Lucy Devine
When's the right time to start getting your nails done?
Well, one mum has divided opinion on Reddit after explaining she refused to let her 14-year-old daughter get a set of acrylic nails for Christmas.
Acrylic nails are basically nail enhancements that combine a liquid acrylic with a powder to create a paste that binds to the nail. Once applied, they usually last around four weeks, but many opt to have them 'infilled' earlier to avoid them looking too grown out.
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The mum explained how her daughter had asked for acrylics as a Christmas present.
"I am going to be honest and say that I think acrylic nails are a waste of money when press-ons are much cheaper and can look just as good when done properly, even though they don't last quite as long.
"I wear press ons pretty regularly, which she knows," she began.
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"When she asked if I would take her I said no, and explained my reasoning. I told her that she could look online or I'd take her to ulta and get her press ons that I'd show her how to do.
"Since that sounds cheap, and because it isn't about the dollar amount, it's about where the money is going, I told her I would try and get her a hair appointment and she could get something fancy done."
The woman explained that her daughter objected to the suggestion and said that 'press ons don't look good' - which hurt her mum's feelings.
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"She continued to complain about how she'd be made fun of for having press ons and not the real thing. I told her if she got her own money I'd take her to the salon but I am not paying for something I feel is a waste of money," she said.
"My husband says I'm being too harsh, and that acrylics are a status symbol for girls now. I said that she's 14, she doesn't need a symbol of her status.
"He pointed out that we could afford a trip to the nail salon. I agreed, but reiterated that it isn't about the dollar amount, it's about the worth. My husband grumbled for a bit and now they are both unhappy with me."
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The mum asked other users for their opinions and Reddit was divided. Many said the mum was in the wrong because her daughter was asking for acrylics as a one-off gift, and not a regular treatment.
"She's requesting this as a gift not a general every day thing. And just because you don't find value in the gift doesn't mean she won't," one wrote.
While another said: "I agree that if she gets her nails done as a present any upkeep is 100 percent her responsibility. Acrylics are expensive to maintain so if she continues to want them, she pays for them."
What do you think?