I set out to do some research so I could write an informed article about mani/pedicures for little girls (aka Mommy and me manicures). What I found was an interesting internet debate or inter-bate (I just made that word up) about whether or not little girls belong in salons at all. Humph, I hadn’t even thought about that.
There are some valid opinions on both sides of the salon. But I think that’s a whole separate topic and wasn’t my intent for this article. Rather I want to write about the advantages of using nail polish strips instead of wet nail polish from a bottle for the little ones.
As Moms, part of the fun of having little girls is letting them get all dressed up (if they want to) including nail polish like mommy right? But getting them to stay still for more than 30 seconds is not easy. And forgedabout (I was born in Jersey, forgedabout is in the New Jersey dictionary) waiting for it to dry. Of course the younger they are, the harder it is.
On top of that, you have to worry about polish from a bottle getting spilled or smeared everywhere. And if you go the spa route, well you’ve invested even more money on this venture. (Note, use your best judgement regarding the right age to do this, and it’s never a good idea to put any kind of polish on an infant).
However, the newer nail polish strips on the market solve a lot of these problems while letting you enjoy the benefits. Here are the advantages.
1.) Nail strips are relatively inexpensive. Color Street nail strips for example, range in price from $11- $13 per package. There is no drying time and no smudging. You put them on and they are good to go. You can’t spill them. Well I guess you can but they’ll just kind of flutter to the floor and you’ll pick them up.
2.) You can still do a Mommy and me manicure or pedicure from one package and have your quality time together.
3.) There is a much bigger selection of designs and glitters, things that little girls would love.
4.) They are surprisingly durable and will last just as long and usually longer than regular nail polish, even with roughest kids.
5.) Kids love painted nails. You can get adorable holiday designs for example; Halloween and Christmas.
6.) There is nail polish on the market that is made especially for kids but it is still liquid polish so you don’t have the advantages that nail strips have (no drying time, no smudging).
7.) Lastly and most important, you don’t have to worry about fumes generally present at salons. An even bigger concern however is the possibility of an infection from a salon. This alone would be a deal breaker for me. However small the risk may be (and I honestly don’t know the numbers just that the possibility is there), it’s a chance I would not be willing to take with my child.
Are you willing to spend $25.00 for your little one to pretend to be grown up and get a spa pedicure? It just doesn’t seem right. Spa mani/pedicures are a lot about the pampering which we adults need and deserve. Absolutely you should spend quality time with your daughter, but maybe spend it on something more suitable for a child.
Nail strips done at home eliminate all of the mess and fuss that comes with polish in a bottle, creating happy girls with painted nails in a fraction of the time and cost. Keep the spa time for yourself. You deserve it!
Drop a comment below with your thoughts on this article. I’d like to hear them.
I’m glad you mentioned that nail polish strips are relatively inexpensive. My daughter wants to paint her nails Christmas colors for the upcoming holiday season, but I think she is too young to do this. I would be okay with her getting some nail polish strips since they can be taken off and won’t be too expensive.