In the Grand Central subdivision of Bradford West Gwillimbury, local resident Patricia Nascimento runs her own spa business out of her basement, Patricia’s Esthetics.
An alternative to storefront salons, Nascimento said offering people an in-home salon experience keeps the service more personal with flexible appointment times.
“I’m very flexible; my latest appointment can go at 8 p.m. or 9 p.m.,” she said.
A lot of Nascimento’s clients are stay-at-home moms, so her cozy and family-friendly space makes it easier for them to bring their children along to appointments.
“I remember when I was on maternity leave, I wanted to get my nails done but you can’t go to a salon with a kid, no way,” she said.
“A lot of my clients have kids and it’s easier for them to come here where they have a safe place for their kids to play.”
In her salon, she has a nail bar, pedicure station, and waxing area. The lightly-coloured green walls and soft music make for a relaxing and soothing environment.
The wall of nail polish colours makes you feel like you are Dorothy over the rainbow. There are plenty of shades to choose from, from electric blues to blush pinks.
If there’s one thing Nascimento is committed to, it’s the cleanliness and sanitization of all her tools.
“I’m confident everything is sterile here and people don’t have to worry about that,” she said.
Pedicures are Nascimento’s most popular service this time of year. With sandal and wedding season upon us, she said she loves helping people look and feel their best.
“You could be having the worst day ever, and you get your nails done and you feel like a whole new person,” she said.
She said she also loves seeing the transformations with her waxing jobs.
“Even waxing eyebrows — it changes the look of your face,” she said.
Nascimento studied makeup artistry at George Brown College in Toronto. It was there she volunteered to be a practice model for fellow esthetics students.
After dabbling in that field of work, she realized her passion for the esthetics business, and switched her focus from makeup to esthetics.
Prior to opening her in-home salon, Nascimento managed two nail salons at Toronto Pearson Airport. She and her family decided to make the move to Bradford four years ago in favour of a more suburban lifestyle.
With her two daughters, ages four and six, she said they love living in the growing community.
“Everybody here all has young kids so you always have playdates,” she said.
Once her youngest daughter goes to school next year, Nascimento plans to do some more advertising for her business and possibly expanding to include facials in her service menu. Currently, she offers manicures, pedicures, and waxing.
Patricia’s Esthetics is open by appointment only. For more information, visit the Facebook page or Instagram account @patriciasesthetics, or call 416-892-7028.
