From the very beginning of parenthood, you’re spending money on your kid’s hygiene. You go from diapers and wipes to pull-ups and big kid toothpaste, tear-free shampoo and bubble gum body wash to deodorant and menstrual care products — and it’s all a necessity.
But as your kids grow and become teens, the hygiene budget can change, especially when you’re factoring in your teen’s wants. Cologne, eye shadow, fancy skincare they saw on TikTok. And one parent on Reddit wants to know: Do your teens have a hygiene allowance? And if so, how much?
The original poster (OP) took to the subreddit /parenting to ask fellow parents about a possible hygiene budget/allowance for their teen… specifically, for the more expensive, maybe not-so-necessary items like fun skincare, hair accessories, and makeup.
“My teen is, like I’m sure most, super into Sephora, makeup, hair products, etc. I saw that TikTok video where the mom gave her kid an allowance to get hygiene products. It got me thinking maybe this is something I could do with my teen,” OP wrote. “I was thinking an allowance of $100/month for hygiene, makeup, hair items. This includes things like deodorant, shampoo, body wash, but also makeup, hair accessories, etc.”
OP pointed out that their home will always have “basic body wash, shampoo, and conditioner in the shower as well” so her kid never has to go without the necessities. But for anything “extra,” OP wondered if this was a good way for her kid to learn about budgeting, shopping sales, and planning ahead. Is $100 a month “reasonable,” though, the OP asked?
While most commenters thought this was a good idea, the biggest issue with other parents seemed to be the amount. As in, $100 per month is way too much money.
“The TikTok videos are sponsored by the companies selling these products. A budget is a good idea, but $100/month on makeup is crazy,” one commenter wrote. “Maybe $100 a month for her entire allowance (not just beauty). That’s about $20 a week, which seems reasonable.”
Another replied, writing, “Ding ding ding! $100/month for hygiene products is mind-boggling.”
“$100 is excessive! $50 is reasonable and also allows her to save for the more expensive stuff if she wants, which is where she will really learn about good value for money, etc,” a commenter shared.
OP responded to that one, adding that their daughter has super curly hair, which requires specialized products, and that their budget is also in Canadian dollars. “A stick of deodorant is like $7-$8 here!” OP wrote.
Still, other parents argued that as long as Mom keeps her home stocked with the necessities — deodorant, shampoo and conditioner, body wash — anything extra should come from this allowance, and that $100 is just way too much. (Especially for a teen who isn’t bringing in any money.)
Lots of comments suggested that lowering the allowance would help OP’s teen learn to budget. “As you said, she won’t be without basics! It might be ‘Do I want the trending deodorant which will take almost 1/5th of my money this month, or the usual one I have at home?’” one commenter wrote.
Other parents took this post as an opportunity to share their own spending habits — as well as acknowledging that products usually last more than a month. So even if buying everything at once does cost nearly $100, there’s a very small chance they’ll need to replenish all those things again in a month. Even the “extra” items, like makeup and skincare, usually last longer.
“I buy Sephora and higher-end stuff, too (and I have curly hair). I just checked our budgeting app. Our family of four spends an average of $115/month on personal care and cosmetics (that includes skin/haircare and makeup as well as things like haircuts) for the whole family. A much larger chunk of that goes to me than anyone else, for sure. But still,” one commenter wrote.
She added that as a teen who loved Sephora, she would’ve been thrilled with $100/month as her own hygiene/beauty allowance, but she believes letting your child spend that much normalizes them to that amount — and then they begin to think the higher-end, more expensive products are always worth it and a necessity.
A hygiene and beauty budget honestly sounds so great, especially if you have teens who are super into it. But I’m with the Reddit community on this one: Keep the basics in the home, and maybe give your kid between $25 and $50 to spend each month on extras.
They’ll learn the value of saving and how it feels to drop all your reserves on one 4-ounce jar of moisturizer, and they get the chance to buy things they want that make them feel confident without having to ask you. It sounds like a great way to let your teen feel in control of so many things while still supporting them and staying close — always a major win.
(And maybe they’ll recommend a good lip balm for you or something.)
