When we were kids, we took fashion and beauty cues from flat-ironed bangs and
floatable shoes, but today's stylish young brood look to the stars — and then get treated like stars, themselves, and NYC's youngest are popping up at spas all around the city. The $28 Drybar blow-out induced huge age-envy before the research turned up far more twisted treatments: Buffing, waxing, and plucking are now commonplace services for the 10-and-under crowd. "I have nine-year-olds coming in for chemical treatments," says Salon Ouidad's NYC owner. He goes on to explain that releasing and loosening little girl's curls (a fair 20% of his clientele) is a confidence booster for kids six years old and up. And as grossly innocent as some of these seem (manicures for one-year-olds?), experts like those from Spark, the national movement to end the sexualization of young girls, say these treatments are dropping bombs on girls' future confidence levels. Even more nauseating is one of NYC's most popular "kid-friendly" spa day services: Bikini waxes for girls as young as 10 and 11 (is this even legal?!). We're suddenly glad we're not a kid in today's beauty world. Tell us what you think — are lemon facials at all appropriate for little ones, or should they stick to lemonade? (ABC News)
