What is a "Hair Salon" in 2023? - The Exquisite Find

What is a “Hair Salon”?

A hair salon, also historically known as a beauty salon, is a business that offers hair and beauty related services. But there are different types of salons which all fall under the ‘beauty-related’ salons. To name a few…

Hair Salons
Nail Salon
Spas
Barber Shops
Franchises
Independent Salons
Tanning Salons
Makeup Studios

What are the differentiating grounds between all of these beauty-related businesses?

What is a Hair Salon? Is it a Beauty Salon?

A beauty salon is different than a hair salon because of it’s inclusion of extra beauty services that are not for hair.

A beauty salon can include waxing treatments, makeup services, nail and tanning services along with haircutting, styling, coloring etc.

Who do they hire?

Beauty salons typically hire industry professionals that possess various types of licenses. The requirements to acquire each license and what services each licenses are permitted to perform the vary per state.

Hairdressers
Cosmetologists
Makeup Artists (no license required in most states in the USA)
Estheticians
Color Specialists (not a special license but depending on the state or company, perhaps a special certification)
Nail Technicians

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Services Typically Offered in a Beauty Salon

💇‍♀️ Haircuts and Styling for Women

This can include blowouts, color treatments, perms, relaxers, or even updos or wedding parties.

💇 Haircuts and Styling for Men, and Children

Most beauty salons start charging children’s haircuts as for adult prices if the child is above age 13.

💅 Nail services such as manicures, acrylic nails, gel nails, pedicures.

💄 Makeup Services for special events or sometimes wedding parties

Waxing Services such as eyebrows, lip, facial, or other body waxing services.

Is a Barber Shop a Hair Salon?

Do barber shops perform the same services as hair salons?

Barber shops specialize in men’s cutting, shaves, and perform specialty beard and mustache services.

Some barbers specialize in fades, others may specialize in beards, or etched designs, but generally speaking barbers are very good at all men’s haircuts and grooming services.

Barber shops typically do accept women’s short haircuts but it depends on the barber themselves.

Who do they hire?

The requirements to acquire barber licenses and what services barbers are permitted to perform the vary per state.

Barbers
Cosmetologists (though cosmetologists are not permitted to use a straight razor on the face)

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Services Typically Offered in a Barber Shop

Fades
Haircuts
Beard trims
Mustache trims
Shaves
Lineups
Washing and styling short haircuts
Waxing Services (varies per state)
Color or gray coverage services

Walk Ins vs Appointment Only

Some barbershops only take walk ins, others are strictly appointment only. But most accept both walk ins and appointments.

Pros to Walk In Only

If the barbershop has irregular hours
Barbers prefer irregular and inconsistent schedules
If the shop has no parking walk ins are ideal
There is heavy foot traffic

Cons to Walk In Only

It is significantly more difficult to schedule regulars and build a clientele
You are entirely dependent on walk ins and do not know if you will have a busy day or not (which means you don’t know if you will be making money or not that day)
Clients risk not being able to get an appointment if it happens to be a busy day

Pros to Appointment Only

The stylist or barber knows exactly what hours they will be working
The stylist or barber knows how many services they will be performing and how much money they can estimate to be earned
Stylists and barbers are more flexible with their personal schedule
It is easier to schedule clients without the question of whether a walk in might come at that allotted time

Cons to Appointment Only

If the salon does not have a heavy foot traffic (or is in a tucked-away location) and no clients booked, the stylist or barber will not be earning any money
Clients risk not being able to get an appointment if it happens to be a busy day

What is a Hair Salon Franchise?

A franchise salon is typically a salon name that you would recognize, like Supercuts, Cost Cutters, Great Clips, or Sport Clips, but are owned by an individual instead of a corporation. The owners pay the corporation a fee to use their chain name and must maintain the brand standards and typically carry the same products that the corporate brand carries.

Franchise salons typically accept both walk ins and appointments.

Who do they hire?

Cosmetologists
Hairdressers
Barbers

Services Typically Offered in a Salon Franchise

Haircut for Men, Women, and Children
Styling
Beard Trims
Color services
Perm and Relaxing services

What are Independent Salons Hair Salons?

Independent salons are hair salons however owned by a single individual instead of a company or corporation.

Some independent salons booth rent suites so that Hairstylists, Cosmetologists, Nail Technicians, Specialists, Barbers, Estheticians, or Massage Therapists, can own and run their own independent businesses by renting the space from the owner.

The owner of an independent hair salon chooses the name of the salon building and the logo of the business, whether individual suites or an open floor salon.

If the independent hair salon or barbershop is not for booth rental, the owner chooses whether their employees are salary, commission, hourly or a combination of these. In this case the owner also chooses which services are offered, the pricing of their services.

Who do they hire?

Hairstylists
Cosmetologists
Nail Technicians
Beauty Industry Specialists (such as makeup artists, beard specialists, color specialists)
Barbers
Estheticians
Massage Therapists

Booth Rent vs Commission Salon

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Services Typically Offered in an Independent Salon

Haircuts for Men, Women, Children
Color services
Highlight services
Relaxers and straightening services
Perms
Styling services
Braids (depending on specialty)
Skin treatments such as facials, waxing, other body treatments
Nail treatments such as manicures and pedicures
Beard grooming services
Shaves
Edge ups
Massages

Independent salons, if mainly booth rental suites accept a few walk ins but mainly are appointment only.

Pros to Appointment Only Independent

The stylist or barber knows exactly what hours they will be working
The stylist or barber knows how many services they will be performing and how much money they can estimate to be earned
Stylists and barbers are more flexible with their personal schedule
It is easier to schedule clients without the question of whether a walk in might come at that allotted time

Cons to Appointment Only Independent

If the salon does not have a heavy foot traffic (or is in a tucked-away location) and no clients booked, the stylist or barber will not be earning any money
Clients risk not being able to get an appointment if it happens to be a busy day

What is a Hair Salon and Spa?

A salon and spa typically has business licenses that allow them to provide both hair and specialty skin spa services. These may include facials and other body treatments as well as a masseuse to perform massage services, or even have tanning beds or offer spray tanning services.

Salon and spas must be especially careful with their laundry and where they place their spa rooms so as not to cross contaminate their skincare areas with the loose hair inevitably in the hair service areas.

Note: A Medical Spa is different than a luxury spa. A medical spa typically performs specialty services using medicated products prescribed by a dermatologist or doctor.

Who do Salon and Spas hire?

Cosmetologists (licensed in hair, skin, and nail services)
Hairdressers
Estheticians
Massage Therapists

Services Typically Offered in a Salon and Spa

Facials
Body wraps
Waxing services
Threading
Tanning or spray tanning
Chemical Peels or Microdermabrasion
Lash extensions (specialty spas)
Manicures and pedicures
Haircuts
Color and highlight services
Styling services

Jobs and Roles is in the Beauty Industry

Owner- A Salon, spa, or barbershop owner is either the corporation or individual that owns the business and is responsible for insuring the business, employing and paying staff, and maintaining the salon, spa, or barbershop.

Manager– Second hand to the owner, in independently owned salons or barbershops, or appointed manager in a chain location. The manager oversees the well-being of the team members, if anyone has concerns, requests, suggestions, or issues, the manager is who the staff can bring it up to. In some salons the manager is who is responsible for hiring and firing employees, as well as inventory and product orders.

Regional Manager– A regional manager is only for corporations and large chain salons that have many locations over large areas or even states. A regional manager is appointed for a specific region and ensures that the managers and employees have the direct support they need from the corporate office.

Assistant Manager- The assistant manager is the manager’s right hand man (or woman). An assistant manager helps take some of the load off of the manager without being head of the responsibilities. For example, they can help with trainings, coaching new employees, making product orders, and making sure that the salon or barbershop is in top notch shape, and keep an open communication with the manager about possible improvements that might need to be made.

Employee AKA Team Member- A team member is a part of the staff. Part of the team that makes the salon or barbershop run smoothly without the responsibilities of the manager. Team members take clients and help each other make sure that the salon stays clean and an enjoyable environment to work in.

One of the best things I have ever heard, in my experience, when onboarding in a salon was this, “No one ever says ‘that’s not my job’ on a team.”

Specialist- A specialist in a salon has the same licenses and responsibilities as a team member but specializes in a specific service. For example, a color specialist might primarily or even exclusively take color services. Or a specialist in a salon might be a senior team member that has lots of experience in one area to be able to coach the rest of the team in their specialty.

Apprentice or Assistant- In some states, instead of completing all of your training hours at a school you can get hands-on experience in a salon to complete your hours prior to taking your licensing exam as an apprentice in a salon.

An assistant is someone that might exclusively do shampoos, blowouts, or styles for the stylist.

Receptionist- A receptionist is an imperative part of the team in a big or extremely busy salon with many stylists or barbers. A receptionist answers the phone, greets guests at the door, books appointments and checks guests out after their service. Being the first face a client sees when they walk in the door can make or break a salon.

What Services do Hair Salons Offer?

Haircuts for Men, Women, Children
Styling services
Color services
Highlight services
Braids
Updos
Edge ups
Perm and Relaxing services
Fades
Beard trims
Mustache trims
Shaves

Lineups
Facials
Body wraps
Waxing services
Threading
Tanning or spray tanning
Chemical Peels or Microdermabrasion
Lash extensions (specialty spas)
Nail treatments such as manicures and pedicures
Massages

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What to Expect When Receiving a Service

Courtesy, professionalism, even a friend can be found when receiving services from a specific beauty professional.

When receiving a service typically you should communicate thoroughly and be asked several questions prior to receiving the service.

Depending on which service you are receiving, some salons ask you to sign a waiver before receiving chemical treatments. Some of these forms ask for an emergency contact just in case there is a bad allergic reaction during the service.

When receiving color services, some professionals perform a test strand, to see how your hair will respond to a specific chemical or color before putting the product on your entire head to prevent any surprises and make any minor formulation adjustments beforehand.

After receiving a service at a salon of any kind it is courteous to leave a tip (in the USA) because typically most salon professionals

Tip Calculator for Hairstylists

What Makes a Good Customer?