Sometimes, what smells like self-care to one person smells like a problem to another.

When a college student returns home after swapping shampoo for vinegar, her mother with a sensitive nose was left holding her breath, both literally and figuratively.

Read on for the full story!

WIBTAH if I tell my daughter to start washing her hair with shampoo and conditioner and that her haircare routine is weird?

My (48F) daughter (21F) has an unconventional haircare routine.

She first discovered this recently.

She just came home from college for the summer, and at some point this spring, she ditched her shampoo and conditioner for Castile soap and diluted apple cider vinegar.

But her daughter’s unconventional routine is beginning to bother her nose.

The problem I have with it is that I have a pretty strong sense of smell, and her hair smells like the vinegar while it’s wet.

I can’t stand the smell, and I want her to go back to using shampoo and conditioner.

She wonders if she can confront her daughter without hurting her feelings.

WIBTAH if I tell her to use shampoo and conditioner because the soap and vinegar is weird and smells bad?

She doesn’t want to control her daughter, but living under the same roof will likely require some consequences.

What did Reddit have to say?

Maybe there’s a way everyone can walk away happy.

She’s not wrong to want to confront her daughter, but she should be careful about how she decides to do it.

Maybe there’s a way to make the smell less pungent.

Someone who has tried a similar approach in the past has a pro tip for the daughter.

If they both approach the conversation with patience and honesty, there’s room for understanding on both sides.

If you enjoyed that story, read this one about a mom who was forced to bring her three kids with her to apply for government benefits, but ended up getting the job of her dreams.