Pamper party for a 6 year old?!

I don't see the problem..... She's probably bored of having the same parties every couple of weeks and wants hers to be remembered. The women are well trained and knows what products are safe for their young skin
Reminds me of when I was little and my mum would paint my nails etc. I think they'll enjoy it

your DD is lucky, it sounds like the perfect party!

I hate "pamper parties" for little girls, most are bored shitless and it's such a waste of a party. They will outgrow kids parties soon enough, why not sticking with things age-related. Even "pamper parties" get old when you have them every year for a decade 😂

Glitter tattoos are perfect.

We used to hire a face painter for parties so they can still have fun and run around but be fancy and glittery - or a giraffe - if they want.

You don’t quite understand though - watching an adult doing their make-up is not the same as encouraging 4/5yr olds to spend their ‘party time’ having their make-up and nails done.

The latter is suggesting that adults believe that’s what little girls should be spending their free time thinking about. Looking pretty, rather than running around having riotous fun at a party.

I love make-up. My 11yr old has started to like it too. I am fine with that. But she has never equated that to thinking that an afternoon pamper party is what childhood fun is. Make-up etc is what you do to feel good before you go and have the actual fun

Nothing depressing about it. It's perfectly ok to enjoy these things! They all had a great time, including the boys, it's definitely not about conditioning anyone, it's just fun!

Did parents have to get in? I would HATE this if so!

Nope. I have terrible rosacea for one.

The point is, why is it a bad thing to grow up caring about how you look? It’s a bad thing if it’s your whole life and personality but for most people that’s just not the case.

Are you 6?

Do you go into your office barefaced?

A small pamper party isn’t going to break the bank, as for the op talking about the makeup industry etc you would have to blame the parents there for allowing the kids to buy the expensive products!

One party isn't going to do it. But it isn't one party in isolation. We are so caught up in the process of consumerism we are missing what it is doing to us. Companies use psychology to induce anxiety as a marketing tool. Anxious people spend money. Phone apps are brilliant at reinforcing this technique and they are ever present. Trends spread, create pressure, guilt & big profits. Children's health deteriorates. It works so well that people who are experiencing it will defend it.

It is normal now. Every time I have gone to Boots in the last couple of years there have been groups of children buying skin products. Seven year olds buying active ingredients for eyebags. Girls under ten buying foundation& getting stressed about it. Buying top end cost products too. The preteen make-up industry is now worth billions. Just another thing for children to feel anxious about to make money. Make up and glitter can be a valuable art and craft activity and you are probably doing it alongside a whole load of other party activities. But the craze for organised beauty parlour visits with robes and face masks etc are just commercial ventures.

Sounds like you've planned a lovely party for her. If she's still set on the pamper party idea, maybe arrange a play date where you do different hairstyles, temporary tattoos etc. At least that way you can pick a friend who would enjoy this sort of thing and who's parents won't object.

Hard no. Girls are always socialised to be pretty and be kind etc I would not be doing this. Take them to Rush or something.

Yes exactly. Most 6YOs haven’t put anything on their faces other than face paint and then removed it with a baby wipe. I still don’t know what mine actually reacted to and if it was an allergy per se or the specific mixing of products. So if DD was invited to another one and was asked about allergies then I don’t know what I’d say actually. Probably decline unless it was a close friend and if it was then I might consider a non drowsy antihistamine right before and then hoping for the best??

Separately OP I think your update sounds perfect and they’ll have a lovely time!

I always go on what my child would like to do, as it should be the birthday child’s choice.

My DD is 4, she loves us doing our hair and nails together at home, she’d love to get an invite to a pamper party. Some children generally prefer calmer activities than boisterous ones.

You can get nail polish which is gentle and washes off after a day. A foot soak in bubbly water is fun, let them have a go using a proper foot bath or foot massager if you have one. You can make very gentle face masks, cucumber slices on eyes…just check if anyone is allergic to anything. I agree about having some other activities, and everything can be optional. Good luck!

I feel a bit funny about a full on pamper party for a 6yo. Think you've reached a good compromise OP. I liked nail varnish or being allowed a pop of my mum's lipstick to look in the mirror when I was 6. Not sure I'd have sat through a whole mini spa event.

The Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique style one mentioned upthread sounds great for young princess fans though.

The party is for her and not you, if that’s what she wants to do then why not. I think Yabu.

Oh and I have girls. My youngest (8) LOVES her make up but my 11 year old could not be less interested. Both are being raised to have strength and substance but the way that you present yourself in public is important too (not that that necessarily means make up but being groomed and neat and clean is important, despite how much the “I haven’t ironed my clothes since 1993” lot on here would argue otherwise…)

It was a thing 25 years ago when I had one too

Why is it such a bad thing to be “into your looks” on here?!

I am “into my looks”. I like make up, getting my nails done, going to the spa. Getting all dressed up for a night out. I’m also a solicitor and i play hockey.

I mean it’s hardly held me back or made me feel like my only role in life is to sit and look pretty. One party isn’t going to do that. If your girls grow up to believe they are simply ornaments then that’s for far deeper reasons than a princess pamper party at age 6.

You could always say you can put pamper stuff in party bags. I did this one year, we did the big class party as I wanted to include the whole year but there were very distinct bags, the girls had toe dividers, mini nail boards, nail stickers, fruity lip balms ( you can also get eye masks). The boys were things I knew the boys in the class liked, mainly cars and dinosaurs.

Before anyone jumps at me the boys were definitely happy with their bags and the girls theirs, it a very girly v boy class. I’m one of those mums that always dose extra bags so there were plenty to exchange if anyone wanted too, they didn’t.

The same message I got watching my mother curl her hair and apply crazy blue eye shadow back in the 80s and the same message my mother got from her mum in the 50s with her big bouffant and eye winged eyeliner and so on and so on right back to the start of civilisation when people started applying cosmetics.

And before you start, it’s the same for men, teddie boys, quiffs, (1950s) gelled back and side partings (1920s), pudding bowl haircut (medieval times) the same with facial hair trends (Charlie Chaplin, Salvador’s Dali, Tom Selleck…)

So give it a rest on girls these days rubbish fgs!

One dd went to a pamper party at 6yo it was ina cute little tea house, a company came and did mini mani pedis, all the girls wrapped in pink robes, bonnets on and if they wanted a bit of a glitter face, then a hair do and they played games like who knows the most about the party girl, colouring and then had a cute afternoon tea.

Another DD did a nail afternoon before heading off to a nice restaurant to be waited on. To be fair the parents worked at the restaurant so the staff went OTT on making a big deal of the birthday girl and friends.

I know my friend who is an ex beauty therapist and has loads of skills and kits considered doing something similar to earn a bit of money when she was on maternity leave.

My DD is going to one of these soon but she’s 8.

Should I have turned down the invites? My daughter was invited and really enjoyed the parties!! When I say make up, it's nail varnish and face gems etc and little clip in coloured hair extensions, bit of glitter etc.