Insider

Insider, our exclusive business round-up, polled beauty salons and spas in South Africa to track business in November 2019.

Insider Spa Spa business, particularly hotel spa business, proved brisk in November 2019, with the majority reporting an increase in business as compared to the same time in 2018. Reasons cited by various spas ranged from the following: big groups; repeat groups from the previous year; a different hotel guest type with more free time, the introduction of poolside treatments; treatment price increase; a better quality clientele that was open to add-ons and upgrading their services to signature services.

We asked you if you offer alternative/ holistic therapies in your spa (.i.e. reflexology, acupuncture, reiki, crystal healing) and the majority said no. A few spas do offer reflexology, while others expressed an interest in offering reflexology and acupuncture. One or two spas were resolutely against such therapies, while one Johannesburg spa offers crystal bowl sound therapy and Flowerscape Therapy. As to whether you offer nutritional supplements for retail, most of you said no, the one or two who said yes, offer ingestible collagen.

Insider Salon At last some positive news from salons, which struggled throughout 2019 – there was a slight upturn in business for most salons polled, particularly in the second part of November, with the approach of the holiday season. Treatment business was either slightly up on November 2018, or remained the same, for the most part. Retail business, unfortunately, remained slow, with only a few salons reporting an increase.

As to whether you offer supplements in your retail, many offer collagen supplements. We asked you if you offered alternative/ holistic treatments (i.e. reflexology, acupuncture, reiki or crystal healing) and only one or two offer reflexology, with most of you not interested in alternative treatments in general. PB

SALON SPA AVERAGE TREATMENT ROOM OCCUPANCY 70 % AVERAGE TREATMENT ROOM OCCUPANCY 51 % The month in numbers

HOW DID TREATMENT BUSINESS IN NOVEMBER 2019 COMPARE WITH NOVEMBER 2018? 79 % 11 % 10 %

BETTER SAME WORSE

HOW DID RETAIL BUSINESS IN NOVEMBER 2019 COMPARE WITH NOVEMBER 2018? HOW DID TREATMENT BUSINESS IN NOVEMBER 2019 COMPARE WITH NOVEMBER 2018? 53 % 33 % 14 %

BETTER SAME WORSE

HOW DID RETAIL BUSINESS IN NOVEMBER 2019 COMPARE WITH NOVEMBER 2018?

SAME SAME BETTER BETTER 65 % 20 % 7 % 5 % WORSE WORSE 28 % 75 %