Forget Adults; Kids Have Their Own Beauty Parlours Now

Move with the times or you get left behind. We can preach about the disadvantages of kids indulging in beauty treatments but that will not stop the revolution from happening. Kids are aware of their needs and their parents are ready to indulge them. When mummy gets an indulgent manicure and pedicure, why can’t the little ones who want to be as pretty as their mums? If the younger brigade is going to get hair-dos and nail-art, it makes more sense to have special parlours for them.

Parents, who indulge their kids so, demand the highest standards of hygiene and quality. Though exposing kids to such treatments at such a tender age might distort their body image, it will not expose them to infections which they can catch at regular salons. 

At the adult salons, the tools being used are meant for adults and can be invasive for the young. Such sharp tools might increase the chances of cuts and infections in young kids. By having places that are meant especially for them, they are ensured a gentler treatment, hygiene and lots of fun.

Not only do kids want salons for their narcissistic needs, but also because many of them are as scared of a hair cut as they are of the dentist’s chair.  Sharp shiny scissors are enough to make them see red.

As one father recounts,

"Getting my son’s hair cut was a nightmare. I would take him to the neighbourhood parlour after a lot of cajoling. Two-three times during the hair cut he would get off the chair and had to be lured back with candies and colas. The barber knew me well for I had been a regular client, so he put up with it with a smile. I doubt anyone else would. Ever since the new kiddie parlour has opened, my son looks forward to his haircuts. With their toy car chairs and cartoon character scissors, he is only too happy to be there."

Though there are many parlours which have created special sections for kids in their existing setups, there are not many that have been designed especially for the little ones. With growing demand and increasing awareness, the metros, at least, have caught on to the trend.

Delhi’s Ambience Malls boasts of one such place, where the little people have big fun. Fuzzy Hare is a concept parlour that thrives on providing a wonderful time to kids, pre-teens and teens along with their moms and dads.

A colourful space designed with kiddie haircut chairs in the shape of cars, piano shaped nail-art bar, cartoon print scissors, mud based nail-paints that are non-alcohol and non-toxic and a play area, this is one place kids are sure to fall in love with.

Parmita, owner of the salon, says,

"We don’t just cut hair, we offer enjoyable experiences. From hair extensions for girls that include glitter and fibre optic extensions, to patterned hair styles for boys which enable them to flaunt their initials or super hero logos, we are truly different. The girls can get their manicures and pedicures using soft and colourful tools. We keep them occupied with X-Box, hula-hoop and a play area that has colouring and other activities."

She adds,

"Parents can avail services as well and at the same time monitor their kids. Our place can also be booked for theme birthday parties. Girls can choose from princess, diva or angel themes and get makeovers while boys can have pirate, superhero or other themes. Ours is a place that the kids don’t forget."

Mumbai has a sassy place just for kids, Watermelon Kids. With two hair cutting stations and a large play area, it has 10-12 kids walking in on weekdays and the rush increases manifold on weekends. The success of such places is proof in itself that aspirations are changing with times.

Good marks are no longer the sole criteria to judge kids; they now have to work as hard as adults to prove themselves, be smartly turned out and in sync with the latest styles at all times to fit in. Such places make the kids feel very special and also enable the parents to shop at malls without tagging their kids along. At a time when spending time with kids is tougher than spending money on their demands, it is a blessing for both parties.

The demand has grown not just because kids have started asking for such treatments but also because of many other reasons. Parents have started putting too much emphasis on looks of even young kids. They want their child to look the best and don’t even bat an eyelid before asking for temporary hair highlights or nail-art.

The kids watch other kids on TV sporting fancy hairstyles and bouncy curls and want to emulate them. Earlier such requests were unheard of and parents would snub their kids for asking for such things. But now, parents take pride in exhibiting their children and posting pictures of them on social networking sites, dressed as Wannabe Miss Universes and Models of the Year.

In the absence of such parlours, munificent Moms and Dads source the best people in business and arm them with imported kiddie tools and turn their homes into spas and tattoo (temporary ones) parlours. The trend has grown so strong that parents on their trips abroad get beauty kits for their kids.

Apart from having someone pamper them at home once in a while, they schedule girly get-togethers that are very indulgent and give the hostess something to gloat about. Hair spas to nail art and braiding; these are not just for kids in big cities.

Whether or not such a trend is healthy for the psyche of small children is a topic open to debate. But one thing is sure; this is one trend that is not going away anytime soon. 

Pictures By: Manvinder Singh Rawat