When creating your ideal salon environment there are multiple factors to consider, ranging from lighting to access to electrical sockets – and even scent. Smell is arguably one of the most sensitive of the five senses, and certain scents even hold the ability to reduce tension and stress. While scent is often thought about when it comes to spa treatments, it’s important to think about scents within hair salons, too.
A strong scent in your salon will be one of the first things clients notice as they enter your premises, so it’s important to ask yourself what you want that scent to say – are you looking for something fresh and energising for your clients, or something that will help them to relax and wind down ahead of their appointment?
Scent Scaping in Hair Salons
Choosing fragrance to suit a space, or 'scent scaping' as it’s now commonly referred to, allows you to create a journey through scent as clients move through different areas of your salon. “You need to think about each space individually and what you want your customers’ journey to be,” explains Christina Salcedas, Global Director of Education for
Aromatherapy Associates, a leading spa and aromatherapy brand.
“You might want to have an energising fragrance in your reception, and a relaxation blend around your backwashes,” adds
Neom founder Nicola Elliott. “But it really depends on the services and treatments being offered."
Hair salons might opt to keep it simple with one signature scent throughout the space, but to keep it varied you could have it at a different strength in different rooms. Diffusers are a great way to do this because you can customise the strength dependent on the amount of essential oil you use. “This is such a personal choice,” shares Christina. “You may want just one scent that will always remind your guests of your salon." An alternative option is to tailor your chosen scents to the seasons; you could create a cosy atmosphere in the winter months, or focus on uplifting scents in the spring.
Choosing Your Scent Output
With so many options, from candles and incense to essential oil diffusers and reeds, it can be hard to know what to invest in for the best scent pay off. “There is no hard and fast rule – it depends on the type of room,” explains Christina.“Candles can create a more intimate cosy atmosphere whereas a diffuser gives a more instant, intense and truer fragrance sensation. If choice is limited, I would recommend a diffuser for their versatility.”
Nicola echoes this: “It absolutely depends on preference and space. You might want to have an electric diffuser in your reception because it has the ability to scent larger spaces, and a reed diffuser in your bathrooms because there’s no power sockets and it’s a smaller area. It’s also worth considering which scent output will be most practical for the space. For example, candles could work in a reception space, where they will be attended at all times, however would be too affected by hairdryers around your styling stations.
Using products that you also stock in your salon is a great way to expand your retail offering into lifestyle. “The most important thing is that by using candles and diffusers you can lead by example, showcasing their effectiveness to your clients. It’s a great way to improve retail revenue in your business,” shares Christina.
How To Get The Strength of Your Scent Right
It can be hard to know when smelling a new scent for the first time if the aromas will keep a strong scent in large spaces. “Choose your products carefully based on the size of the space, the use of the space and think practically about how they will work when you have customers,” recommends Nicola. When it comes to looking at formulation, she believes scent is one area where making an investment is worth it. “A lot of cheaper products have lower levels of fragrance in their products so the scent payoff will be less,” she explains. “Typically, products don’t list the actual percentage [of essential oils within the formula], but price is a good indicator,” she adds.
Have Your Team On Board
When picking out a scent, remember it’s not just your clients who will be experiencing the scent you’ve chosen. You and your team are the ones who will be surrounded by the scent, so make sure you’re all on the same page – and don’t be scared to adapt the scent to benefit them as well.
“It’s great to think about your staff, so if there is a high number of sicknesses amongst your team, then using something to clear the air throughout would benefit both guests and staff,” says Christina. “Make sure all the team are aligned to the choice because they are the ones that will be in the space working, so they need to be happy with the scent.”
Nicola adds, “It’s always good to keep in mind that less is often more, you don’t want to over fragrance.”
While you're thinking about what will work best for your staff, why not check out our six tips for a happier salon team
right here?
