5 ways to support salons and spas during the pandemic
By Karolina Bourne, Contributor
Salons and spas are facing many uncertainties and challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. More than ever, it’s become important to support local businesses. Thanks to social media and the convenience of online payment and bookings, 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, we’ve put together five easy ways to support salons and spas in Calgary this spring.
1. Shop local
Whether you’re replenishing your own 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 giving someone cheap products that they’ll hate and eventually throw away. A five-dollar bottle of shampoo from a drugstore simply doesn’t compare to a product from a local salon or spa.
Keep an eye on salon and spa websites and social media 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 this. 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 holidays, like the upcoming Easter, they sell gift sets, and they’d likely be more than happy to put together a customized DIY product pack for you any time of the year. Nail polish, topcoat, a nail buffer, and a high-quality nail clipper makes 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, but you’re also giving a gift that keeps on giving and can be customized to individual preferences. Reach out and send a message if you’re not sure if a particular salon offers gift cards.
2. Pre-book all your appointments
The absolute best gift you can give a hair or beauty professional is to pre-book all your beauty appointments using localized phone apps such as Beautster*. The Calgary-based marketplace and community gives users the ability to book hair and beauty appointments all from the comfort of their own homes.
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 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 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.
3. Social media interaction and support
If you’re not able to support local this year, take some time to like, comment and share. Salons and spas 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!”
4. Write reviews, post selfies and refer friends
Client selfies are a salon and spa professional’s favourite thing. Not only does a quick selfie showcase their work, it also shows it off more realistically, 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, take a photo and share it with your stylist. Especially during this time, stylists love seeing real client photos that they can share on their social media 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.
5. 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 overplucking your eyebrows can also be really tempting. Go easy with your tweezers until you’re able to book your next 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 more, since you’ll need more filled in.
In these trying times, sometimes a simple haircut and style, or some freshly shaped eyebrows can make all the difference in how we cope and feel about ourselves. By utilizing local salons and spas, we can support both ourselves and those who live to make us beautiful.
*Karolina Bourne is the Marketing Communications Manager of Beautster
