How to choose the right uniform for your salon or beauty business

Salon employee uniforms - Photo by Thgusstavo Santana — *Stylists at work in a salon | Photo by Thgusstavo Santana*

When you run a beauty salon, the style of it is a big deal. The décor, the branding and the way you present your business is crucial to the look and feel of the place and the clientele that you want to attract. A big part of this image is the uniform that you choose, as it can tell potential clients a lot about the kind of salon that you are and what they are likely to get out of a visit.

It is therefore vital to put some time and effort into choosing the right uniform. It needs to express who you are and fit in perfectly with your branding as well as being practical and comfortable for your staff to wear. That is why we have put together some top tips on choosing the right salon uniform for your beauty business.

Be practical

When you choose a uniform, you need to think about the treatments that your therapists are going to be performing. A personalised beauty tunic can look very smart, but if you offer massages, it can sometimes be restrictive, so make sure that you pick one that offers plenty of stretch and incorporates vents to allow the fullest movement. You should also ensure that the sleeves are not too tight as these can also get in the way of these types of treatments.

If you are going for a modern vibe, then you might want to go for more casual looking t-shirts and trousers. When paired correctly and applied to everyone, they can still look professional whilst giving a slightly more relaxed sense to the business. Alternatively, a dress can look very formal and professional and could work well in a spa setting.

Choose your colours

One of the best things about beauty uniforms is the vast array of colours that they come in. You can choose from traditional black or white to hot pink, turquoise or bright purple. This means that you can choose something that really fits in with your branding or works in contrast to it. The treatments that you offer might also play a part in determining what colour you go for.

If you offer a lot of nail treatments, you might find that black is not ideal as it can show up all of the dust that tends to accumulate. White is very smart but has a tendency to look medical, so is often better suited to those offering prescriptive treatments and advanced aesthetics.

Add a logo

Ross Crayton, Managed Director at Core Workwear commented, “The uniform that your staff wear is a walking advertisement, so it is important to make sure that your business name is visible. It can help to continue your branding fully and make the business identifiable. This can be done through embroidery or printing depending on your design and what type of uniform you have picked. For example, embroidery might look better on a beauty tunic, whilst you might choose printing if you have opted for t-shirts instead.”

Adding your logo or branding can really help your staff to feel a part of the business and helps to breed a feeling of team spirit. You could also add some extra personalisation with the names of your therapists to avoid the need for name badges which can catch on clients or get lost.

Think about the material

Beauty business employee uniform - Photo by Anna Shvets — *Classic white apron coat works in terms of functionality as well as gives a high end look if done right | Photo by Anna Shvets*

Beauty treatments can be hard work, particularly when you are performing them all day. Treatment rooms need to be warm for the clients to be able to properly relaxed, which can leave your therapists hot and sweaty at the end of the day. Therefore, try and choose a material that is breathable and suited to the conditions of your salon to ensure that they are not only comfortable, but remain as fresh as daisy all through the day.

The uniforms should also be easy to wash, dry and iron in order for your staff to be able to wear a clean one each day without them showing signs of wear too quickly. It is important to remember that your staff will be dealing with nail polish, tanning lotion and massage oils, so it needs to be easy to keep clean. Some uniforms also offer fabrics which are waterproof or bleach resistant which are worth considering depending on the treatments that you offer and the types of products that your therapists are handling.

Look at shape and size

One of the best things about the beauty industry is that it is very inclusive, so your uniforms should be too. Look at the varying shapes and sizes of your staff and try to choose something that they will all be comfortable with, rather than simply accommodating one body type. This will help your staff to feel more comfortable and confident in what they are wearing, and it will look more professional if it suits everyone.

Seasonal choices

One uniform does not fit all seasons, so feel free to change it up from time to time. You might want to provide something lighter during the summer months or embrace some festive colours around Christmas time. This can be fun for your staff and helps them to feel as though they are part of what is going on in the outside world whilst remaining professional and appropriate.

Add some accessories

Whilst you might want to choose a nice pair of earrings, this isn’t exactly what we mean. You could add some decorative buttons to the uniform to make it a little more exciting or provide branded aprons for the treatments that can get a little messier. There are also silk neck scarves to consider or hairnets to keep longer hair out of the way.

Choosing your uniform should be fun and is one of the key aspects in setting the image of your salon. It needs careful consideration to ensure that it works for the people who will be wearing it as well as setting the tone of professionalism and style. It can be great for team spirit and will help your therapists to feel good about themselves and their role as well as looking good while they do it.

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Ross Crayton

Managing Director at Core Workwear

Core Workwear are a family run business who specialise in providing great quality as well as great service. Based in Nottingham, we have become leading suppliers of high quality branded workwear, uniforms and clothing. Our in-house team of embroidery and printing experts are able to offer a wide range of products, delivered direct to your door. Talk to us today to see how our branded clothing can positively impact your business.