In our recent American Salon Business Sentiment Survey*, we asked respondents which of the current trends are affecting their business the most. Here are some of the key dynamics our audience commented on, which includes the good, the bad and the ugly. Of course, many of these comments are based on regional trends, but it’s interesting to hear what’s happening across the country!
1. There’s a big emphasis on clients going natural to save money or time, or both.
“We are seeing more natural coloring. Some are wanting to go gray to lower the maintenance.”
“We are getting requests for low maintenance color and styles. This trend leads to fewer visits to the salon.”
“Get rid of the white hair trend, we’re losing good color clients!”
“Some women want head shaves or buzz cuts to reduce hair care costs.”
“People want simple beauty without long tedious finishes.”
2. There is a general satisfaction with the quality of new products coming online, including the move toward less toxicity:
“Products and colors are so much better all the time.”
“There are more requests for more organic products and more natural ingredients. People are willing to invest in them.”
“There is a lot of fun color going on today!”
3. In fact, there’s a huge trend toward wellness and self care overall:
“People who care about their hair also care about their bodies and are more health conscience, which is why we are using a plant-derived product line for most everything we do. People are aware of everything nowadays and that affects every business.”
“The times are really pushing salons into providing more of a spa setting.”
“People want to feel special and to feel unique. One size does not fit all.”
“The trend of more self care for women seems to have us busier than ever. It’s good for business and it’s good for our clients to be relaxed and beautified.”
4. Men of all ages are trending:
“Young men are more willing to invest in personal style.”
“Fade-out barbers are very busy in our area.”
“Teenage boy perms are trending.”
“More men are coming in to be serviced.”
“Men’s hair is phasing out the fade cut and slowly going back to long styles. You are going to have a shortage of barbers who know how to cut a long cut without clippers.”
5. Retail challenges still abound:
“Clients are buying products and tools direct from Ulta or Amazon.”
“There are too many options for buying retail, I'm ready to quit selling products.”
“The retail part of it has changed drastically. There isn't as much loyalty to salons/salon owners. Hot celebrities are selling makeup or hair products and that is what everyone wants.”
6. The growth of private lofts and studios continues to rise, as stylists seek independence and the ability to set their own work hours:
“What I see trending is that everyone is going solo, independent!”
“So many of our stylists don't want to work evenings or weekends."
“Solo salons are a great concept, but there isn’t the feeling of teamwork or the opportunity to learn from a great owner in an independent setting.”
“Stylists are leaving high-end salons to go out on their own. It’s bittersweet for both.”
“I think by leasing a salon loft you have more privacy, can adhere to your ‘mission statement’ and have a more one-on-one experience with each guest!”
7. The rise of “kitchen stylists” has professionals going to clients’ homes or working out of their own residences, causing alarm for some:
“Non-licensed professionals are providing services.”
“My staff is setting up stations in their home. Clients like to talk, so it’s not a secret.”
8. There is a growing frustration with professionalism, or the lack of it in some salons:
“It blows my mind that people don’t want to fix their hair and make-up to go to work anymore. This was a big discussion in a class I taught recently. They also don’t want to work in a salon that makes them show up with hair and make-up done.”
“The new stylists are more concerned about profit than perfection. They are lackadaisical, unprofessional and arrogant and don't want to take constructive criticism.”
9. There’s an overall love/hate relationship with social media. On the one hand it’s a vehicle to promote services and educate clients, but it’s also encouraging some to do DIY styling that often ends in catastrophe:
“My clients are learning more about their hair through social media. Many will sit in my chair and discuss trends with me that they never discussed before. At this point in time they’re just discussing it because the majority of my clients are very classic in their approach to good, healthy hair care. But social media is the one area that I think is affecting our business tremendously.”
“With so much online, people think they can do at home. Then they come in and we have a mess to resolve.”
“They do it at home and then they want you to reverse the errors that they made, but they don't want to pay for the necessary items needed to help them.”
“Too many influencers who have never gone through training are offering advice on hair. Then we as stylists have to explain more and work harder. Companies are depending too much on influencers to make sales for them, instead of spending that money on the salons that offer their products. Small salons can’t compete with big-box chains.”
10. On a high note, there’s plenty of enthusiasm for current trends and the variety of colors that are available now. Glamorous long-hair looks are spurring some excitement as well:
“Lots of color! Everyone wants bold color!”
“We are doing lots of long gypsy hair cuts; ‘70s and ‘80s big hair is back for 2023. Yay!!”
In fact, there’s even more desire for glamorous styling:
“The ponytail is the national hair style. Hollywood needs to feature stars with great cuts!”
* Conducted mid-October and mid-November 2022, we received responses from 450 salon professionals. Of that group, 56 percent, or 266 respondents identified as salon owners or managers; 22 percent were independent contractors, and just seven percent were salon employees. The remaining respondents were estheticians, nail technicians or educators.
Here's more from our survey: Four Salon Professional Strategies for 2023
Clients Putting More Time In Between Hair Appointments