Hair Salon Trends To Get Ahead of in 2021

It’s no surprise that trends change annually, if not weekly, in the beauty business. We know it can be stressful and overwhelming to stay on top of all the latest salon industry trends, particularly when you’re trying to, well, run your business and ensure a 5-star salon experience.

That’s why the StyleSeat team has happily compiled a list of all the latest trends for 2021. Read on to get ahead, keep that schedule booked, and maintain positive client relationships.

From shifting to digital to tips for an eco-friendly salon environment, we’ve got you covered.

1. The Shift to Digital

In recent years, one of the hair salon trends that just keeps growing is the shift to digital. Today, easy online booking and payments for clients are more important than ever. Not only does this save you time spent arranging appointments but it gives your clients the freedom to book on their own time.

At StyleSeat, we’re all about streamlining the online booking platform. If you want to be part of the digital revolution — but don’t consider yourself the most digitally-savvy one in the crowd — no need to fear. That’s what StyleSeat is for.

These are some ways we make your business and services digitally-friendly for your clients.

Touch-free payments: Charge your clients seamlessly through our app and get paid instantly. No unreliable swipers or wallets necessary.
Instant digital exposure: To help you get discovered, we run ads and promote your digital profile across search engines, social media, and email campaigns.
Keep your regulars happy: We keep your clients happy with personalized digital reminders and tools to help them get the booking times they want.
Easy digital booking: Clients can easily click around your profile to see your services, read your reviews, and check your calendar, all of which make it easier for them to book when they’re ready.
Digital data tools: We use data science to analyze your business, identify your most popular time slots, and slightly raise your prices to match their true value. Check out our blog post on how to calculate salon service prices for more information.

2. Improved Salon Experience

Whether you own a nail salon or a hair salon, crafting the perfect salon experience for your clients is key. From the most seasoned celebrity hairstylist to a recent beauty school grad, it’s important that you fine-tune that luxurious and memorable 5-star day at the salon.

Elevating the salon experience is one of those salon industry trends that’s here to stay. Here are some simple ways to go the extra mile for your customers and boost that client retention.

Remember your client by their name
Give tips for hair care and future maintenance
Offer advice for hair growth or other client goals
Make suggestions for improving hair texture
Provide your clients with complimentary beverages
Include a percentage off or a complimentary service for client birthdays
Send a thank you text or email after an appointment
Provide a customer loyalty program with a punch card or rewards
Compliment your clients about their haircut or hairstyle
Always have a customer-first, positive attitude
Let your clients in on the latest industry trend or beauty secret

3. Expert Stylists with Expanded Services

Above all, clients are looking for a knowledgeable stylist. They want to ensure they’re going to come out of your hair salon with the look and style they envision. Here are some service categories to keep in mind that will help to ensure client happiness.

Hair cut services: From a pixie cut to a popular shag cut with a curtain bang, clients want a stylist who knows all the latest beauty salon trends. Expanding your list of hair services will not only draw your clients in for their first cut, but it will keep them coming back to see what new trend you’re currently promoting.
Hair color services: Being a hairstylist and a color pro go hand-in-hand. To maintain your expertise in new salon trends, stay in-the-know about all the latest buzz in the hair coloring world. We’re talking unicorn hair, face-framing streaks, and silver champagne for the blondes.
Hairstyling services: Know just what kind of cut compliments a particular kind of curl — like wavy or coily? How about what bangs are most flattering for your client’s face shape?

4. Increased Product Knowledge

From the ideal overnight hair masks for dry ends to the best shampoos for curly hair, we know there’s a lot of products out there, and each serves their own purpose.

These days, if you really want to be on top of the hair salon trends, it’s helpful to think beyond the typical products. We’re talking all things hair, from the trendiest headbands you can sell in your salon to the top-of-the-line blow dryer you just can’t stop talking about.

Your clients will constantly turn to you as their go-to, so it’s part of your job as the cosmetologist guru to keep them up-to-date and in-the-loop with all the latest salon industry trends.

5. Enhanced Salon Communications

Another one of the salon industry trends to stay on top of is new methods of salon communications. Gone are the days when the only method of appointment reminders was a good old-fashioned phone call on your landline.

Today, the latest trend for appointment reminders is text messages and apps. With StyleSeat, your clients will receive an email, text, or app push notification reminder 48 hours before their appointment.

These reminders are not only invaluable for your clients but for you as the salon owner or hairdresser, too!

6. Eco-Friendly Salons

If going green is one of the new salon trends that intrigues you, more power to you. We only have one world and we believe it’s our job as beauty industry professionals to do our part in keeping it clean and green.

Here’s how you can become more eco-friendly in your salon.

Watch Water Waste

Whether you’re running water for the shampoo bowl or washing dirty towels, managing your water usage is key in the beauty industry. Some tips to help you watch your water include:

Switching to cold water to reduce carbon emissions
Running the wash when you have a full load
Fix dripping or leaking faucets

Forego Disposable Products

It might be a habit to hand your clients a disposable cup for their tea. But to keep things more eco-friendly in your hair salon — and let’s be honest, a bit more luxurious, too — switch those styrofoam, plastic, or paper cups to something with a little more longevity, like a reusable teacup and saucer.

Recycle!

If you’re not already recycling in your beauty salon, now is the perfect time to start. Stay on top of green beauty salon trends by placing a handy recycling bin next to your trashcan. Remember, there are plenty of things you can recycle, from packing materials to shampoo bottles.

Sustainable Products

In the beauty industry, we know products are your bread and butter. You use them on your clients, you sell them, and you spend a fair amount of time researching and talking about them. And if you’re going green, you gotta think sustainability.

From shampoo to hair color, certain characteristics make your products sustainable. Even those cute scrunchies you sell at the front desk can be sustainable — for zero snags and zero waste, as this article from Peppermint Mag calls them.

Here’s what to look for in your products — beyond just the words eco-friendly, green, and fair trade. According to designer and entrepreneur Jo Vieira, the six key attributes of sustainable products are as follows:

Resource base
Lifestyle factors
Human and ecological risks
Social-economic factors
Life cycle costs
Technical performance

7. Increased Social Presence

Increased social presence is another one of the beauty salon trends that just keeps growing. At this point, you probably know just how crucial it is to stay on top of your social media game. So, here are some easy tips you can start implementing today.

Post relevant, high-quality images
Target your ads so people who live in your local area can find you
Share articles on Facebook or Twitter that give value to your followers
Keep up with (and post!) all those new salon trends that are trending on social
Post some before and after images or videos to showcase your skills
Post promotions, like seasonal or holiday promotions, to entice your clients to book
Engage with your clients through giveaways and contests
Get the Instagram book button on StyleSeat and run your own email marketing campaigns and promotions

With these seven ways to get ahead of the salon industry trends in 2021, we’re certain you’ll be well on your way to a lucrative, successful year ahead.

If you haven’t already, make sure to set your business up on StyleSeat to stay on top of all the latest and greatest hair salon trends!

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