Abu Dhabi’s young princesses now have a new place to pamper themselves and their queen mothers crazy at the Hello Kitty spa.
Every girl remembers painting her nails and trying on her mother’s make-up as a child. It was fun to look at all the colours and imitate the person you look up to the most. So naturally, the idea of a spa geared towards young girls would be a hit – and who better to provide one than Hello Kitty?
A Hello Kitty Beauty Spa opened on the third floor of the House of Fraser in the World Trade Center mall on October 31, 2013. It’s the first Hello Kitty Spa in Abu Dhabi and only the second in the United Arab Emirates.
The spa’s director, Fatima Sharaf, says, ‘We offer a truly unique experience. As one of the only Hello Kitty-themed beauty spas in the world, we provide little princesses the experience of a day spa in an environment that is fun, sophisticated and comfortable.’
Hello Kitty is a fictional Japanese character; a cat which is normally pictured wearing a red bow and described as three apples high. She was designed by Yuko Shimizu in 1974. As the story goes, Hello Kitty was born in London because, at the time, Britain was trendy in Japan. She has a twin sister named Mimi.
The character, which was originally printed on coin purses, exploded into a US $5 billion a year franchise that includes clothes, accessories, a television series, theme parks and of course, spas.
Decorated in pale pink and white from top to bottom, the spa is tucked away in the kids’ department of House of Fraser. White drapes divide the entrance of the spa from the service floor, giving clients privacy.
Once inside, you face Kitty Cafe, which serves, tea, coffee, fresh juice and of course, cupcakes and cookies. To the right are hair and massage stations, to the left, nail stations and a make-up and styling area.
The furniture is all decorated according to a vintage-chic theme, with a round pink couch in the centre of a party area. All of the towels are adorned with the Hello Kitty logo.
The spa offers all the treatments you’d expect. It also offers packages fit for children such as Her Royal Kitty-ness, which includes a manicure, hair styling, make-up application, a cupcake and drink. A Queen Mother and Her Kitty-ness package is designed for mothers and daughters.
The spa menu is divided into Kitty Queen and Kitty Princess. ‘Queens’ will find that the spa offers treatments such as speciality manicures and pedicures, facials and massages to name a few. And although the selling point of this spa is its focus on children, it offers more professional treatments such as hair botox – an eco-friendly, formaldehyde-free hair treatment to restore lost protein and add bounce, as well as skin firming facial treatments to target wrinkles.
The highlight, however, is the Kitty Princess menu, which features make-up, face painting, face masks and facials for kids. All of the beauty products are natural and non-toxic, making them suitable for sensitive skin.
The facials come in flavours such as chocolate, oatmeal and honey, with a strawberry facial designed specifically for teenagers.
Which little girl wouldn’t want her birthday here? Fortunately, the Hello Kitty Beauty Spa hosts kid’s parties for up to 20 guests. Every detail is planned for you, including food and a Hello Kitty cake. Girls will receive treatments – usually manicures, nail art and hair or make-up – and then, when they are all done up, they have a karaoke party in the spa.
Treatments range from Dhs15 to Dhs350. Daily 10am-10pm, Hello Kitty Spa, third floor, House of Fraser, World Trade Centre mall, Hamdan Street, www.hellokittybeautyspa.com (02 447 5210).
