Organising the ultimate luxurious pamper party

If you’re anything like me, you’re probably already beginning to feel the weight of a full year of work, kids, and general life admin on your shoulders. The end-of-year hustle is in full swing, and it’s important that we remember to take time out every now and then to recharge our batteries, and have fun a little.

One of the best ways I wind down after a stressful day, or week is to have a nice relaxing bath with a book, and do some skincare. But, I thought I could give some tips on how to organize a pamper party with some of your friends because pjs, wine, face masks and all your besties in one room sounds much more fun. 

1.   Check for Allergies and Preferences

This step only applies if you are having your friends round for your spa night — but it’s an incredibly important one, so don’t leave it out!

Check with everyone attending if there are any products that they love or dislike. Most importantly, check if they have any allergies to ingredients that commonly appear in face and body care products. Your pamper evening is supposed to relax you, not have anyone end up in the ER with a skin rash or blisters!

2.   Choose Your Products and Treatments

Now that you know who likes what and what kinds of treatments everyone wants to have, you can shop for items and appliances that will help make the evening a relaxing and rejuvenating one.

Here is a top tip not many people will think of. Many skincare gift sets can supply up to four or five products, most often miniature versions. It might be a good idea to purchase one of these gift sets for basic cleansing, toning, and moisturizing, as they’re usually sold at a far lower price than what would apply if you were buying each product separately. The mini size of the products means there will be enough for 4–5 guests to use each — and a little bit to be left over for personal use after the spa evening. Genius!

When it comes to treatments and the tools or appliances that you’ll need to create a spa-like experience, we’ve got some suggestions that will likely be good options for most people.

• A deep cleansing mask — charcoal is usually a good option here.
• A gentle exfoliation treatment. Do not use a physical exfoliator on your face; choose a chemical one instead. You may also wish to use an exfoliating scrub or gloves on other areas of the body.
• A moisturizing mask. Save this treatment for the second last, as moisturizing g should be the last step in any skincare routine. Use your moisturizing serum and cream afterward.
• Red light treatment in the form of a wand or mask.
• Hand and foot treatments. Most skincare stores or pharmacies sell single-use versions of these in the form of gloves and booties containing the treatment itself.
• Hand/ foot moisturizer and cuticle oil.
• Nailpolish or gel polish and a UV lamp.

3.   Set the Scene

One of the reasons people go to spas, apart from the professional-level treatments and service, of course, is the relaxing atmosphere. Transform your home, or at least one room, into a calming and peaceful environment for the evening. You can turn off all bright overhead lights and light some scented candles instead. Lamps are great at providing plenty of light while making the room far more inviting than a cold white bulb burning overhead. 

As far as ambiance goes, you could emulate a classic spa environment with soft music playing in the background or go more for a relaxing night-in vibe and watch something silly, romantic, or nostalgic. In the first case, choose a playlist made up of calming music; there are lots of options already curated on Spotify or YouTube. In the second case, check with the group what their favorite films are and try to make everyone feel that their preferences have been noted and included.

Set out wipes and towels for your guests to use when they arrive and throughout the evening. Calming herbal teas might be a good option if your pamper party is in the autumn or winter, or maybe even a few glasses of wine or champagne if you’re going for a more celebratory spa night. Don’t go overboard with alcohol, though, as it can have a drying effect on your skin.

Make sure that there’s plenty of water and glasses nearby, too, as well as a charcuterie board or snack station for grazing while you pamper yourselves. You’ll likely be helping each other with treatments, so it’s good to have things like this close at hand so you can keep to one space and fully immerse yourself in the joys of pampering.

Get Pampering

Now, all that’s left to do is enjoy your spa night! I know I’m certainly in need of a little end-of-year pampering … how about you?