Let's talk about facials, massages etc - do you have them, or do you give them??

[Legacy]

I had a voucher for a spa day and went there yesterday. Had a facial, massage and manicure and floated & steamed a bit in the pool, sauna etc.

Now I know I should be and grateful etc, and this isn't something I normally do, but to be honest I found myself lying there thinking " do people REALLY pay so much money for these on a regular basis?"

My facial was nice & relaxing etc, but not £45 worth better than a hot bath and a mud mask from Boots...

Am I just being cynical in thinking this whole industry is just one big huge hype and licence to print money??

I mean, cling film on my hands in hot gloves .... WTF is all that about??

Who ARE the people who spend a fortune on 'treatments' on a regular basis?

Why?

Maybe I'm just not a 'relaxing' kind of person.... I was itching to go home .

Yes its a licence to print money
Yes its a hype

But oooooh its a nice

I have facials/spa days, I tend to combine them with meeting up with my girl friends

I have a fairly busy life and use the time to chill out/gossip/drink champagne

If thats not your thing fair do's (and if you have any spare vouchers pass them my way (ta muchly)

Yes - I totally 'get' the hen night or girls' day out thing, it's just I was chatting to some of the therapists and they were saying how they had some people who came every week for a facial/ massage...

No more vouchers - sorry!

I have a massage once a month. Yes, it's expensive, but it's absolutely bliss and it makes me feel soooo good. It helps with tension etc and it feels like my little treat to reward myself for working as hard as I do!

Once a week seems a tad excessive

When I was working I used to have a facial every month and mani/pedi every 4 weeks.

Its now morphed SAHM stylee to a spa day every 3 months or so (next one booked for 1st week in Dec and I can't bloody wait!)

I admit, if I could afford the money and time for once a week, I totally would.

I have a massage and facial once every 6 weeks. My time that is important to me. Usually followed by a haircut!

i am now having facials more often - every two months - it would be a once a year treat

now if i dont i have spotty haggard skin!

the older i get the more tlc it seems to take to look half decent

sure you can do it yourself, but i alway sget better results when a pro does it - i get oxygen ones that actuay do something rather than just lots of creams etc

you wait, when you get older, it will all make sense!!

I think part of the problem with salon massages is that the therapists are over-worked and under-paid and quite often the quality is not what it should be. I am an aromatherapist and I love my work but I am self-employed and have time to make sure my clients feel relaxed and happy. I am almost always disappointed with salon/spa massages and am also a bit at the prices they charge too. However, I consider regular treatments for me as an "essential" and happily spend time and money on them - just choose my therapists carefully and am not swayed by "swish looking" brochure!

Bling. The DW gets a nice massage, at the expense of oils etc only and imo is worth far more than the money you could shelve out. Not sure of your situation but?.. OP: I have experienced massages/therapy and yes it is over indulgent, but oh so nice to feel pampered [self indulgent h emoticon]. Different thread or? How do you deal with spider veins on the facial area?

I love massages and would have one every day if I could afford it. My DH is pretty good, actually - I am getting massaged on an almost daily basis since I've been pregnant again . Facials etc - meh. I like them now and then, but I could live without them. Oh, I do absolutely live for my monthly pedicures, though. Nothing like lovely soft, pretty, scrubbed and massaged feet.

I go for massages, not had one for a while but my reg therapist is on maternity leave and it's hard to find someone good

I have regular treatments, having a hot stone massage this afternoon. I used to have weekly treatments before children but now it tends to be fortnightly or monthly depending on how much free time I have.

I love the salon I go to, has a lovely relaxed atmosphere, nice sofas and I get to read Vogue and if its my birthday I get champagne.

I do think it depends on the therapist, mine is really lovely and enjoys her job.

I have fairly regular massages (sports-therapy type) but only with one of 2 therapists I know. Most salon massages are complate crap, given by pople with no knowledge of anatomy.

Facials feel lovely but are a complete waste of money.

I think that some facials are a waste of money (those that just rub nice smelling lotions etc onto the face have no real benefit to the skin).

I have either a mechanical facial or a facial with microdermabrasion every 5 weeks. After Christmas, I will be having IPL on my face to get rid of some pigmentation caused by sun damage.

I have a facial once a month and massages from my lovely DH.