Unfortunately the Hair and Beauty industry is not regulated, so isn’t answerable to anyone in regards to having qualifications of standards. This also includes aesthetic practitioners and those doing injectables.

All businesses are governed by the health and safety act but they aren’t even required legally to have insurance.

So how can you help yourself when it comes to finding a salon?

We can’t guarantee any Treatment provider is safe but we can help you with some things to look for, questions to ask and potential red flags

I don’t mean the odd negative, we all have them, but what is the general feel you get from these? Do people talk about how clean the salon is, how friendly the staff are, how they felt after the treatment?

This will normally give you a feel for the business and also show up any potential issues.

This can often be an indictor of the quality of the salon and how invested they are. This is not to say that salons that don’t work with known brands aren’t very good but it can be indicator of where they sit in the industry.

Salons that are committed to a brand or brands can usually be trusted to be using better quality (not buying off ebay or amazon) and been with a brand normally means regularly skills building training to keep up to date.

It also means you can do a little bit of research in to the brands and see if they are a match for you to.

This is not a legal requirement and is something that should really be taken more seriously. We recommend while using our site you choose the ones that can prove they have insurance. Some will display the full certificate, while others will provide the details and we will verify it. I would never recommend using a salon that does not have insurance.

Things can go wrong in a salon and insurance is there to ensure you are covered for this.

Unfortunately just having insurance doesn’t guarantee they are covered … just like having car insurance the small print matters.

Something else worth taking notice of is, does the salon feel safe? Are they following Heath and safety laws? Does it look clean and hygienic? 

Not been fully qualified to carry out each treatment

Not conducting a consultation sheet

Not giving clear aftercare

Not carrying out required patch tests

Not using approved products or equipment

Not keeping up to date records

Unless you are going to do a full audit of the business is difficult to fully know but following our key points to look for will help

That old saying you get what you pay for is defiantly valid here. Sadly there are professionals who underprice themselves and should charge more but price can be an indicator of their investment.

Running a salon is not cheap, VAT alone takes 20% of my takings and all staff should be on at least £11.50 and hour. Factor in products and rent etc and you have to ask where the cuts are been made when prices are low.

I quite often see people advertising treatments such as microneedling for less then what it takes me to do, which really is a worry. Some treatments should never be cheap and if they are you nee to be responsible for what can go wrong.

I know some salons that just don’t have the time or the need to post on socials and that’s great but as a client looking for somewhere new social media can be a big indictor.

It should give you a feel of who they are, their knowledge and pictures of their work. If you are looking for a salon that mostly does lashes, makeup, hair or nails this should show you their style and if it suits what you want.

Just like everything else in life social media can create a perception.

Most salons have some kind of award now and not all awards are created equally, many are achieved by doing nothing.

The same goes for been a trainer, this can also be misleading, giving a false sense of authority. Anybody can be a trainer, a teaching qualification is not required and it is not regulated.

Try to get a feel for the business, what are the pictures they are taking representing, what is the image. Do they demonstrate their knowledge and experience?

Don't be afraid to ask questions and don't assume that everyone is equal. Do your research and ask people for recommendations 

Take accountability for yourself and don’t follow the bargains, follow skill and safety