Do little girls need a spa/salon?

Usually I applaud ingenuity in finding a niche business. But a beauty spa for little girls age 1-17 years old? Nah.

I picked up a free-circ magazine/newspaper at the library this week called Columbus Parent. I think I may have the first issue in my premiere issue collection, but since I'm waiting for the paint on the shelves to cure, the magazines are a bit difficult to look at. I was going to compare the ads.

So I checked the web link--didn't work, but found it on Facebook--located in Grove City, Ohio. The note said they were cuting back due to health reasons.

"We are a full service salon and spa serving girls 1-17 yrs old! Hair Cuts, Manicures & Pedicures, Make-overs, Birthday Parties! We will schedule appointments up till 9 pm on Friday and Saturdays. Sunday is for parties and large groups." I guess inviting a few friends over for cake and ice cream and party games is too retro these days.

Just what and how is a make-over for a 3 year old, I wonder? She's practically brand new!

How to straighten curly hair

Years ago I got "curly perms." I could wash, moisturize, scrunch and air dry (about 5 minutes), or wash, moisturize and blow dry (about 20-30 minutes) with a strong, round brush. The blow dry took a lot of wrist and hand effort, but resulted in a smooth hair-do with lots of body and a thick look. If I did nothing, I had a very bad hair day--total fuzz ball.

So I was a bit surprised to read today's under the fold, front page article by Corey Dade in the Wall Street Journal about the styling salons of blacks from Dominican Republic undercutting and out performing African American traditional methods. Yes, I know African women have extremely fine hair, much more so than white or Asian women, but straightening with a hair dryer and a strong hand and wrist using a roller brush sounds a lot more simple than applying chemical goop and spending hours at the salon. This video has no instruction, but you can see how it's done.