Introduction

Following on from the investigation of how unrealistic ideals are impacting young people's sense of objective reality and the consequences and impact that hyper-comparison has on risky beauty consumption patterns, this chapter turns to how hyper-comparison among female friends takes place in real-life settings. Part of the work in this chapter revisits material from the Botox party discussed in Chapter 4. Here, this work further examines the informal nature of these parties and the interconnections between the supply and consumption of Botox. The first half of this section focuses on the Botox parties and how consuming beauty together was vital for this female friendship group known as the ‘Clique’. The second half turns to the Clique's intense fashion and beauty regimes that took place before the ‘big night out’.

The role of Botox parties

As demonstrated in previous chapters, beauty products and procedures were very much a tool for the late-capitalist consumer, fulfilling a range of everyday functions. These include the enhancement of the face; increasing the chance of securing a job or further work; and to regain a sense of control over their everyday lives. They are also fundamental in improving social standing and leisure experiences and for facilitating and maintaining friendships. Beauty products and procedures have always enabled group bonding and facilitated social interactions, particularly with strangers, by providing consumers and suppliers with a common ground (Black, 2004). Throughout my time in the field, it was rare to walk into a hair, beauty, nail or tanning salon and not see strangers talking to one another.