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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - It was never a matter of if esthetician Meagan Desjardins would ever open her own business, it was always a matter of when.

Esthetician Meagan Desjardins shows off her new spa in the Roman Empire Building in downtown Yellowknife on July 15. - Thandiwe Vela/NNSL photo

Earlier this year, the Yellowknife-born-and-raised Desjardin's longtime dream came true when she opened Ethanda Day Spa, the city's newest full-service spa, located on the second floor of the Roman Empire Building on 51st Street.

"Having my first client was really exciting and fun," she said, recalling the February day when Ethanda opened its doors. "It's my dream come true."

Despite having split her time for the past eight years between Joie De Vivre, another spa in town, and offering wedding services at spas in the Virgin Islands, the 28-year-old said she never lost sight of the goal of opening her own spa. For years ago, she chose the name for her future spa. She said Ethanda -- "beauty" in Slavey – embodies her goal of having something unique but which also represents the North.

"I've always known I wanted to do this," Desjardins said, noting the entrepreneurial spirit she inherited from her parents Bill and Sandra Stirling, owners of Overlander Sports. "I didn't want to work anywhere else -- I wanted to work for myself.

"I wanted to have control over everything that I did and every aspect of the business to provide a better service."

Desjardins, along with part-time esthetician Veronica Speers, offers a wide range of services at her spa, specializing in nail care, skin care, body care, waxing and makeup.

With at least half a dozen full-service spas in Yellowknife, Desjardins said what sets Ethanda apart is her commitment to the use of organic products, including vegan nail polish and the Hungarian skin care line ilike.

"I think the market was ready for some organic stuff, and that's my niche," she said. "There's a lot of chemicals in skin care products that are toxic to the body that we put on our bodies daily.

"We're becoming more aware as consumers about these awful chemicals," Desjardins added, noting the organic products at her spa are free of known human carcinogens including toluene and formaldehyde.

"Meagan is really knowledgeable about her products," confirmed hairstylist Natacha Saravanja, a former Joie De Vivre client of Desjardins who followed her to Ethanda. "She cares about things that are safe for you, good for the environment and good for your body."

Saravanja said she and others in the beauty industry often refer clients to Desjardins, who she called a "proficient" esthetician.

"She's really passionate about what she does and that shows through in her work."

Desjardins said most of her business so far has been through word of mouth – and that its been growing. While clients were able to make same-day appointments when she first opened, now they have to book them two days in advance. Some people are making appointments for September.

By the end of the year, Desjardins plans to move Ethanda to a bigger location on Franklin Avenue, unveil a new line of makeup and expand services to include sunless tanning, body rubs and wraps as well as cellulite and stretch mark treatments.

"I think everyone here works really hard and needs to be pampered in the North," Desjardins said. "We live in a rugged climate, so I think we deserve a nice spa to pamper ourselves in."

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