Recipe for the ultimate girls' night

Whether you're hoping to evade the latest emotional roller coasters or simply looking to reunite with old pals, a classic Girls' Night can serve as an entertaining and relaxing conclusion to an endless day or week. Forget the movie-style pillow fights in bras and panties and get ready for some serious pampering and story swapping.

Some suggestions to make your chosen venue into a home-spa extraordinaire:

Offer a scrumptious menu for your gal-pals but don't overindulge. A tummy-ache the next morning is not optimal! (Trust me -- after fast food, cookies, potato chips, candy, ice cream and donuts all in one night -- I've been there!)

Give your face a lift
Want a truly revitalizing experience to start off your night? Facials do many wonderful things to refresh and rejuvenate your skin, so grab some great beauty products and get ready to give your tired skin a soft, smooth revolution.

 Typical routine for facial cleansing, done twice daily (morning and night), includes washing, then toning (use astringent or a toner to maintain the proper pH balance), and finally moisturizing. Weekly routine is an enhanced process, with the following steps: steaming (fill a sink with hot water, drape a towel over your head and the sink, and relax for about 10 minutes), deep cleaning (exfoliate or use a powerful cream cleanser, like Noxzema), apply mask, toning, and finally moisturizing (apply moisturizer to only the dry or tight areas of your face).

Products that will be especially valuable to you include: Face Scrub (exfoliating face wash), toner or astringent, and a mud or clay-based masque. Gather as many girlies in the bathroom sink area as you can fit and get to work. Steam treatment is a great relaxant after a stressful day. Next, use the face scrub to fully exfoliate and remove dull skin gently but effectively, or simply deep clean your face with a cream cleanser such as Noxzema.

Rinse your face and proceed to the next step: apply a generous layer of the mud masque to your face, paying special attention to your T-zone (forehead, nose and chin) as well as any other trouble areas. Mud masques are my savior the night before a big event, a date or a special occasion -- the wonder of this treatment is that the masque will lift the oils from your skin and transform your face into a beautifully smooth and soft rendition of its former self! No more worries about red blemishes or oily patches -- usually within two days of applying the mask. Finally, toner or astringent can be used, followed by moisturizer, both of which should be applied to the face and the neck with middle and ring fingers in circular motion. As you complete this routine on a regular basis, your skin should become flawless and radiant.

Spoiling yourselves after a long day -- Manicures and pedicures
Manicures and pedicures have been extensively known as treatments to pamper and beautify the body. Time involved varies on the detailing involved, but with a group of friends, teamwork can produce great results! Gather your favorite polish colors, grab a tub and some towels, some foot soak and scrub products and treat yourselves to a most relaxing evening with a lot to show for it! Something as simple as a pedicure on your poor, tired feet may cause you to feel just a bit stress-free as you enjoy your painted toes and soft feet for days and weeks to come.

Adventuring into new makeovers and hairstyles
If you are spending the evening in, great opportunity awaits to experiment with new hairstyles and makeup choices. When you don't have time before work or school to try new styles, test your appearance with a group of your best friends during a girls-night-in. Your pals will be happy to give you pointers and honest advice about your chosen makeup's color scheme and your new approaches to styling your hair, and you can do the same to help them. Worst case scenario: You let each other go wild with the colors and styles, take some pictures, and you've got loads of memories to laugh off forever.

Points & Prizes Keyword: NIGHT worth 50 points good through 12/23/07