Sometimes a stressed out mom just needs a little pampering. That’s why Erin Van Oene, a mom herself, decided to launch her business, Time Out Beauty Retreat. Her salon and spa not only pampers mom but takes care of the ones that wear pampers too, reports the Edmonton Journal.
At the aptly named spa, everyone gets a time out — kids in the supervised playroom and moms in the salon. There’s also a manicure/pedicure area, a makeup table and private treatment rooms for massage and waxing. The Shangri La room includes a personal infra-red detoxifying sauna and a steam shower, along with a comfy chair in which to relax or read.
Salon staff offer customers a drink menu with options ranging from cappuccino to herbal tea, plus a “treat tray” with a cookie, some nuts or cheese and crackers, depending on the day. Meanwhile, childcare staff carouse with their kids in the nearby — but out-of-sight — playroom.
Van Oene knows that squeezing personal pampering into a busy mom’s limited down time can be anything but relaxing. Before she opened Time Out, she was at home full time with her own boys — Liam, 2, and Gabe, 3. Now, they spend their days at the salon with their mom, playing with the stream of new kids who come through the playroom.
“Every night, Gabe asks, ‘Mummy, do we have any kids to play with tomorrow?’ ” Van Oene says. “They love it.”
Photo by mhedstrom