Half of British women prefer a night of beauty treatments to sex with their partner or a night out with friends, new research shows.
The data, shared by the British Beauty Council, details which pastimes give women in the UK the biggest confident boost – and which activities they would rather skip.
One popular activity was an evening of pampering with beauty products or a fresh hair-cut, which more than 50 per cent of the 2,434 women surveyed said makes them feel as good – or better – than a night of passion between the sheets.
In fact, more than a quarter of women said such treatments make them feel like a new person, while 73 per cent said using beauty products leaves them feeling ‘more confident and refreshed’.
Half of British women prefer a night of beauty treatments to sex with their partner or a night out with friends, new research shows
The data comes ahead of British Beauty Week, which runs from October 23th to 27th, with this year’s theme being ‘A Beauty Industry That Looks Like You’.
Millie Kendall, the founder of the British Beauty Council, says she’s not surprised women feel that way, given that the beauty industry injects a £27.2billion boost into the country’s economy.
She said: ‘It is also a major contributor to the confidence, the well-being and the self-esteem of the nation. It’s like a fifth emergency service.’
The survey also found that, for three-quarters of British women, beauty treatments do more for confidence than exercising, scrolling on social media, going to the cinema or shopping with friends.
And two-thirds said a hair cut would make them feel better than a walk in the country – or devouring a bar of their favourite chocolate.
In fact, more than a quarter of women said beauty treatments make them feel like a new person, while 73% said they make them feel ‘more confident and refreshed’
Others said beauty products help with happiness as much or more than listening to their favourite music or watching their favourite TV show.
And a third claimed the treatments leave them feeling as refreshed as a holiday.
The British Beauty Council also found that beauty treatments are relatively cheap when compared to the likes of trips away, despite spending on lotions and potions rocketing in the UK.
However, the data shows that only a quarter of people spend more on beauty treatments than socialising, shopping or mini-breaks.
Ms Kendall said: ‘It not only provides £27.2billion to the economy, more than 600 thousand jobs across demographic and geographic lines, but it is also a major contributor to the confidence, the well-being and the self-esteem of the nation.’