Birthday parties

[nicolei]

Big dilemma.....

Dd, turning 13, wants a "make-up party" for her birthday. She googled a make-up stylist (with an impressive profile, I would say - prizes, glam mag cover shots, etc) who's doing teenage party packages for about £500 for 10 girls (would be at our house, but provides small kit + a demo+ supervised make-up application + individual & group photoshoot after). Honestly, I find it expensive - but thinking about the alternatives - booking places, food, entertainment for 12-15 year olds would probably be the same thing....

What do you think?
Does anyone have any experience with such parties? Is this too expensive? Is 13 too young? .... Loads of questions (and teen pressure, of course). Please help!

[RaeSkywalker]

Honestly, this seems wildly expensive to me. I think I'd just book a Body Shop Party, and ask the rep to focus on makeup and showing them how to apply it. Even if you have all the attendees £20 each to spend on makeup, you'd still be quids in. I'm not sure how I feel about 13 year olds being this 'into' makeup, but if they are they are, and I guess it's better that they learn how to apply it properly. Maybe sound out what a few of the parents of invitees think before booking it?

[nicolei]

Thank you Rae,

I didn't know Body Shop do birthday parties! It does sound like a good idea and would turn out A LOT cheaper.

Dd isn't too much into make-up, but when she's with her friends, she keeps experimenting and buying cheap (and frankly horrible) stuff in Claire's or Superdrug with pocket money.... I'd rather have a professional give them some clues (they would never listen to mums :) and let them see the difference between good and bad make-up ;)) - that's why I reluctantly agreed to the idea in the first place.... I'll speak to some of the other mums first (it's a must, as I know some - dads - may not even agree )

[RaeSkywalker]

It's not a specific birthday party, they just have rep that come to your house, show you how to use products, play games, and then you can buy if you want to. It might be worth asking about a makeup-focused one.

I know what you mean about showing them how to apply it properly- my Mum took me to a department store in my mid teens and had someone show me how to apply it, then bought me a few bits of decent quality makeup to use.