More Than Hair: How to Be a Socially Conscious Salon

As a holistic hair stylist, you’re always up to something bigger. Whether it’s taking an education class to learn about the safest color technology or providing clients with low-tox at home products to use, the reason you’re in this business goes beyond hair. You’re helping to change the beauty industry for the better.

And now, you’re in the best position to effect change. By simply educating clients on how to become mindful consumers and participating in movements that will bring your community together, you become a trusted health and wellness advocate—and by extension—an advocate for your community.

Keep reading for five fun and impactful ways to serve and support your beloved community and beyond.

Start bringing your community together by teaming up with a local yoga studio and trade services with each other.

More times than not, hair stylists can take on more than they can handle emotionally from their clients. Since stylists are often referred to as therapists, they can get more than what they bargain for behind the chair. While listening and being that special person for your clients is great and forms a special connection, it can often weigh you down.

That’s why releasing built-up stories or traumas that might not even be your own in healthy ways like yoga or other wellness-related activities are good for the soul. Plus, this is a great way to shape your salon as a center for wellness. Offering an all-levels practice that everyone is welcome to will bring both clients and members of the community together.

@abloomsalonandgallery offers “Sundaze,” a weekly yoga practice for all those in the community. 

Find a way to get involved with local charities in your area. A great example of a local charity in a lot of places is Dress For Success.

Dress For Success empowers women all around the country to get back on their feet by providing networks of support, professional clothing that is less accessible and educational tools to help in both work and life. There are tons of affiliate locations all across the US (and more). You can check if there is a location near you by taking a look at the map on their homepage.

Your salon can offer hair services for women going to interviews! Or you can partner with this or any other organization close to your heart that could use your services. 

A great way to start doing some local outreach is by offering a Girls’ Night Out…or more properly renamed, a Girls’ Night In at the salon!

Who doesn’t love a Girls’ Night? Close the salon an hour early and host a group of ladies in your space. Invite a local business owner or speaker to come to speak or simply have one of your stylists teach some fun and easy hair tips and tricks.

And don’t forget snacks and a bottle (or three) of wine! A Girls’ Night In-Salon is a super easy and super fun way to bring women of the community together, foster a place for new relationships to be born and a way to become the epicenter of connection in your city. 

Set aside a place in your salon to collect donations for any local or national charities close to your heart. This is a similar idea to Toys For Tots, but you can choose different charities in need of items that speak to your salon or its mission. Project Backpack is a great example of a donation-based charity. There is a list on their website that you can find here if it’s an organization you’d be interested in supporting. 

Offer a discount for people who bring in an item. For example, you could offer 10% off their service if they bring in three items for your donation drive. Remember, you can choose different charities based on your community needs!

Find companies that are donating to, selling things or doing things for charities or organizations that you have a connection to and find out how you can help! This is a great way to make a bigger splash in wider-scale charities or social movements that you and your salon might support.

For example, this year we launched our first social solidarity movement in partnership with To Write Love On Her Arms. For each purchase of the Self-Love Charity Box, $5 is donated to TWLOHA. An easy way to contribute to the movement is to buy Boxes to retail in your salon. This involves both you and the client in a way that is simple yet purposeful.

There are plenty of large movements to get behind and different ways to stand in solidarity with larger organizations across the globe.

Has your business participated in any social solidarity and community service events? Sound off in the comments!