The Day at the Spa Deluxe Gift Set from Creativity for Kids bundles together everything tweens need to paint their nails and pamper their feet. A popular gift for girls, the 30-piece gift set provides enough supplies for a group mani-pedi party or multiple “spa visits” for a single child. But did the experience delight our 10-year-old daughter and her friends? Read on to find out.
Design: Everything you need for a spa day at home
The Day at the Spa Deluxe Gift Set from Creativity for Kids ships with 30 different pieces, all of which will help recreate a spa experience in the comfort of your home. The kit covers all the bases from head to toe—you get a satin eye mask, press-on nails, nail polish, an inflatable pedicure pool, pedicure sandals, and more. There’s even a battery-operated nail dryer to help dry your manicure. The kit is well organized, and it’s clear what each item is supposed to do. Overall, we were impressed with the look and layout of the items in the box.
Entertainment Value: Poor quality cut the spa day short
Self-care is something we all look forward to, and this kit is no exception. The girls couldn’t wait to open it and start painting their nails and pampering their feet. Unfortunately, the quality of the materials is subpar, and their day at the spa turned into a short visit. The pedicure sandals broke, and the nail dryer, which is just a simple fan, took longer to dry than the girls were willing to wait—they were eager to put on nail stickers and ended up blowing on their nails and waving them in the air instead of using the dryer. The biggest letdown was the nail polish, which is water-based and washed off quickly after applying it. After spending time carefully painting their nails, the group was frustrated to have all that work literally go down the drain when they washed their hands for dinner. The company probably chose the washable polish to minimize messes if the bottle spills, but we would have rather used real nail polish under more careful supervision. The press-on nails also caused some problems. They’re attached to a plastic ring with small, snap-off tabs, and sometimes the tabs stayed attached to the nails, forcing us to trim off the extra plastic. Plus, the adhesive on both the nails and nail stickers didn’t hold as long as we would have liked—they lasted for the spa session but didn’t make it through the rest of the day. Not everything was a bust, though. The satin eye mask was a big hit, as were the adorable nail stickers. The girls also loved soaking their feet in the spa pool, which stayed inflated and didn’t leak. Take a look at other product reviews and shop for the best gifts for preteens available online.
Age Range: Grade school to tweens
The Day at the Spa Deluxe Gift Set is designed for children 6 to 12 years old who are looking for their first nail polish kit. Older kids and those who are more experienced with nail painting may find the kit too simplistic, and the nail polish and pedicure pool may be too messy for younger children.
Ease of Cleaning: Potentially messy, but easy to clean
This kit is relatively clean to use. The messiest part is the nail polish—one spilled bottle and the carpet, table, or your children’s clothes will be painted, too. The pedicure pool is quite fun for kids to soak their feet, but it can tip if you aren’t careful, spilling water all over the floor. Even though they can be messy, the water-based nail polish and pool spills are relatively easy to clean up.
Price: Reasonable, but know what you are buying
With a sub-$40 price tag, the cost of this nail polish kit is reasonable, especially considering the quantity of the pieces included, but the quality of the materials was disappointing. We wouldn’t recommend this kit for kids who want their nail art to last so they can show it off to friends and family. The set works best as a single-use spa experience for a group sleepover or birthday party, as the kit would entertain a group of girls for a couple hours. Plus, any issues with the nails falling off or the nail polish washing away could be overlooked since the decorations would only be temporary. In fact, these qualities could be beneficial, as the kids can easily clean up before they return home.
Competition: Good for groups, but better options exist
Since the nail looks are only temporary, consider a product like the ALEX Spa Sketch It Nail Pens Salon, which uses regular nail polish and comes at half the price if you need something more permanent. In a group setting, kids will enjoy the “spa” experience with their friends as long as they don’t mind that the nail polish washes off and the press-on nails may fall off. However, if you’re looking for a long-lasting kit to teach tweens the basics of nail polish, you should shop around.
