A GROUP of females giggle over a mocktail menu while beauty therapists get busy painting nails and exfoliating faces.
In the corner, a customer sits in a foot spa while another has her hair styled with glitter.
Welcome to Britain’s first beauty salon exclusively for children where clients are not grown adults – but kids as young as THREE.
The business has taken a bit of a battering on Facebook where critics claim such treatments are inappropriate for kids but owner Simone Tai says: “It’s about building children’s self esteem.”
The Mini Moony Pampers Party salon has been packed since it first opened its doors in Havant, Portsmouth in September.
Kids can choose from a menu of alcohol free cocktails before undergoing facials, nail painting, jelly foot spas and hair dos by professional beauticians.
Mum-of-two Simone, 37 said: “It’s all about building connections with friends and I think it boosts the kids confidence and supports and encourages self care habits.
“We have boys coming in too and it’s great to see them being able to express themselves and look after themselves.
“The day starts with a mocktail where the kids can catch up with their friends and then we have treatments and a disco at the end.
“It seems to be most popular with kids aged three to 13 at the moment.”
The parlour has had mixed reactions with many parents on Facebook adverts saying it forces kids to grow up too fast.
One young woman, Rose Sweeney, wrote: “Let kids be kids, this is adultification. Next it will be nightclubs with sherbert instead of ket.” (ketamine)
Irish poster Sarah Patricia commented: “Omg, no, they should be playing with their toys. So glad I don’t have a daughter this age, the pressure on them being shallow and vain is beyond their parents control.”
American contributor George Necula wrote: “Kids are perfect as they are, they don’t need any of that stuff on their faces! They should be playing outside, not this!”
Detractors were dismissed as “moany Karens” by other posters who vowed to pay a visit.
Pamper parties for children have become increasingly popular in the past few years, with stars like Paris Fury and Abbey Clancy throwing them for their kids but Mini Moony is believed to be the UK’s first salon designed just for kids.
Inside, where prices start at £30 a kid, the youngsters were rightly oblivious to criticism when The Sun paid a visit.
They chatted, dressed in silky robes and pink hairbands, over their candy floss and sweet fake cocktails.
Callie is a typical five-year-old and she quite often goes around to her friends’ houses and has a little pamper and this is just that next level up
Dad Josh Phillips
A hairdresser worked on plaiting hair or tying it up before adding glitter.
A group of girls headed over to the nail bar to have their fingers painted with toxic-free, peelable paint before enjoying a squishy foot spa.
Five-year-old Callie Phillips went to a session with dad Josh.
Josh, 35, a project manager, said: “To the critics I would say it’s each to their own in a world where we’re saying don’t judge people.
“Without wanting to sound rude, almost, get back in your box.
“Callie is a typical five-year-old and she quite often goes around to her friends’ houses and has a little pamper and this is just that next level up.”
Jodie Barrett, 31, went to her niece Delilah Rae Riddle’s eighth birthday party at Mini Moony’s.
She said: : “I think it’s just this day and age now.
“They all grow up too soon now.”
Watching her step daughter Evie Ferre, five, take part in the fun of the party, she said: “They’re just little girls, they love it.”
The British Association for Dermatologists warned about the growing trend of children using skincare products designed for adults.
Dr Faheem Latheef, a Leeds-based dermatologist, said he was seeing an increase in the number of younger children presenting with reactions to skincare products.
“The concern is that their skin isn’t fully developed and if they are using products designed for older skin types they are very likely to irritate younger patients.
Dr Latheef warned products could cause dry or itchy skin, scaling or even blistering.
He added many skincare brands contained exfoliating acids which were not appropriate for younger people and could also lead to a sensitivity to a certain ingredient in later life.
“For a child you want to keep it really simple, what they need is a cleanser, a moisturiser and sun screen,” he said.
Leading dermatologists have revealed children as young as 10 are pressuring parents to buy them expensive, anti-ageing skincare products.
They expressed concern that the trend, often driven by social media, has left children “obsessed with ageing.”
Some locals in Havant have expressed disquiet about the project – but most are just glad the salon has replaced “yet another” vape shop.
Melanie Hutson, 36, a barista who works around the corner, said: “It gives kids something that most children in the area haven’t had the chance to do.
“Also, if you pay for a package everyone enjoys themselves and you don’t have to clean up after!”
Havant-based father Connor, who has a two-year-old girl, thinks that pampering children so young is ‘pretty mad’.
The 31-year-old, who didn’t share his surname, said of his daughter: “She loves painting, but I suppose not her nails.
“Pampering and what not at such a young age… We want to let them grow up a little bit before bringing them down to the miserable world we live in.”
Charlotte Ogburn, 36, was in Havant with two of her four kids, and she isn’t against the idea of a pamper parlour in the town.
She said: “I think there’s a lot of things that can make kids grow up fast nowadays and there’s a lot worse honestly, so that doesn’t bother me.”
Salon boss Simone is adamant the pamper parties do no harm.
She said: “It makes the kids feel inspired and a lot already experiment with make-up and child products at home.
“Our products are all very kid friendly including nail varnish that can be peeled off so they don’t go to school with it on the next day.
“It’s just fun for them. Some people will like it and others won’t – I get that.
“In today’s world we’ve got to prepare children to look after themselves.
“We live in a very different time to even 10 years ago and, as the older generation, we’ve got to fit in with the new world.”
