Our story began in 1977

Helen Cantone

A beautiful, exciting place for a young girl

Our story began in 1977 when Helen Cantone, then aged 15, started work experience at a small salon called 'Nails 'N' Lashes'. It was at the famous Southern Cross Hotel — the first 5 star hotel in Melbourne, filled with beautiful boutiques and fancy cars pulling up outside the entrance. So it was a beautiful, exciting place for a young girl to do her work experience. Impressed with Helen's performance, her employer at the time asked her to join her company after she had finished her schooling. Helen was delighted at the prospect of working in a beautiful place in an industry she had passion for. So she jumped at the opportunity.

Two years later Helen bought the salon and from there she started to slowly build the business. In 1993 the Southern Cross Hotel closed and so Helen opened a new store in Little Collins Street, where she continued to run her business for another six years. In 1999 Helen decided to change her business model and create a day spa. She moved to the Sofitel Hotel and opened You Day Spa — the second day spa to open in Melbourne.

The dream began to expand, and Helen's vision of being able to inspire people to look after their bodies holistically rather than due to necessity began. As the business grew, the space at the Sofitel became too small. Helen decided to build a larger day spa next door at Level 12, 15 Collins Street — with more rooms to provide more therapies and increased privacy, and with steam rooms included in the new day spa.