Would you like to bring your little one to the spa to receive services with you? Want to have a “Mom & Daughter” day? Spas aren’t just meant for adults to relax, refresh and de-stress… kids can benefit from a day at the spa too! And, it can be a great bonding experience.
Sometimes with the onset of puberty, a trip to the spa is a great way to learn how to care for their skin, hair and proper grooming of unwanted hair, especially if they have sensitive skin.
Here are some things to consider when planning your visit to the spa:
Children’s mani and pedis
Sometimes just having mom and daughter time is all that you are looking for. What better way to have quality time where you can talk, laugh and create lasting memories than to have a mani-pedi together. While most children have not developed any particular issues or concerns with their skin or nails on their hands and feet, they certainly can enjoy the experience of having a mini-mani and mini-pedi while sitting beside mom. Children’s mani-pedi services are designed to avoid the use of sharp implements and won’t be as intensive as an adult treatment.
Hair removal for children
Most children start to develop excess hair when they go through puberty. If your child comes to you and asks about shaving versus waxing, then it’s time to have a conversation. If they are asking, then there probably is a reason for it, so take the opportunity to start the discussion regarding different options. It could just be a friend mentioned a treatment and they are curious and are trying to decide if they need it too. Once you have discussed the different options, a trip to the spa for a session with a professional is a great way for them to learn about proper grooming.
Hair colouring for children
Generally speaking most children are not looking for a full head colouring. Kids mostly want a funky streak or special placement of a favorite colour put in their hair. Different brands and types of hair colour have different ingredients, some can be more harmful than others. For children it is important to look for products that do not contain these chemicals to lessen the chance of an allergic reaction, skin irritation, damage to their hair and other possible health risks. With newer, safer and healthier colour lines available on the market, the risk and worry has been drastically reduced over the years.
Facials for children
Although for some puberty hits at a younger age, most teenagers start having acne or having concerns with acne in and around the ages of 13, give or take. A facial is a great way to care for their skin. Teen facials are usually a mini version of an adult facial with the focus being on deep cleansing, toning, extractions of blackheads, reducing redness and inflammation, making sure the skin is well hydrated and massaging your child’s skin. Regardless of age, use products and safe ingredients to treat your child’s particular skin type or condition. For instance, if your he or she has dry skin, the ingredients should hydrate their skin. If your child has skin rashes like pimples or patches, they should soothe the inflamed skin. If your child has oily skin it should draw out impurities from their skin.
Using good, safe products
Our skin is the largest organ on our body. Many of the skin and hair care products that we use have small molecular weights therefore allowing it to absorb into the skin. Using health-conscious products is easier and helps to reassure ourselves we are making better choices for children.
For nail polishes, ask for products that are at least Three-Free (meaning free of dibutyl phthalate or DBP, toluene, and formaldehyde). The higher the number-Free, the less number of harmful chemical there are in the product. Even organic products contain some of the harmful chemicals, so it is always a good idea to ask regardless if it says, natural, organic or anything else.
For skin care, look for products that are free of propylene glycol, parabens, sodium sulfates…just to name a few.
For hair colour, try to find a spa that used ammonia-free, Thio-free and PPD-free products.
For many moms looking for mom and daughter bonding time, a trip to the spa can be a special time out. Learning how to properly care for themselves helps make this experience special and safe.