Salon Hygiene Checklist: Things Your Beautician Should Be Careful About

  Salon hygiene can be broadly divided into three areas – the products and equipment used (we’d add the salon itself here too), the service given, and the salon ...

Salon hygiene can be broadly divided into three areas – the products and equipment used (we’d add the salon itself here too), the service given, and the salon professionals themselves. Conversely, the obvious signs of an unhygienic salon are:

• Unsanitized equipment and expired products

• Untidy service

• Ungroomed professional

Here are things you should take note of each time you visit a salon or book an at-home salon service

Unsanitized Equipment & Products

Combs and Hair Brushes: Are they disinfected before use?

Dandruff travels fast, and lice, even faster. An itchy scalp is another common complaint. In most beauty parlours and salons, hairdressers rarely pause to disinfect their brushes, combs, and even scissors before starting work on the next client. Ensure that the comb used for your haircut or styling comes straight out of the steriliser and not the stylist’s pouch holster.

Towels and Other Garments: Are they washed regularly?

You know what gets my stomach churning? Towels with stains on them. It doesn’t matter if those are stubborn hair dye or henna stains (which is the answer you’re most likely to get on questioning the salon personnel), if it’s not spotless don’t use it. Same goes for the garments given for facials and waxing.

Mani-pedi tools: Are they sterilised?

The simplest way to sterilise manicure and pedicure tools, namely nail clippers, filers, cuticle pushers, and orange sticks, is to leave them for 2-3 minutes in a solution of antiseptic liquid (Dettol, Savlon etc.) and water. Ideally, this can be done just before your service is about to begin. This simple act can prevent nail fungus, as well as other bacterial and viral infections in the nail.

Salon floors and furnishing: Are they clean?

Has the floor been swept after a haircut, have the counters been cleaned, Are the beds in the cabins spotless? Pristine floors, clean counters, and spotless beds and chairs are telltale signs of a well-managed salon that gives its customers a stellar service.

Products: Are still they usable?

Using expired products can lead to reactions in your hair and skin, especially facial products. Always make sure that the product being used is not close to its expiry date, instead of prematurely writing it off to whether it suited you or not.

Ungroomed Professionals

Did Your Beautician Sanitise Her Hands?

Just like any other salon tool, hands can carry infection from person to another. These can range from simple breakouts to serious skin infections. Ensure that your beautician either washed her hands with medicated soap or uses a hand sanitiser, especially if you are getting a facial.

Does Your Beautician Have Bad Breath?

It can add to your discomfort when the beautician bent over and threading your brows has bad breath. And the worst part is that there’s nothing you can do about it, besides leaving your comments in the feedback section and asking for another beautician the next time.

Untidy Service

An untidy beauty service mostly pertains to spillage. Most beauticians are extremely liberal in their use of talcum powder, so much so that you’ll find a sheet of white over yourself, your clothes (in case you’re getting a half legs/arms service). It’s hard to dust off. Sometimes, when in a rush, they do tend to drop (hot) wax too. There’s also the problem of used waxing strips left lying about that tend to stick to your skin and clothes.

While these things aren’t a cause for concern, they do create a lot of mess and make your salon service an uncomfortable experience.

Urban Company Ultimate Salon Hygiene Checklist

We understand the concerns our customers have regarding beauty service and hygiene. This was the basis of developing the Urban Company Salon Hygiene Checklist. We ensure that:

All our products are fresh and are used only once. The products are taken out of their packaging in front of the customer and used entirely in one session. Our Sheets and garments are of single-use too.

Our beauticians sanitise all equipment with an antiseptic solution before use.

Our beauticians are extremely careful about giving you a mess-free service. They even clean the area before leaving.

Our beauticians are always expected to be well dressed and groomed as per Urban Company’s professional standards. They are instructed to wear surgical masks for the entire duration of the service.