PA M P E R I N G R E A C H E S N E W D E M O G R A P H I C S
Never too young for the spa
The next generation of spa-goers could be the pre-tween set
by MISTY HARRIS, CanWest News Service
Every treatment chair is filled this day
at Peaches & Cream Spa, an Edmonton
hot spot that caters to visiting celebrities,
dignitaries and the city’s chic elite.
Feet are buffed, nails meticulously polished and shoulders massaged with hot stones as a soundtrack of female voices fills the room with insider gossip on the issues du jour — which, at the moment, includes speculation on who among them owns the most My Little Pony toys.
Ranging in age from six to nine years old, these pre-tween girls represent the next generation of spa-goers and a new marketing opportunity for an industry that has long viewed children with all the fondness of fungus outbreak.
“It’s very similar to what’s happening in fashion, where the line between what’s appropriate for kids and what’s appropriate for adults is being eroded,” says Alanna Stang, executive editor of Cookie, a magazine aimed at parents of children under 12.
“There’s a feeling (among moms) that what’s OK for me should be OK for her. That’s a trend that’s been happening for years and is perhaps finally being capitalized on by spas.”
Although Stang believes kids’ spa visits should be judged on a case-by-case basis, her general impression is that dismissing the idea as “grotesque Jon-Benetism” would be a mistake.
“There’s a very positive side to what happens at a spa, which is taking care of yourself as a woman,” she says. “If that message is translated in a responsible way, it’s probably a healthy thing.”
The girls at Peaches &Cream are there as part of a “princess spa birthday party,” a private-function package launched this month. The diminutive divas each receive a herbal foot soak, full pedicure with nail decals, neck massage, lip gloss application and a loot bag containing polish, a feathery pink tiara, stickers and a magic wand.
Entertainment is also provided — on this day, the girls watch The Little Mermaid on a flat-screen TV — along with Disney Princess lounge chairs and Themed decor, all for about $75 per child.
“Any time you have a new demographic exposed to your business — or the idea, even, of your business — it is, of course, beneficial,” says Ian Cowie, co-owner of Peaches & Cream.
“The focus (of spa birthdays) really isn’t esthetics, it’s being with your best girlfriends and having fun….And hopefully we’re creating a situation where they might want to come in again.”
Although there are no statistics on pre-tween spa visits, comparable industry attempts to woo the teenage market have been successful.
According to the International Spa Association’s 2006 trend
report, 64per cent of female teens and 30 per cent of male
teens have patronized a spa at least once and, in some cases,
more than three times.
Susan Reade, the birthday girl’s mom, views the new pampering parties as an extension of “playing dress-up” that simultaneously encourages female bonding rituals and self reflection.
“Kids today are very scheduled,” says Reade, station director of Magic 99 radio. “When you’re getting esthetics done, you’re getting the human touch. You’re slowed down. You’re relaxed…Besides, my daughter’s turning nine and Chuck E. Cheese is starting to lose its appeal.”
Because the parties are so new, finding reputable businesses that offer them can be difficult. Canada’s Eveline Charles chain of salons and spas, for instance, won’t even accept children under 12 as clients, let alone throw parties for them.
But generally, there’s at least one spa in every major city that caters to the pre-tween birthday scene, including Bloom Essentials in Vancouver, En Vogue Day Spa and Gift Studio In Regina, Atlantis Beauty Spa in Ottawa and Fabulous Manicure Bar/Pedicure Lounge in Toronto. The latter has feted children as young as four.
Parents willing to compromise on location can hire a traveling spa-party service such as Exhale Mobile Spa in Toronto or Pamper Your Soul in Coquitlam, B.C., both of which offer “princess” esthetic treatments in the child’s home. And places such as RubiStar Glamour Club in Edmonton, which will soon open locations in Vancouver, Calgary and Toronto, rent private rooms for kiddie “glam makeover parties” that include spa-inspired services such as hair up dos, glitter nail polish and makeup application.