To the outside world, it might seem that the beauty industry is something that does not change greatly, but if you work within it you will be well aware of how quickly it is evolving. Salon owners and therapists will know that what worked or was relevant five years ago, or even last year, will no longer cut it with your clients. It can mean that salons who stick with tradition are being left behind, so what do you need to do to make sure you keep up with the changes?
Changing consumer expectations
There was once a time where clients in a beauty salon expected nothing more than some beautiful red almond nails and a relaxing facial to feel a little bit better about themselves. Nowadays, there is a demand for results driven treatments and professional grade skincare that means salons are often expected to perform miracles. In a post-pandemic, TikTok-dominated era, there is a growing demand for transparency, expertise and safety in every type of beauty or aesthetics business. People are better before informed than they were before and so salons need to raise their game in what is now a very competitive market.
The rise of advanced aesthetics and skin health
There will always be a market for the traditional beauty services such as lash extensions, waxing and gel nails, but they are now being joined by things like skin boosters, microneedling, LED therapy, peels and aesthetics treatments like Botox and fillers. In addition to this, salons are moving away from some of the traditional skincare brands to medical grade skincare that offers more dramatic results. The desire for pampering is still there, but increasingly, clients are looking for performance and prevention instead.
The technology generation
Another factor that has changed the beauty landscape is the introduction of technology, meaning that beauty therapists are required to be more Elon Musk than Elizabeth Arden. Things like electrical facials remain on the NVQ syllabus, but the most popular treatments often involve digital skin analysis, body toning machines, LED masks and plasma centrifuges.
If this wasn’t enough, salons are also being shifted into the digital age through things like booking apps, online consultations, and even AI-led skin care. This means you don’t just need to be able to harness the technology needed to improve your client’s skin, but you also need to have a strong online presence, social media campaign and the ability to make use of user-generated content. If all this sounds like a foreign language, it’s time to start doing some digital homework.
The importance of training and qualifications
Anyone who has followed UK Beauty for a while will know how much emphasis I put on getting the right training and qualifications in place. Of course, this is essential for safety purposes and best practice, but it is also in demand by your clients. CPD is no longer optional as the ever-increasing raft of new treatments means therapists, aesthetics practitioners and nail techs all need to be keeping on top of the latest trends, skills and products. Your clients care more about your credentials these days than they used to, especially when it comes to advanced treatments, so all beauty professionals need to be prepared to upskill on regular basis if they want to stay relevant and competitive.
Running an ethical business
So, you’re running an effective social media campaign, you’ve trained in some new skills an invested in new technology. Surely, you have everything covered now? Not unless you’ve thought about the ethical credentials of your business, too.
The consumer is more focused on the ethics and eco friendliness of your business than ever before. They are making choices about where to spend their money based on the products you use, how they are sourced and how sustainable your business is likely to be. That means there is an increasing shift towards cruelty-free, vegan, refillable and sustainable products, not to mention businesses who show awareness of their environmental impact through their product choices, waste policies and energy use.
There is so much more that I could say about how the beauty industry is changing – there are new business models emerging and an increasing reliance on social media. All of this plays a crucial role not only in chasing new clients but retaining your existing ones, so it is important to pay attention to this before you see your appointment book with too many empty spaces.
It might seem an overwhelming list of things to think about, but it is important to remember that you don’t need to do everything, just make sure you’re not doing nothing. Now is a crucial time to audit your business and find out what action you could take to make sure it remains competitive. Don’t forget you don’t have to do everything for yourself; there are professionals like me out there who can help you to get to grips with things like social media, leaving you free to do the things you do best. If you want to know more, drop me an email at ukbeautyonline@gmail.com.
