to not get "pampering girls' nights in"?

[samandi]

Are they really that fun? Wouldn't it be more relaxing to put gloop all over your face when you're by yourself? How do you eat and drink while carrying out all those beauty treatments? What's the point of it all if you're going to stuff your face with ice cream and chocolate? And do all women really love ice cream and chocolate that much anyway?

Sorry there are a lot of questions, I am just hoping someone can explain the appeal and I'm wondering if they're really that commonplace :-)

Its not my idea of a fun night, but each to their own.

Not for me.

Give me a take away and rum and that's perfect

I've not done one but I'm pretty lazy when it comes to beauty so a night dedicated to it with alcohol and snacks is very much my sort of thing

But the alcohol and snacks would definitely be the highlight

They're an excuse to sit in dressing gowns and drink wine with your mates aren't they?

LaurieFairyCake - Perhaps the beauty aspect isn't that much fun but as it needs to be done it's better with alcohol and moral support, is that kind of what you're saying?

Is is not just a reason to get together, have a natter and drink wine tea? Similar to a stitch and bitch, book club or similar?

People just want to connect and feel human warmth and this sort of thing provides a reason to do that. I wouldn't want to eat ice cream for hours on end either but I'd love more chances to,sit and chat with friends.

Lvcat - but you could do that without all the gloop and chocolate and stuff?

oh x-post

Personally I love makeup, beauty products etc. but have never heard of anyone ever actually having a 'pampering girls night in'. It's something I've only ever seen on TV or in magazines.

Girls nights in for me generally focus on booze and gossip and having a laugh.

I'll come to yours Roxanne!

OP you might be interested in a couple of threads on the FWR board, there's one about women being called "girls" and whether this is demeaning/infantilising; and one about women's hobbies. Someone pointed out that things seen as typically female (or 'girly'!) hobbies, like baking, pampering or even having a bath FFS are just extensions of everyday necessities like eating and washing, whereas men are allowed proper activities like sports, which involve actually leaving the home.

I don't get pamper nights either. Though I live in the East End so do like going for a steam bath with my female friends - laaaaaaaaarrrvely.

never heard if one at a house. that's what a spa is for.

if I am waxing and face packing I do that alone in my bathroom, with wine!!!

Samandi- our pampering nights in start with the intention of goop but very rarely get past the dressing gown and wine stage hahahahahaha.

They usually end with empty pizza boxes and one if not all of us asleep in the sofa :)

Not crazy about that. I'd rather be previously groomed/manicured and going out.

Interesting that it seems to be more of a cultural idea rather than something that people necessarily often do!

Thanks KittyFucker, will check those out :-) I think I saw the hobbies one the other day.

Relaxing is chatting with good friends, not gloopy cosmeticy stuff.

Lvcat - :-) ... but asleep in the sofa?

Agree - Not my idea of a good time

Never done it, never heard of anyone doing it in real life. I wouldn't want to either, but I'm not one for spas and treatments anyway.

Sanandi- on not in,

Although our sofa is one if those super squashy will swallow you if you're not careful types. So it's not entirely impossible.

I think it's largely a myth sold to us by cosmetic companies. It's one of those things we are constantly hearing about and under the impression it's commonplace but when I come to think of it I know no one who's actually had one.

I know a few people who have said they'll have one, but what actually happens is that they each turn up with a face-pack, half a cucumber and a bottle of wine, then the wine gets opened and the face-pack and cucumber get forgotten about.

Many beauty tasks - toenail clipping, waxing/shaving, bikini line - these are rather onerous and carried out in private or in a salon. You can't do much else while they're being carried out. They are the focus. The sorts of beauty tasks we think about in terms of pampering parties - face packs, manicures etc - can be carried out while doing other things, such as drinking wine, gossiping, watching a film - which is, of course, the real reason people get together isn't it?

I'd rather just drink the wine.

Defiantly not for me. I've never had one and I don't intend to either. Just give me a night in with a film and a takeaway.

Not for me, but wouldn't begrudge other people doing it if that's what floats their boat. I'm very much in the wine and take-away camp on this one.

I would rather stick pins in my eyes tbh it really isn't my idea of a good night my 15 yr old would love it though and she has done it for a friends birthday sleepover, I do tend to feel a bit out the loop at work i work with all women and a lot of them are into beauty and spas and whatnot and it just not something i am bothered about, different strokes and all that i suppose, personally i would rather have wine and atakeaway