by Karolina Sadza
Salons and spas are facing many uncertainties and challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. More than ever, it’s important to support local businesses. Thanks to social media and the convenience of online payment and online booking, customers can easily reach out to salons and spas for all their appointments and at-home hair and beauty needs.
As businesses continue to adapt and respond during this unique time, here are five easy ways to support salons and spas even during closures and an uncertain economy.
- Shop Local
Whether you’re replenishing your own hair and beauty products, shopping for a friend, or looking for a special gift, reach out to your favourite salon or spa. They can definitely steer you in the right direction and help you choose high-quality products. There’s nothing worse than gifting someone cheap products that they’ll hate and eventually throw away. A $5 bottle of shampoo from your local drugstore simply doesn’t compare to professional quality products from a salon or spa.
Keep an eye on salon and spa websites and social accounts for posts about curbside pickup or delivery. More than likely, businesses have lots of stock and are able to order more. As long as clients continue purchasing products, salons and spas will be able to afford to order more. During salon and spa closures, you’ve likely been trying a few DIY hair and beauty hacks. Rather than running to the drugstore to get supplies, why not reach out to your favourite pros? During the holidays they sell gift sets, and most likely they’d be more than happy to put together a customized DIY product pack for you any time of year. Nail polish, top coat, a nail buffer, and a high quality nail clipper make a great self-care gift for yourself or a loved one. If you’re not sure what your friends or family prefer in terms of products, a gift card is a great option. Not only are you supporting a local business, you’re giving a gift that keeps on giving and can be customized to individual preferences. Reach out and send a DM if you’re not sure if a particular salon offers gift cards.
- Pre-Book All your Appointments
The absolute best gift you can give a hair or beauty professional is pre-booking all your beauty appointments. This way, the salon or spa knows what to expect when things open up again. Plus, any online bookings and payments can always be used for future appointments in case you need to reschedule. Remember, if salons and spas don’t have clients in their chairs, they aren’t making an income, and they may or may not be able to survive the pandemic. Easily pre-book your children’s cuts, husband’s haircuts, massages, and manicures. Trust us, you’ll be glad you did once everyone is rushing to the salon in a frenzy when it’s safe to open businesses once again. In addition to pre-booking your appointments, sign up for salon and spa newsletters, and put your name on their waiting list if they are currently unable to accept new clients.
- Interact and Support on Social Media
If you’re not able to support local this year, take some time to like, comment, and share! Salons and spas really appreciate it when clients show them some love. It doesn’t take long on your end, and it’s a great way to show your appreciation for their talent and hard work. When you’re liking and commenting, be sure to write genuine feedback customized to each post. Try to avoid generic comments like “great”, “wow”, and “cool”, since those aren’t thoughtful. Comment something like, “Such a beautiful bob haircut, it really suits her! I can’t wait to book with you again soon!”.
- Write Reviews, Post Selfies, and Refer Friends
Client selfies are salon and spa professional’s favourites. Not only does a quick selfie showcase their work, but it also shows it off in real life, as opposed to a salon photo taken with a ring light and a perfect background. Whether you’re out and about, taking a walk, or chilling at home, a quick snap shows both current and potential clients what to expect. If you’ve just had your nails done and it’s been a few days, snap a picture. If your balayage is growing out seamlessly and you’re loving it, snap a pic, and share it with your stylist. Especially during this time, stylists love seeing real client photos that they can share on their social accounts. Another great way to support salons and spas is writing reviews. Post a review on their Facebook page, website, and any other online profiles they have. If you’re not sure where to post your review, just ask and you’ll happily be pointed in the right direction. While you’re at it, ask if the salon or spa has a referral program. You might be able to earn points, products, or services for each successful referral.
- Leave it to the Professionals
Have your bangs been growing out and you’re thinking of cutting or trimming them? Leave it to the pros. Are your ends dry and in need of a trim? Leave it to the pros. Rather than trying to trim your own hair with dull scissors that will cause fraying and split ends, wear your hair up in a fun messy bun, braid it, or curl your hair to hide any unruly ends. Waiting for your stylist is the best thing you can do for your hair, and their business. More importantly, if your roots are showing or your colour is fading, do not reach for drugstore box hair colour. Not only will you ruin your stylist’s hard work, you’ll likely be dissatisfied with the end result. Box hair dyes can be unpredictable, and they often contain low quality, harsh, or toxic ingredients. Plus, once you’re back in your stylist’s chair, you’ll end up paying more to have the hair colour stripped or corrected. Leave it to the pros. Plucking and over plucking your eyebrows can also be really tempting. Go easy with your tweezers until you’re able to book your next brow appointment. Prolonged eyebrow overplucking can result in long-term thin eyebrows that take a long time to regain their fullness. The same applies to false eyelashes. If you’re experiencing lash shed, reach out to your lash artist for tips on how to safely remove them at home, and which products to use. Removing eyelashes without care can affect the health of your natural lashes, meaning future appointments may cost you much more since you’ll need more filled in.
