With £27 billion, the UK’s beauty industry is second only to China. Despite recording a slump throughout 2020 and the first quarter of 2021, it gradually increased towards the end of the year. The pandemic caused drastic changes in the industry, particularly in the area of healthy living. For some people, it is for the general good. Here are some changes you may have already observed or probably didn’t know about.
More thorough cleaning procedures
Beauty salons and spas have always been known to clean their tools at the end of the working day. However, with the pandemic and high infection rates in the UK, beauty workers and stylists have become even more necessary to sanitise their tools after every session with a client. Additionally, it has become necessary for work surfaces to be disinfected several times an hour to reduce the risks of infection. Again, more beauty professionals have seen the need to provide touchless hand sanitisers at vantage points within the salon or working area.
Even more worthy of note is the drastic change in reusable towels. Because COVID’s transmission rate is high, it became crucial to find ways and means to minimise infections. Therefore, disposable hairdressing towels have become a highly useful beauty commodity. Come to think of it, you are better off using them than fabric towels which can put you more at risk.
Virtual consultations
It would have been impossible to fathom a virtual consultation for beauty practitioners a few years ago. Today, however, it has become a reliable means for beauty professionals. It works by setting up an online consultation with a beauty therapist to discuss what you want to do. After which, a date is set for your appointment. Virtual consultation reduces the physical contact element of beauty appointments until the real work needs to be done on the client.
Apart from setting appointments virtually, it also offers beauty therapists the chance to check in on regular clients. It has become more or less a necessary customer relationship tool that many beauty professionals are relying on. The beauty industry depends a lot on professional relationships with clients. Therefore, anything that improves customer service is hugely welcome and put to maximum use.
An increase in sustainable beauty choices
Since 2020 when the UK experienced its first COVID lockdown, the beauty industry has noticed a gradual change among clients. For example, more clients resorted to natural and organic ways to keep their hair and skin healthy because of the fear of infection. It became preferable for people (especially females) to resort to eco-friendly beauty options to maintain beauty routines.
Moreover, retailers who deal in organic skin and hair products noticed an increase in sales. According to Walgreens, manufacturing companies specialising in dermatology products also paid attention to customer concerns. As a result, they concentrated a lot more on creating beauty products that seemed to be favoured more by consumers.
To conclude, as the pandemic caused these changes in the beauty industry, it does seem like the new normal has heightened hygienic routines.
