A Radical Idea

A new idea has taken shape at a salon in the UK as a result of the ‘new normal’. Salon owner David Downer explains why other salons should consider doing the same.

Why are you changing your opening hours later this month? From Monday 28 June my salon, Kings and Queens Hairdressing in Northamptonshire, will be open from Monday to Friday only. I made this decision after taking a close look at the business during lockdown and realising Saturdays were not the busy days they used to be. A long time ago Saturday was the mega day of the week that was packed out and the only day that many clients were available for an appointment. Even before the pandemic we noticed there were far less walk-ins on Saturdays. The working from home trend started before 2019 but I believe it’s now here to stay. This gives clients the option to visit the salon when they would otherwise be travelling to and from the office or during their lunchbreak. Similarly it means our clients have much more flexible schedules during the working day and might choose to start or finish earlier or later than usual to fit in a hair appointment. Plus, the change means all of our clients will benefit from the fact they have to get their hair appointment ticked off during the week, which will give them extra time at the weekend to spend with friends and family. The 2020 lockdown highlighted the importance of mental wellbeing for all of us. I was at home for eight months out of 12, for example, and realised the amount of time I’d missed with my children and family due to working in the salon at weekends. I’ve got a child who will be starting football in a few weeks-time so if I was working every weekend, I wouldn’t get to see him play.

How will your new opening hours affect your profits? I don’t believe the change in opening hours will hit us financially. I do believe that giving our team free weekends will boost their mental health and wellbeing. We don’t get walk-ins anymore as everyone books via appointment. Plus, most of our clients can see us later in the evening during the week or on a Monday when most salons are closed.

How has the hairdressing industry reacted to your plans? I shared my plans on hairdressing Facebook groups and I’ve already had so many positive messages from fellow hairdressers. Some told me they were considering it, while others said they might try to phase out weekends slowly. I’m going cold turkey with it and will also be closed on bank holidays. On a bank holiday week, for example, we will be open Tuesday to Friday. doing this for them. They are really excited, especially as we’re one of the first salons to do this and they do understand it means having to work longer hours during the week to accommodate all of our clients. I believe the change in hours will be really positive from a recruitment perspective as it will give us a unique point of difference from other salons in the area.

How have your clients reacted to the news so far? We’ve had a brilliant response from our clients. One client did ask what should she do if she needs a blowdry or style for a Saturday night out. Over the years however, there has been a decline in the Friday, Saturday night party hair for us. This isn’t a crucial part of our business. Most of our clients who usually visit on a Saturday can book an appointment during the week instead. We realise we might lose a few clients but we will gain others from salons who are usually closed on Mondays.

What’s your advice to salons who are tempted to do something similar? From the response I’ve had from the team and clients so far as well as the hairdressing community – I’d say just go for it! The first client I told was excited for me and said congratulations on opening Monday to Friday. Any big change is scary at first and if you’re worried about it you could start with every other Saturday to give you and your team a better work/life balance.

What impact will this change have on your staff? The team are really happy with our plan and appreciate that we are

GEN Z

TRENDS IN COLOUR

JOHN PAUL MITCHELL SYSTEMS

There are a number of factors that influence Generation Z – those born from the mid 1990s onwards “A lot of influence is found online or via influencers who are more unapologetic about the way in which they present themselves,” says Becky Sutherland, owner of Pink Lemon Hair and Crazy Color sponsored stylist. “This is seen particularly in pop culture and it creates new social norms. Billie Eilish, for example, wore a bright green root for a long period of time, and Halsey is frequently modelling different hair colours on social media,” she says.

Gen Z are often associated with the TikTok app, where hair transformations are proving to be popular in the form of snappy video content with instant results. “Gen Z are fast becoming some of the most demanding clients and I love it,” says Gareth Williams, Revlon Professional ambassador and consumer colour educator at Salon 64. “#glowup challenges and transformative reels have made this set of social media gurus push their looks further. This generation are here to slay and they are happy to put their money where their mouth is,” he says.

You may also find your Gen Z

clients questioning the types of products you use in the salon. Not only are they on the hunt for services that will make them look and feel great, but they also want to use brands that are aligned with their values. “I’m always being asked if I use products that are natural and vegan, sulphate-free and not tested on animals,” says Dylan McConnachie, FFØR brand ambassador. “Hair brands are constantly evolving with new and natural technologies which allows clients to use a whole range of products that will leave the hair in immaculate condition,” he says.

Lockdown in particular paved the way for at-home experimentation with some unsuccessful DIY colour. Many are now seeking professional guidance however, says Lucy Trevorrow, Celeb Luxury brand ambassador. “The first problem most young people faced was the overwhelming choice of what colour to choose and why,” she says. “With that there were many failed attempts due to the user not understanding what some semi-permanent hair colours should or shouldn’t do.”

HJ asks the experts to share how to accommodate Gen Z clients in your salon, as well as the key trends to watch in the coming months...

Tap into TikTok colour trends and learn how to accommodate your Gen Z clients in the salon

CHRISTABEL LEGRAND FOR PULP RIOT

The Money Piece “There has been a resurgence of clients asking for more striking money pieces at the front,” says Simon Tuckwell, ambassador for Balmain Paris Hair Couture. “Panels of colour placed along the front hairline that are getting heavier and more daring with splashes of colour to add a real pop.” It’s a trend that can work with many hair colours. “This could be creating a more prominent contrasting chunky money piece on a natural balayage to a more random abstract panel placement. It works so well in both natural and vivid colour work,” explains Christabel Legrand, Pulp Riot ambassador. “This trend is something I was seeing a lot on TikTok a few months ago, alongside the 1990s fashion revival,” she says.

The Horizontal Split “I predict strong, monochromatic 1990s-inspired under-colour techniques, such as Dua Lipa with her blonde and chocolate two-tone hair,” says Sam Burnett, owner of Hare & Bone, which is a Goldwell salon. “This look is on the more subtle end of the scale until you see luscious ruby locks showing through an effortless icy overlay that is clean, crisp and full of impact,” adds Lucy Trevorrow, Celeb Luxury brand ambassador. “Rather than committing to a full head of fashion or vivid colour, we are predicting more muted tones and partial areas of colours in hidden areas such as underneath sections and Alice bands. These are gorgeous as they give pops of colour as the hair moves,” says Debbie G, owner of Billi Currie and a Schwarzkopf Professional ambassador.

LINDSEY LOCKS FOR CELEB LUXURY ALFAPARF MILANO

Colour Blocking Vivica Davies, Alfaparf Milano international educator notes colour blocking is a huge trend for high impact colour. “This technique works well to enhance graphic shapes such as fringes. For longer lengths a bold face frame is also wonderfully eyecatching,” she says. “Candy tones are updated through the use of contrasting depths of harmonious metallic shades. Ultra-violets or metallic rose coppers create a look that is sure to amaze,” she adds. With Gen Z shunning established styles, such as skinny jeans, you can expect them to make the same statements with their hair, explains Tracey Devine Smith, ASP global ambassador. “Hair is similarly following suit with two-tone being hot off the press and big hair with texture set to make a massive resurgence.” Creating New Characters Creating a persona can be a fun way for your Gen Z clients to express themselves. “One of the many trends on TikTok is cosplay. We’ve already seen lots of users colouring their hair to create a character,” say the Vanity Doll Salon team, who are La Riche Directions hair colour ambassadors. “Another big influence is from celebrity culture, also heavily seen on TikTok. Users will colour their hair to follow the latest trends made by their favourite celebrities or influencers.” The Vanity Doll Salon team add: “We’ve also seen a lot of users in this generation wanting to colour wigs rather than their own hair to follow these trends, so they can keep up with the fashion quickly and effortlessly.”

WHAT ABOUT MALE CLIENTS?

“We’ve seen an increase in men’s colour again,” says Balmain’s Simon Tuckwell. “The shoe shine has started to creep back in, again a true nod to the 1990s. Even flat tops have made a comeback. We’ve dusted off our flat topper from the depths of our kitbags,” he says. “It’s so important to stay on top of these trends. Clients have more access to them than ever before so we need to be ahead.” HOW TO MINIMISE WASTE WHEN USING MULTIPLE SHADES?

“Working with multiple vivids can lead to waste so for any new client I start with less and add more as needed, as I know it will all be recorded by our Vish system,” says Rhi Taylor, senior colourist at Simon Webster Salon, Brighton. “I’ll then have the exact bespoke mix ratios and can easily reproduce the same colour or tweak it at the client’s next salon visit.”

COLOUR TRENDS TO WATCH

“Colour is limitless. There are no boundaries when it comes to hair shades for mid-season 2021,” says Warren Boodaghian, head of technical for HOB Academy. “Self-expression, dramatic, super-polished and confident define the hair trends for the next few seasons. After months of being locked away it’s not about a makeover. It’s wanting to express how we feel about our inner selves and bring it to life through colour and style,” he adds.

 Grunge Vivids “Grungy vivids seem to be very popular with Gen Z. Think vivids like Crazy Color Peppermint with a blunt root drag. Alternatively it could be something easily topped up at home but isn’t a lot of maintenance at the salon,” says Amber Letham, Crazy Color sponsored stylist.

 Future Orange “One of the biggest hair colours for 2021 is orange. The choice is going to be between a bold solid statement of colour to a soft and warm gloss,” says Matrix artist, Carol Ritchie. “Face framing and even a pop of colour will continue to be big news.”

 E-Girl Pink “After we’ve settled the argument about the centre parting or side parting, what we’re expecting to see colour-wise is all about making a statement,” says Victoria Panting, technical education consultant for Salon Success. “Pastel pinks and peaches on your existing blonde locks will be a key look this spring and summer. You can also expect these shades to have an element of vibrancy even though they are pastel,” she says.

 Digital Lavender Announced as WGSN’s Colour of the Year for 2023, we predict this hue will trickle into hair colour ahead of time. “In the salon we’re seeing clients be more expressive and open to change, less balayage and more placement colour, bold sectioning and embracing strong tones sitting next to soft delicate palettes,” says HOB’s Warren Boodaghian. “Moving on from the Pantone of the Year Ultimate Gray, we are seeing an injection of lavenders, stone and metallic rose.”

DANI VAN BUREN FOR PULP RIOT AMBER LETHAM FOR CRAZY COLOR

CAROL RITCHIE FOR MATRIX

RHI TAYLOR FOR VISH SIMON TUCKWELL

SIMON TUCKWELL FOR BALMAIN

RHI TAYLOR FOR VISH

COLOUR BY WARREN BOODAGHIAN FOR WELLA

BLONDE TIP OF THE MONTH “Whether you’re foiling, doing root applications or a first time blonding service, after your thorough consultation, take fine sections and use plenty of product. The biggest issue I see is blonde hair not lifting enough or evenly. Take fine sections and make sure you leave it on long enough!” Rob Howse, Wella Professionals National Key Account Educator Managing Expectations Big colour transformations can take several visits and can come with a high cost so be open with your client. “Be honest with them about what is possible – over promising will only land you in hot water and leave you with an unhappy client if you can’t achieve results,” says Amber Letham, a Crazy Color sponsored stylist. “If your client is insistent, then gently suggest that you’re not matched for a professional relationship.”

Sources such as TikTok can be ideal for inspiration but you should always proceed with caution points out milk_shake ambassador, Andrew Smith. He says: “My team are trained on how to use in-depth consultations to ensure clients really understand the levels of commitment required to achieve specific goals. The client is guided on regularity of visits to the salon and the journey they will need to take to achieve their desired result.”

Reinforcing the importance of home care after a colour service is key. “Your client needs to understand that aftercare is vital. You should also explain what they can expect from the colour fade during their salon visit,” says Jess McMahon, OSMO ambassador and owner of Son of a Bleach in Stourport, Worcestershire. “I always advise my clients to let their colour settle for a few days after its first application, so no washing the next day or two. Instead, they can use a dry shampoo like the OSMO Day 2 Styler. Clients should also use shampoos and conditioners throughout that will lock in colour and keep it hydrated,” she advises.

Using TikTok to Educate Gen Z Social media can be a great tool for attracting clients to your business as well as educating them. “Educating the client has become easier with these platforms as I can show them the short and informative videos I’ve created on the Matrix homecare range,” points out Carol Ritchie, a Matrix artist. “I even show the difference between a professional range and a shop bought product so they see it with their own eyes,” she adds.

How to Attract Gen Z Clients Tapping into social media is the perfect way to showcase your work and salon to a Gen Z client base, says Manic Panic ambassador and educator Steven Austin. “Post regularly on TikTok with any videos you have of hair makeovers or something simple like brushing out curls. A video of a client’s wet hair at the backwash also works – all of these videos are typically ones that will get seen by the Gen Z audience and will get you noticed.”

ask The the EXPERTSLow Our beauty industry experts answer questions about every aspect of running a successful salon or spa business. Down

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I am a salon owner wanting to advertise my establishment beyond just using social media for marketing purposes. What mistakes should I avoid in terms of adverts?

Advertising can be the best investment you can make, or it can be a major expense for your business. Ask someone else to test your ads against these six common mistakes below. If you feel at any point that you have to defend or explain something in your ads, then you have a problem.

1. You do not identify and qualify your potential client in your advertising.

Ads are, by their very nature, invasive, as nobody waits for your ad to appear before them. The ad appears in front of somebody who is busy doing something else, either paging through a magazine or scrolling a social media wall. Your ad needs to tell the viewer in a single view that it is there to deliver an important message to her, and why she should not ignore it.

2. Your potential client doesn’t see in one second what your ad is about.

Generic does not attract attention. We all have a long list of things requiring our attention and we are always looking for a possible solution. When an ad addresses a specific problem and offers a solution for a problem on our list, it gets our attention. For example, one more laser clinic doesn’t address any problem or offer any solution. But a laser clinic that specialises in the removal of hair caused by hormonal change after a pregnancy addresses a specific problem. And it offers a solution.

3. You don’t prove to your potential client that you know more and provide a superior service.

Nobody likes to be a ‘lab mouse’. Your ad needs to tell the viewer that she is not the first and that the solution you offer her has benefited many before her. Once the viewer knows that she is not the first, she wants to know that you are a specialist in your field.

4. Your ad doesn’t invite your client to learn more about you and your services if she is not ready to buy at this very moment.

Only between 1% and 2% of people who view your ad are ready to buy. It is expensive to run ads only catering for this small group of people. You need to provide the viewer who is not ready to buy today, but soon will be, with a way to bond with you.

5. Your ad doesn’t provide the viewer with clear instructions on what to do next and a reason to do it without delay.

We are all conditioned throughout our lives to follow instructions. Do you provide clear instructions in your ad for the viewer to follow? And do you give the viewer a compelling reason to do so without delay?

6. Your potential client doesn’t know how to make contact with you.

As brainless as this may sound, it is unbelievable how many ads run without visible contact details. Or the ad may only display a single contact method that is not compatible with your typical client.

Raymond Schoeman is the founder and Head Course Coordinator of LaserCollege, a leading authority in aesthetic laser training. Schoeman started his career in the industry when he opened his first laser clinic in Pretoria in 2000. He is the author of two books: Textbook for Aesthetic Laser Therapy and Aesthetic Laser Treatments – Insider Secrets.