Put a Filter on it… No Pictures Necessary.
Intercoiffure photoshoot for Visions Spa Salon. Sept 2017
Good quality work starts with a blank canvas. As beauty professionals know, it’s important to know what exactly you're working with. The outcome of any creation has barriers and getting what you want depends on overcoming them. Barriers could be product buildup on hair, skin pH imbalance, or hard water - which brings me to the point of the article…
Filters. Are. Important.
Not photo filters… element filters.
We are watching history in real time as our current infrastructure gets a major upgrade to accommodate our nation’s everyday needs. While updating public infrastructure will benefit our health, you can also make small investments that can grow your business and satisfy your clients as well as combat some of these barriers. To provide the best service you can, water and air filters are a great investment for your work area.
Why?
Water filters are important for a variety of reasons from outdated pipes, lack of regulation in wastewater treatments, contaminated sewer water from runoff, and so on. It’s important for our health to have cleaner water (obviously) but it’s also important for your beauty standards. Well water is a good example of a common barrier that many people experience every day. The minerals can build up on your skin and hair, giving your features a different base to work with which might not help get the look you achieve. It can affect makeup applications, esthetic services, and chemical hair services. Having your water filtered can clear out dirt, sand, rust, and other contaminants that come from the pipes helps create the blank canvas for your services. Bonus: salon water filters now also use less water which is great environmentally and financially. This will create a fuller experience for your client by receiving a top notch service and knowing you went that extra mile to do so.
Air filters have become an absolute necessity. With the number of cases of airborne viruses rising (especially during the winter) and harmful gases lingering in the environment, we’re thinking about our air quality more rigorously. Air pollution doesn’t just happen near big factories and landfills, without proper ventilation, air pollution happens inside as well. (especially when doors and windows stay closed most of the time). Chemical fumes and hair product particles end up filling up the space… which is why there are warnings on product packaging about using them in ventilated areas. Alas, pollution can coat your hair just like unfiltered water can. Filtering the air will keep your environment pure for your clients, your coworkers, and you. If nothing else, it can help create a safe space for those who might not usually have clean air due to where they live or work. Filtering air is an important investment for our line of work, air purifiers are the most effective way to do it but some will use certain plants to help filter air as well. Certain plants are very good at filtering air while also making your salon feel more vibrant.
But beyond these reasons…
Long term pollution exposure can affect personal health as well. Behind the chair, we get so caught up with pleasing people and spending 20-60 hours on clients that we don’t think how working in it affects our health (besides the boundary issues we all have, but that’s a subject for another day). Professionals are known to put their clients’ needs before their own, but providing a space that actively cleans your environment will make sure your health is not something you have to worry about.
You deserve to be taken care of too.
May your hilights be bright and your eyeshadow blend well on your new path!