Waxing's a hairy issue for tweens - LA Daily News Page 1 of 3 Waxing's a hairy issue for I've turned people away." tweens Esser-Thorin and other aestheticians are increasingly being placed in the delicate role of educating mothers of tweens on when and where By Susan Abram, Staff Writer hair removal should and shouldn't be done. Article Last Updated: 08/25/2008 12:08:56 AM PDT In some cases, if a child's hair growth is abnormally advanced, aestheticians might agree to remove hair from between the brows or on the toes. But in some cases, they are being asked by moms to do more. And the trend is booming across the nation, partly thanks to a generation of mothers accustomed to primping at day spas. Monday's Online Poll Other parents simply want their child to fit in, Are parents who seek waxing for their preteen and if that means tweezing a child's unibrow or daughters going too far? eliminating heavy growth from their legs, a mother or a father could be willing. SHERMAN OAKS - In the world of intimate body waxing, Cynthia Esser-Thorin routinely rips the "Right around 2005, there was an influx and we hair follicles from the sensitive areas of the rich saw the numbers of teens visiting salons and and famous - and their wannabes - who come to spas increase by 25percent," said Bonnie Pink Cheeks, her Ventura Boulevard salon. Canavino, president of Amrit Organics, who also speaks on behalf of the American Association for But she draws the line when the client isn't old Aesticians. enough to wear a bra. Manicures, pedicures, facials and hair care all "I set those moms straight," Esser-Thorin said of contribute to that increase. Hair removal has mothers who seek leg, bikini or even more followed. extreme body hair removal for their 8-, 9- and 10-year-olds. "In general, hair removal is quite popular in all age groups," said Hannelori Leavy, executive "I think it's wrong. If the girl is 15 or 16, we can director and found of the 800-member Day Spa talk about waxing a little bit more intimately. But Association. "Teenagers are by far a fast- Advertisement http://www.dailynews.com/ci_10294150 8/25/2008 Waxing's a hairy issue for tweens - LA Daily News Page 2 of 3 growing majority of users of spa services. As But Mireille said she wanted to start shaping her Generation X is now having teenage children of brows earlier, not because she felt pressure from their own, they are introducing them to spa her peers but because she didn't like how her visits." brows looked. She wanted them clean, like on the faces of the models she sees in fashion Others say the trend is but one more example of magazines. sexism and the early sexualization of girls. "I was probably like 11 or 12 when I wanted it "American cultural rules for beauty are much done and I don't think 11 or 12 is too young," she more stringent for women than American cultural said. "Most people started when they were 9 or rules for men," said Kristyan Kouri, a sociology 10." professor at California State University, Northridge. "Not only are women required to Because of that, aestheticians are increasingly show off more of their body parts, but they making the decision for some mothers. At cannot have any hair on their bodies. Body hair is Goddess Salon & Spa in Granada Hills, owner seen as ugly and grotesque. As a result, there's Yahaira Kolb said she has to refuse requests for intense cultural pressure to remove the hair." intimate waxing. Burbank resident Taline Keworkian said she "From as young as 10, they come and get their brings her 13-year-old daughter, Mireille El-Jabi, eyebrows done because they don't want to get to Glendale's Le Soleil Day Spa & Salon for made fun of," Kolb said, adding that she believes eyebrow shaping and leg waxing because her teen role models on television are to blame. daughter had seen her friends do it and wanted to have it done, too. "Because of what they see, they typically want to go with the trends of the younger stars. They Keworkian said she and other parents agreed to want to have the arched eyebrows. Sometimes, it after much discussion. their moms are doing a good thing for them, to make them feel better. "For me, a little waxing is fine because it will give her some self-esteem," she said. "I know "But as far as younger females who want bikini there are parents that start earlier." wax, I refuse them because it's very scary. To me, it's this whole sense of kids trying to grow up But beyond the facial and leg waxing, Keworkian faster." has firmly told her daughter no. Esser-Thorin of Pink Cheeks also feels she plays "I'm not letting her go that far because it's too an important gate-keeping role. early for her," she said. "I told her it's not nice." Advertisement http://www.dailynews.com/ci_10294150 8/25/2008 Waxing's a hairy issue for tweens - LA Daily News Page 3 of 3 "Believe it or not, as intimately as we wax, I do reflect moral behavior," said Esser-Thorin, whose salon's motto is: "Where there's hair, we're there." While her clientele includes Playboy bunnies, she says moms need to let their daughters grow up slowly. "I discipline the moms," she said. "Underneath it all, I'm really conservative. I say you should always keep your child close to you. There's enough time for intimacy and sex." But she admits it's not an easy task to convince tweens and their mothers to wait for more intimate waxing. "The reality," she said, "is, we live in L.A." [email protected] 818-713-3664 Advertisement http://www.dailynews.com/ci_10294150 8/25/2008.