Dreaming of being the next Vidal Sassoon or Frédéric Fekkai – or are you as talented with the comb and scissors as they are?
Have you watched Edward Scissorhands as a child and wished you could be as adept at snipping and cutting (hair, that is)?
If you’re thinking of starting a beauty salon business, good choice: according to this Forbes article, beauty salons are recession-proof businesses (along with storage, wedding, and toothpaste).
The good news is, starting a beauty salon business is relatively inexpensive. (You don’t even have to have a physical location to start one – you can start by doing home service.)
If you want to try your hand at starting a beauty salon business, here are three essential items you can’t do without.
1. Cutting and Styling Tools
Okay, so this one’s a no-brainer. Every beauty salon startup needs a stylist armed with a sturdy, sharp pair of cutting scissors and, of course, a comb. Other cutting essentials include hair pins, brushes, head clamps, and hair grips.
Investing in good hair cutting tools is essential if you’re planning to hire in-house stylists. On the other hand, if you’re planning to set up a “booth rental”-style salon, where stylists simply lease “space” (that is, salon chairs) from you, you might not need to purchase hair cutting tools, in which case you can opt to invest in your salon’s furniture and other equipment instead.
Next to hair cutting tools, you also need styling tools to add that finishing touch.
One styling must-have is a dryer. If you don’t have a lot of stylists, consider investing in a hood dryer. This saves you time and frees you up to serve another customer while your first one goes “under the hood,” so to speak. If you’re on a budget, a handheld blow dryer will work just fine too.
Other styling tools you can invest in include curlers, straighteners, and diffusers.
2. Furniture
A beauty salon wouldn’t be complete without furniture. For starters, you will need height-adjustable chairs for your customers. Additionally, there are reclining chairs that you can use with a wash basin for shampooing and rinsing.
If you’re just starting out, you can make do with one wash basin, which can then be shared by two or three stylists. Make sure to choose an ergonomically designed wash basin (and chair), as some poorly designed ones can strain your customer’s necks.
Speaking of furniture, you will also need a styling station, composed of a table (where a stylist sets up her styling tools and implements), a mirror, and a lamp. Styling stations need to be fitted with electrical outlets too, for plugging in blow dryers and other equipment.
3. Supplies
Finally, you need to stock up on supplies too. Shampoos and conditioners are beauty salon staples. Aside from these, you will also need to have the following on your shelves:
- hair and hand towels
- paper towels and facial tissue
- gloves (plastic or rubber)
- styling gels, hair spray, serums, and mousse
- mixing bowls and hair color applicators
- hair clamps, clips, and rollers
- shoulder capes
Additionally, you can look at apps and software programs (some are free, others paid) that will help you take care of managing client bookings and appointments.
With these, you can now start your very own salon business. Later on, once your beauty salon is all set up and running, you can add other equipment and tools, or even expand your offerings.
