FAIRHOPE — What is your ideal relaxation treatment?

A full body massage or a facial?

Both are wonderful and relaxing, but my favorite part was always the head massage.

Two young entrepreneurs just opened a spa in Fairhope that focuses on just that, called Well Head Spa.

Marianna Jordan and Emily Hoven met at Springhill College where they were both cheerleaders. Jordan grew up in Mobile and Hoven on the Eastern Shore. When meeting the two, you would never imagine they met only four years ago. They are a ripe old age of 22 years old and already on their second business.

In their senior year, they took notice of the white bounce house trend on social media and jumped into business with both feet. In just one year, they built a strong business and sold it in February. The recent college graduates were looking for a new business idea when they kept seeing head spa videos on TikTok. They wanted to experience it, but the closest to the Alabama Gulf Coast is in Atlanta and in January that business was booked out for an entire year.

They recognized the potential, found the next closest in Dallas and booked a trip.

"We had to go to Sage Head Spa. They have multiple locations in Palm Beach and Dallas," Jordan said. "We ended up going to Dallas about a month ago to experience it, see how they do it and (how) we can make ours better."

They both enjoyed the experience and felt relaxed and destressed, but they found a place they could improve.

"I noticed in Dallas that we left with our hair wet, so we ended up going to a blow out bar right down the street," Jordan said.

"We were both like this is kind of weird going out with your hair wet," Hoven said. "She put our hair up in a claw clip and it looked (cute), but we were like people are not going to want to go somewhere else and spend money to get a blow out."

The women took note that the head spa they visited in Texas was staffed with estheticians who could not style hair. They decided to find a cosmetologist who could do it all.

They hired Mary Catherine Stapleton, a cosmetologist with 10 years of experience. It just so happens she had also seen the head spa videos on TikTok a few years ago.

"I ... was like, 'oh my goodness. If that came to Fairhope that would just be the end of everything," Stapleton said. "This is the best thing in the world. The minute I saw the ad I was like, 'That's it. That is what I want to do.'"

This business came together quickly. In February, they sold Bay Bounce. In March, they did their research at a head spa in Texas, found a room in a local business for rent that fit their needs and hired Stapleton. Stapleton took a scalp training course, but many of the skills she needs are things she learned in her cosmetology training.

Hoven and Jordan wanted to carry their interest in organic and non-toxic products into the business and sourced products that fit.

THE EXPERIENCE

The service menu is short and sweet at Well Head Spa.

Customers have the pick of the full-service head spa treatment or express head spa treatment. Both include deep shampoo and condition, scalp massage and blow dry. Customers can be out the door in 45 minutes with the express. The full service has the addition of scalp analysis and red-light therapy and lasts a luxurious 65 minutes. Customers can also add hair styling for an additional fee.

The scalp analysis begins with a specialized machine that looks at the scalp in magnification to identify areas of buildup and dry or oily scalp. Customers are given an opportunity to see their scalp condition before the treatment begins.

Next, Stapleton chooses the hair products needed for the customer's scalp type and issues and begins the shampoo, conditioner and scalp massage, which lasts for 40 minutes (and 30 minutes for the express). Each service is customized to the customer.

In addition to an incredibly clean scalp, the whole experience is relaxing. Stapleton said she can feel it when the customer relaxes a few minutes into the experience, and the reviews have been great.

"So far, they have loved it. They love the relaxation," Stapleton said. "They don't have to talk and can just relax and enjoy their time."

Jordan and Hoven are a perfect example of true entrepreneurship. They both have "day jobs" and manage the spa. When asked if they had any advice for the young entrepreneur, they said yes.

"You have just got to jump in and do it," Jordan said. "This one, more than Bay Bounce, we just went in and did it. You can't listen to what other people say. You are never too young or too old to do anything."

Hoven added, "Don't let your age hold you back."

Hoven and Jordan are already making plans to expand if the reception continues. The Well Head Spa currently only has one cosmetologist and treatment room, but they can see expanding locally and in the surrounding states. This duo is one to watch.