Self-Care Practices for Salon Professionals

Is taking care of yourself something you prioritize or put on the back burner? As beauty professionals, you spend a ton of time and energy taking care of others – but because August is National Wellness Month, we want to remind you that it’s just as important to take care of yourself, too! 

Here are a few self-care practices to help prioritize your well-being both in and out of the salon. 

1) Go Back to The Basics: Create a Routine & Stick to it  

When we think of self-care, we typically think of things like massages, facials and other R&R regimens. While those are all important self-care practices, we don’t want to overlook the true meaning of taking care of yourself. Are you drinking enough water? Are you moving your body each day? Are you eating nourishing meals to fuel yourself for long hours in the salon? 

We recommend writing down what your ideal daily and/or weekly routine looks like. What habits and routines help you feel your best and allow you to show up as your very best self? Then, challenge yourself to stick to it on a regular basis! It might take some willpower, but by holding yourself accountable, self-care practices will become a habit. 

2) Meditate (even if it’s just 5 minutes a day)  

As a beauty service provider, you give so much of your energy (physically and mentally) to your clients... how often do you take time to recharge before rushing to the next part of your day? It might be rare to have a few minutes to yourself – but instead of letting auto-pilot take over and reaching for your phone, take a few minutes to meditate. It can be first thing in the morning, right before bed, or even midday in your salon studio. If you have curtains in your space, you can close them, dim your lights, close your eyes, and play some soothing music. 

Some key benefits of meditation include: 

• Stress Reduction 
• Improved Focus and Concentration 
• Better Sleep 
• Reduced Symptoms of Anxiety and Depression 
• Lower Blood Pressure 
• Enhanced Self-Awareness 
• Increased Creativity 
• Strengthened Immune System 
• Improved Memory 

If you are new to meditation, we recommend a guided meditation app to take out the guesswork 😊 

3) Get outside  

Getting outside and immersing yourself in nature is a simple yet powerful way to promote overall well-being and enjoy the numerous benefits it offers to the mind, body, and spirit. Challenge yourself to get outside at least once a day for 30 minutes to soak up some vitamin D. Some benefits of vitamin D include bone health, immune system support, and improved mood/mental health. 

Whether it’s going for a walk in-between clients, or having your morning coffee outside before the workday begins, finding time to be outside is a great wellness and self-care practice. 

4) Set Boundaries 

Think back to your ideal daily/weekly routines – how many appointments are you taking per day? How many days are you coming into the salon? What are your designated days out of the salon? Set some firm boundaries with your schedule to allow yourself to make time for the other things that are important to you. If a client asks to be squeezed in on a Monday you weren’t planning on going in, say no. We know, learning to say no is difficult in general - but especially in our industry. By establishing clear boundaries, you’ll prevent burnout and maintain a healthy work-life balance. Pro tip: by using a booking system, you can make it so clients can only book on dates/times that you have set available. 

5) Treat yourself  

Being a business owner is no easy feat! You are the service provider, the marketer, the scheduler and so much more... you wear so many hats, and you deserve to treat yourself every once in a while. Take yourself out to lunch, block out your schedule to take a yoga class, treat yourself to a spa day, or spend the night in reading a book. Whatever you decide to do, remember that you deserve it! 

No matter what self-care looks like to you, make it a priority to get out there and do it!