Photo Courtesy of Makeherup.com

Setting up a new salon can be an exciting time! Getting a place of your own and running the show, rather than hiring a chair or being employed by the establishment, can give you a great sense of freedom. You can put your own personal imprint on the direction your salon takes — and maybe specialize in a particular type of beauty treatment/facials, or expertly crafted hair, for example.

Before you get to the nitty-gritty of getting the business running though, it’s easy to forget the basics. You’ll need the right kind of equipment; salon equipment can be complex and expensive, depending on the services offered by the establishment in question.

You’ll need to decide on the kind of ‘look’ you want the place to have first. If you want to attract high-end clientele, then some smart, well-spaced out and color-coordinated items will be what you’ll need to go for, preferably (if you can afford it) brands that match the aesthetic that your customers would expect. You might be opening a relatively cheap and cheerful salon, depending on the area you’re setting up in, in which case simple, sturdy and functional equipment might be more well suited. Either way, keeping the couches, sinks, chairs and so on clean should be a high priority.

If you’re offering nail work, bear in mind the ergonomics of the table. It needs to be a comfortable one for the client, and also needs to be of a manageable size to allow your technician enough room to do their work. By the same token, it’s important that there’s enough room on the table for all the various polishes, varnishes and so on that are needed.

Photo Courtesy of ElleDecor.com/Vista Estate Imaging

For hair (probably the most complex as far as equipment is concerned), washbasins, hairdryers, shampoo bowls, ghd straighteners and the hair products themselves will need to be acquired. Try and set up a storage/filing system for the products and tools if you can, to save them from getting misplaced; perhaps the more basic items by all the basins or chairs (if there is more than one) and the less well-used or more expensive items in a central location. Supply trolleys are an option you might consider as well.

Chairs need to be comfortable (obviously!), although, how well they fit in with the overall décor is important as well; it’ll be very noticeable if the chairs don’t match the rest of the salon. Ensure that they can be easily adjusted and rotated as well. It’s pretty frustrating to be battling with a chair while you’re trying to help a client!

Couch rolls are something you should pay a little attention to as well. Although they’re a disposable item, they need to be of decent quality. Couch rolls should be comfortable to lie on, but fairly tough and absorbent, too.

There’s a lot to consider when getting salon equipment, but there are various stores online where you can buy more of what you need. Why not check out salon furniture online at www.beautyexpress.co.uk to help build the salon you’ve always dreamed of having?

Are any of you lovely ladies opening up your own salon? Let us know by commenting below, which will automatically be posted to our Community Forum (click here to check it out!) where you can find other beauty related discussions! Don’t forget to also submit a photo to our Photo Of The Day (click here!) feature, where a new photo will be picked daily. Your photo just might be selected, so get going!

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