As a professional therapist or technician you will have completed your training and be looking at offering treatments. One of the biggest decisions you will need to make is what products to use.
There can be a temptation to walk into a beauty wholesaler and simply stock up on whatever products are the cheapest. Whilst this is fine for some things, your major products will require a lot of research.
What Are You Qualified To Use?
First of all, look at your qualifications. Have you been trained to only use a particular brand or was it more generic? Some suppliers will only sell products to you if you hold a qualification that they recognise and others will offer conversion courses to teach you all about their particular products and how to use them.
If you have a brand in mind for treatments such as nails, skincare, waxing, tanning or lashes, it may be worth looking for a salon that offers this brand. Book yourself in for a treatment so that you can try the product for yourself. This way you will now how it looks, feels and lasts and can offer it to your own clients with confidence.
Reviews
Online reviews are also a great way to narrow down your product choices. Have a look at a variety of industry forums and social media pages and read the comments there. See if there are any common complaints or problems as well as any exciting features. Take into account where you are reading the comments, if the site or page is run by the company concerned then you may not get an objective view.
Consumer Recognition
When considering a brand, take into account whether you have heard of it as a consumer. Some clients will actively seek out a salon that stocks a particular brand of skincare, nail products or false tan because they have seen it in magazines or endorsed by a celebrity. Whilst this should not be your only reason to choose a brand, it can be a factor as it may help to drive clients to your business.
Buy Cheap, Pay Twice
It is easy when first setting up your business to try and buy products as cheaply as possible. Whilst shopping around makes perfect business sense, cheap is not always best. Buying products from auction sites or second hand sources means you do not know if they are genuine or what they contain. There are many fake versions of popular brands which may contain ingredients that are not in the original. This leaves your clients at risk of serious reactions and may invalidate your insurance. For this reason, you should always purchase your products from reputable and authorised outlets.
Each therapist should choose a product that works for them and their business. If you buy a product that you believe in, then your clients will too.