Top 10 Beauty Salon Consumer Tips

• Check your salon is a BABTAC member
BABTAC stands for the British Association of Beauty Therapy & Cosmetology and it’s the longest running trade association for the beauty industry. Look out for the BABTAC badge in the window of local beauty salons as it’s a sign they’re committed to high standards and professional development.
• Ask what products they use
If you’re allergic or sensitive to any specific ingredients that may be used in beauty products make sure you ask about what products are used before you make an appointment.
• Ask for a consultation before you book an appointment
Many local beauty salons will offer a free initial consultation and you should use this to help you gauge their level of expertise and how friendly they are. If you book an appointment without knowing much about the salon or its staff first, you could end up paying a lot of money for an appointment that doesn’t meet your expectations.
• Image isn’t everything
A beauty salon with that looks expensive and flashy both inside and out doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll give you a better level of service. If a beauty salon is charging a lot more than its local rivals, beware that you may just be paying for the surroundings and might be able to get a better treatment for less elsewhere.
• Ask about appointment cancellations
If you’ve booked an appointment at a beauty salon you haven’t been to before make sure you ask about their appointment cancellation policy. If you don’t give enough notice when you want to cancel you may be charged.
• Start off with a small treatment
When you’re going to a new beauty salon for the first time it’s a good idea to book a small and inexpensive treatment initially to get a feel for the experience before you spend a lot of money with them.
• Beware if it’s easy to make an appointment
If you call up a beauty salon at 10am on a Saturday and they can fit you in later that day then alarm bells should be ringing about how popular they are. A well established and popular salon will usually be fully booked at weekends.
• Ask about the experience & qualifications of staff members
If you’re paying a lot of money for a beauty treatment it’s only right that you know about the experience and qualifications of the salon staff. Look for certificates on the walls and if you don’t see any, don’t be afraid to ask or drop it into conversation.
• Have a look at the salon’s website
A website is a reflection of how seriously a business takes itself and its approach to winning new customers. If you see a website for a local beauty salon that’s littered with poor quality images and spelling mistakes then what does that say about the level of professionalism they have within the salon?
• Don’t be fooled by introductory offers
If a new beauty salon opens up in your area offering introductory discounts then it can be tempting to leave your current salon and go for the cheaper prices. Remember that these offers will only run for a limited time and many aspects of what you like about your old salon could be missing from the new one. If you’re happy with your local beauty salon, it’s best to be loyal and build a relationship with them over time.