1 mins
EDITOR’S COMMENT
New research into the value of beauty shows promising signs for the services sector of the industry. While not yet back to pre-Covid levels, the amount that beauty and hair services contribute to the UK economy reached £5.1bn in 2022, with the sector employing 209,000 people. Read the full story on page 11.
While employment levels may be on the rise, the struggle to find qualified and experienced staff remains real, so when you find a good one, you don’t want to let them go. Experienced salon owner Elaine Beatty shares her advice for keeping staff motivated and loyal on page 96, while Amy Gordon explores the pros and cons of employing a receptionist on page 72.
Keeping valued clients loyal is just as important to the success of a beauty business, and in her column on page 42 Hellen Ward explores the reasons why clients leave a salon or practitioner, how to persuade them to come back and when it’s better to let them go.
A key piece in the puzzle of customer loyalty is, of course, sharing expertise and this month we explore several areas where the need for client education has become especially apparent. Following the announcement of a Government investigation into a rise in contact allergies being caused by ingredients found in nail products, we bring you the expert lowdown on how to avoid these allergies and how to talk to clients about the safety of the products you are using.
Meanwhile, a new campaign this month shines a light on the effects of topical steroid withdrawal – an issue surrounding use of prescription-only creams commonly used to treat eczema and psoriasis – highlighting how skin specialists can help people who are struggling with the effects (see page 16). And our feature on page 74 tackles the issue of skin purging – discussing why this completely normal phenomenon can cause worry to clients and how to educate them on what to expect from skin treatments.