My wife spends £100 a month on beauty products, is this reasonable?

A reader asks

Can I ask what you think is a reasonable amount of money to spend on face cream? My wife and I are currently saving for a round-the-world trip.

I’ve already cut back on my expenses, but my wife says her skincare/facials, which cost about £100 a month, are non-negotiable.

Anne Robinson's reply

Face cream, like most other beauty aids, are best thought of as small packages of hope.

My dermatologist friend, for example, says that half of the expensive face creams available on the market are no more useful than a simple jar of Vaseline. But this misses the point.

For a woman to treat herself to a luxury face cream is not so much about what it will do to her skin, but more about what it will do to her soul.

Namely, make her feel special and spoilt. It would be a cruel husband who denied her this pleasure.

I hope my answer provides the clarity you seek.