Beauty salon: can we talk about sustainability?

The main topic of these days for a beauty salon is “how to reach sustainability”. Cosmetics have traditionally been perceived as superfluous, ‘vain’, non-essential products, bought mainly to improve one’s appearance. Actually, cosmetics are not just make-up products, but also include all those products necessary for basic hygiene and those with specific functions: products, therefore, that are used daily and that have a significant impact on human and environmental health. 

Sustainable cosmetics

Applying the principles of sustainable development to the cosmetics industry brings us back to bio eco-cosmetics. The demand for and supply of natural and organic cosmetic products is growing exponentially not only in Europe but also in the USA and Asia, and worldwide. Natural and organic cosmetics, which started on a small scale, have developed over the years to become one of the most revolutionary and lucrative trends in the beauty industry.

What does it mean to be an eco-friendly beauty salon?

But what does it mean to be eco-sustainable (the so-called eco-friendly) and, above all, what is its importance within a beauty salon?

It means reducing one’s impact on the environment as much as possible, starting from the smallest measures up to the largest ones.

Sustainable beauty salon: main resolutions

This is where beauty becomes environmentally sustainable. It is well known that facilities dedicated to body wellness and beauty care consume a great deal of energy. So, whether you are opening your beauty salon now or planning a renovation, you should not overlook solutions to reduce consumption such as:

– Photovoltaic panels

– Ceiling or under-floor heating

– Heat pump boiler and fans that can be individually controlled

 

…and these are among the most radical changes to be made.

However, there are some small tricks that do not require dismantling masonry or buying whole ranges of equipment:

Some forethought:

– Install regulators for water use

– Always turn off the tap when not using water

– Install LED lights

– Carry out separate waste collection

 

In the field of cosmetics, there is also an increased demand for organic and natural products that are less aggressive on the body and cruelty-free.

Consumer choices can therefore be conscious by choosing products made with zero-km ingredients and biodegradable packaging.

At the moment, therefore, we can change our consumption choices by choosing products made with zero km ingredients and with biodegradable packaging, as well as being cruelty-free.

The commitment of beauty salons to the environment: it’s about numbers. 

 

The first management system dedicated to beauty and hairdressing salons, Uala, sampled 250 salons by asking them a questionnaire on the environmental impact of their business activities. The survey found that:

– 52% replaced disposable capes with washable ones

– 37%, much less than half, prefer products with glass and aluminum packaging instead of plastic and derivatives.

– 81% sort waste

– 56% have installed inverters or heat pumps

– 24% have equipped themselves with thermostatic taps

Millennials and the rules of the industry

We are facing increasingly conscious consumers, especially among the millennials and Generation Zero who are dictating the rules of the industry. They are the ones who prefer eco-friendly brands that use organic products in reusable and/or biodegradable packs.

The choices we make every day are inextricably linked to the health of our planet and beauty professionals cannot help but be part of this change!

Are you taking some measurements to transform your salon into a more sustainable one?