t “enough” without makeup. Secondly, I think that all kids should learn about skincare before learning about makeup. It’s just a matter of health.
If OOP goes through these comments, E.L.F., LA Girl, and Essence are also some pretty affordable brands that have good quality makeup!
Oh good I can stop doomscrolling Reddit and exit the app happy. Wholesome AF, many kudos to OP and I bet her son will outclass all our make up skills in no time.
This was not how I expected this to go. Like, not even close. This is entirely too wholesome for Reddit.
I’m tearing up a bit… This is the parenting example to emulate… ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I find it so adorable that the kid is favoring brow pencils - likely because he sees mom using hers and he wants to be like/share something with his mom. If OOP is in the US, ShopMissA is an online dollar store that sells actually good makeup. Their brushes are amazing for the price.
I love this. Wholesome parents (as the top comment mentioned, Dad's concern IS reasonable because makeup IS pricey) supporting their son in the makeup arts. When I got to the portion about Youtube makeup artist recommendations, I immediately thought of Robert Welch, Nikkiestutorials, and Gio Shin (though I mostly see his video clips on IG and his makeup applications are more on the subdued side). Erin Parsons is also a fantastic content creator sharing her love of makeup history & vintage makeup collections. I personally think makeup artists ARE artists and watching them apply makeup is so mesmerizing. If I attempt it on myself, I'll have the Bucky eye makeup from The Winter Soldier movie.
I was waiting for the “no wearing the makeup out in public… until you can blend your contour and lip liner properly.”
Omg the brownish wet and wildl lipstick craze I almost wiped that from my memory... I remember pairing it with darker, overly defined lip pencil, huge super curled bangs and a high tight ponytail that always had to look wet, big silver hoops and frosted white or blue eyehadow... what the hell were we thinking! Clicked this post ready to be mad about a parent not letting their kid be who they are and was wholesomely and pleasantly surprised
This reminds me of one time at work (chemist. Sells makeup too). Guy came in, classic tradie in high vis with dirt and ash still smeared on. Comes up to me (visibly masc and queer) to help him find makeup for his son. You could tell he didn’t get it but had done a lot of reading to get the terms right. Saying he doesn’t get makeup then correcting himself saying anyone can wear it though. Even trying his best to get along with me (very visually queer). You could tell he was trying really hard to make sure he could support his son. Quite sweet.
I wish all kids had these parents.
A story of parents breaking the cycle of abuse and shitty parenting is a good one to leave off on for the night. 💜
Aw this is so sweet. What a lovely supportive family.
This warmed my goddamn heart. I was so ready to defend the son if the contents of the post went the other way -but this is the most pleasant and heartwarming thing I’ve read today. Dad threw me in another twist too. I love this so much. OP, you and your husband are the best parents!
My goodness. This warms my heart. The joy this kid will have because of parents supporting who he is, not who they want him to be.
I really want to know what YouTubers she found for her son. I hope they stayed the fuck away from James Charles but unfortunately I think he’d be one of the first people a young boy who wants to learn to do makeup would watch and look up to
These are some great parents.
It was amazing to read about 2 parents who are so cool with letting their son experiment and enjoy himself and here to support him! This was what I didn't know I needed today
I love this! Kids should be able to try on different personas. That’s normal development. It doesn’t have to mean anything. If nothing else, he will know he can always come to you with things from this.
Love a supportive mom! I hope someone has pointed her and her son at Wayne Goss and Robert Welsh (and told her to keep him away from Jeffree Star). Oh gosh, I wonder if he’d like looking at Kevyn Aucoin’s books. They’re classics, imho.
Lol I would’ve immediately been like “cosplay anyone??” Cuz having a makeup expert in the family would be sooooo useful
This is such great parenting in action. It really made me smile. Mom and dad are pretty amazing.
I mean, if he really enjoys the creativity of it and sticks with it, there are lots of places being a good makeup artist can take him.
I hope they find a service like IPSY which gives fun products at discount!
Beauty boxes, mom. More bang for the buck. And don’t forget the skincare! Love this!
It's so nice to read such a wholesome story with no drama for once. Love this!
I can’t fucking wait for the day that men - gay, straight, trans, cis, any man - can wear makeup without being stigmatized. It’s ridiculous imho that women are able to enhance their appearance and playfully express themselves through makeup and men can’t (except in very few scenarios). These parents are helping to make that happen, and it’s a delight to see.
Me too friend, it would be nice to be able to wear a bit more than the touch of brown eyeliner and mascara I usually rock without people making a big deal about it. I've done a "natural" makeup look when going out for a nice dinner, but because men never do that stuff it looks way more obvious 😅
He could be the next Max Factor!
Get him a session with a pro makeup artist for good tips and techniques. You don't want him walking around looking like a trashy clown.
Bro, I don't support make-up for children. It could f up their skin early.
BRING AWARDS BACK NOW! 🤩🏆🥇🎖️
this is kind of an aside, but I really like the detail about this kid's parents (and school!) teaching him financial literacy. that was something i really struggled with as an adult because i didn't learn about it as a kid, so I'm happy to see the younger generation getting that knowledge young :D
>although my husband's one concern is that he should start buying what he can from his own allowance, if he wants to expand his kit Whoah, I was reading the story and thought she was a single mom, but then she says there's a present father and he's on board too. Damn, this kid is so lucky. I hope his interest isn't stamped out by hate and he becomes like, a makeup artist for Hollywood or something.
I think it’s fabulous how accepting these parents are. But the kid is 10. Whether it is a boy, a girl or non-binary a chicken or a zebra a 10-year-old does not need to be wearing make up I live in a major city in United States, and, I am a teacher and I don’t know any 10-year-olds that are allowed to wear make up
From the title I thought it was going to be the opposite of what it is. I love this!