Spa days are often reserved for mothers who want to
take a break from their busy lives and away from their children for some much-needed rest and relaxation. But
now, children are waving goodbye to the playground and are joining in on the fun.
Children as young as four and five years old are being treated by their mothers to manicures, pedicures,
massages and facials — to name a few of the spa services available to them.
Jennifer Eisen, owner of Fabulous Manicure Bar in Toronto, Ontario has seen
the trend of younger girls become increasingly popular.
“When we first opened, it was mostly about the mothers coming in. Now, it’s a special occasion to bring their
daughter along and have a bonding experience when they get their nails done,” says Eisen.
Eisen started the spa six years ago, focusing on taking a more natural approach to nails. Fabulous Manicure
Bar doesn’t offer any acrylic or false nails and they use pure essential oils in their products. The spa also
provides clients with a girly atmosphere. Eisen describes it as “elegant with shabby chic furniture.”
“It makes you feel comfortable when you come in to have a service with us. We want people to come in and sit
in cushy armchairs, we serve tea with every service and we have jazz music playing in the background. It’s a
nice little respite away from the rest of the world,” says Eisen.
Fabulous Manicure Bar has accommodated manicure and
pedicure parties for birthdays and bat mitzvahs. But to accommodate their younger clientele, the manicure bar
offers a “Buff and Puff” service for their fingers and toes.
“It’s a mini version of full manicures and pedicures. It’s hard for [little girls] to sit still for the
length of time it would to do a normal service. We touch on if they need their cuticles trimmed and we file
their nails, clean under their nails, a little massage and polish. But not quite the full service an adult
would get,” Eisen explains.
Eisen has also geared her spa products to cater to this trend. Fabulous Manicure Bar serves bubble gum tea and
provides bubble gum-scented cream that is used for the children. They also often provide cupcakes (it helps
that Lollicakes is just down the street.) But as much fun as the
experience can be for a mother and daughter, Eisen warns against making it a habit for children to indulge in
spa services.
“I really don’t believe it should be something that is routine for a four- or five-year-old girl to have her
nails done every week. We see it more as a special occasion,” says Eisen. “It’s a nice way to bond, they feel
very special. Since we are more focused on healthy, natural nails, we are able to help mothers with the kids
learning about hygiene, not biting their nails and how to take care of their cuticles. Although it’s a lot of
fun to come along with mom and they get pretty nails at the end of the day, it’s a learning experience for
them as well.”
To celebrate birthdays, it’s becoming increasingly popular for young girls to bring their parties to the spa.
Peaches and Cream, a spa based out of Edmonton,
Alta., offers "Princess Spa Birthday Parties," which allow mothers to rent out the spa to accommodate a
little girl and her friends for a spa-themed birthday bash.
Beverley Evans, esthetician and owner of Peaches and Cream says the benefit of the parties
isn’t only for the child, but for the mother as well.
“It gives the mother an option of bringing them to a spa as opposed to Chuck E. Cheese’s or bowling” says Evans. “We haven’t had
one where it hasn’t been absolute success and everyone has been thrilled.”
The spa can accommodate anywhere from three to eight girls at the birthday parties, who are treated to spa
pedicures instead of manicures, which allows them to still have their hands free to indulge in the party
food. The spa also provides a flat-screen TV, allowing the clients to bring in the movie of their choice, and
gives the children the royal treatment with princess chairs, tiaras and loot bags. The mother of the birthday
girl is given a bit of a break too since all they are required to do is bring the food (and of course, foot
the bill at the end). Other than that, the spa sets up the food, provides decorations and cleans up after the
parties.
For Evans, her clientele has expanded to teenagers too. For birthdays, they offer secondary treatments (at an
extra cost) in addition to the typical manicures and pedicures. These treatments include makeup, facials, et
cetera.
For younger girls, it’s mostly about feeling special for the day or spending some time alone with their mom,
but for teenagers, Evans says it can be an entirely different experience. Many of the teenagers she sees are
often dealing with acne and skin issues.
“It’s because they have the wrong products or the wrong instructions. Parents will bring them in and I take
away the role of nagging and I take on the role of a professional. The results we have with their skin are
immaculate,” says Evans.
Evans and her team of estheticians take teenagers through the steps of skin cleansing, products to use and
products to avoid, according to their skin type. They also offer extraction and deep pore cleansing. By
helping their skin clear up, it has also helped teenagers improve their self-esteem, according to Evans.
But in the end, Evans says the experience is a positive one for both the mother and the daughter.
“It’s like them going shopping together or going to lunch together. They just have a nice time. We put them
in a room together, they’re sitting beside each other and they just have fun. They visit, chat and talk.
Usually the mother has the little girl pick out the nail polish colour for the mom to have or they will do
matching ones. It’s comradely and fun.”
Whether your child is four or 14, the benefit that comes from spending some quality time together is
priceless. •
