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The first thing to consider is representation. How diverse is your brand and business? What type of clients do you have in your marketing photos, on your social media channels and on your website? If you were a marginalised person, would you feel seen and welcomed by your business?
Communication is key. If you have a business that is accessible for people with disabilities, tell them openly in your marketing and on your website and have a visual representation in your images.
Empathy, as in learning to understand how other people experience the world, and therefore how they experience your business, will be the most important tool for making your business body positive and inclusive.
How does a person in an overweight body feel when they visit a beauty salon and what can you do to improve that experience?
How safe does a trans or non-binary person feel when they visit a beauty salon and what can you do to ensure they know you are a safe space for them? How easy is it for a person with a disability to visit your premises and how do they find out that information?
For instance, having information about parking and how to access the building available on your website or social channels will help them to plan their visit and reduce some anxiety.
Brands
Choose wisely and look at the message your brands send about body image. Are they diverse? Are they representing marginalised bodies, different skin colours, disabled people, and LGBTQIA+ people?
The values of the brands you work with represent your values. If you are choosing brands that do not test on animals and are sustainable and you are proud to talk about that with clients, set the same standard of brand values for body positivity and inclusion.
Make the salon experience a treat for the senses and one that is body positive. Consider what your client looks at, smells, feels and hears when they visit you. Take the focus away from just changing their appearance and make it part of their self-care routine. Make it non- negotiable for their mental wellbeing.
Get rid of glossy gossip magazines and replace them with empowering books or magazines. Use essential oil blends that uplift and empower or relax and soothe. Understand whether your client wants to have quiet time to themselves or a chance to chat and connect with you and others.
Language
Be mindful of the language you use and the messages it sends about body image and body expectations. Take a look at your treatment menu and see what message it gives about what is expected of your client’s body and the way it should look.
The service-based beauty industry is an invaluable part of our clients’ wellbeing toolbox, and we have the power to make a massive impact if we pull together and recognise that a person’s worth is not based on the way they look.