Ladies...ladies...thank you for all the great ideas keep them coming.
I am also very excited that a lot of us want to open up a salon based upon the principles we learned here.
As for me I truly believe that beauty care and making someone feel good about themselves is my PASSION in life. I want my salon/spa-to-be to be a haven for women. I believe too many of us work too hard, and need to truly be pampered by well educated beauty experts with POSITIVE ATTITUDES. To often salons add more stress to women's lives than they remove.
My salon and day spa would offer the services of a full-service salon and a full service spa. When my clients enter I want them to remove all of the things that are waying them down and put on a plush and soft robe. I would also provide slippers of some sort (still working this out in my head) to all my clients, so that they feel completely comfortable while in my salon. The background music would be a combo of Neo-Soul, Jazz, and Smooth R&B, and it will be played at a comfortable volume. I also plan to have a set of I-Pods or something similar to offer to my clients that I will load with different types of music so that they can listen to whatever genre they choose if they prefer to completely block out the world. They would not be able to have that on when a relaxer or color is being applied because I want them to concentrate on what they are feeling.
The hairdressers at my salon would be certified cosmetologists ofcourse, but they would also have to service clients based upon the principles of this board. When a new client comes in they will get a private consultation in an office, that way a woman doesn't have to feel ashamed to express what her true hair goals are out of fear of someone elses judgement. The hairdresser has to make client feel comfortable in knowing that he/she is there to help the client achieve their goals. We will also take pictures of progress, because I believe it is really encouraging when a client is able to see how far they have come.
OVERBOOKING must be avoided at all costs.
Someone mentioned before that they hate to have several different hands in their head, I agree with that. Especially when it comes to styling the hair and relaxing the hair.
My salon will use Bone/seamless combs only!!! This might get expensive but I believe the difference in my customers hair will be worth it. Also everyone will have have be well versed in how to handle hair when its wet.
Naturals of all textures and lenghts will be well cared for in my salon. No one will ever be pressured to get a relaxer, it all goes back to the clients hair goals.
My stylists will be versed in stretching relaxers and encouraging clients to stretch their relaxers. Some might say you will lose money this way, but I believe that if you show your customer how to have the healthiest hair possible they will keep coming back to you, because they trust your intentions.
I hope to find the most comfortable chairs possible for the dryers, styling, and washing. I will have Nail care experts in the salon that can do your nails while you are under the dryer.
Deep conditioning under the hair dryer or with steam, will be mandatory for every client when they are in my salon. They will not be charged extra for this, unless there is a specific type of deep conditioning they want to do with a specific product that might be more expensive.
No Scissor Happy Stylists allowed. Once the ends are in good condition the hair will not be trimmed every six weeks unless the customer is maintaining a certain style. If length is their goal it will only be trimmed every couple of months.
Protective Styling will be encouraged and taught to my stylists and clients.
I will promote LHCF to all of my clients who want to grow their hair long and healthy.
I will refuse to perform a certain service that the client is insisting on, if I know that it will ultimately end in damaged hair. I'd rather lose money than be responsible for an unhealthy head of hair.
I'm sure there's tons more for me to say, but that's it for now.
Stop the madness, already!
