Different Types of Salons and Their Characteristics

From general beauty to specialty salons, services and experiences vary depending on the clientele, what’s being marketed, and what a salon’s ultimate vision is. When searching for a salon, any customer wants to ensure that the salon they choose offers the desired experience. It’s not just about getting a haircut or a basic facial. It’s about finding somewhere you can return to and enjoy the community while knowing they can be relied upon to provide a certain standard of service.

Here are the different types of salons and their characteristics:

Type #1: Hair Salons

When anyone thinks of salons, they most likely think of a hair salon. A hair salon, in a general sense, offers cutting, colouring, and styling. A person can go here for a simple trim or a total makeover. Hairstylists may also provide additional hair salon services, such as blowouts, perms, braiding, chemical treatments, weave installations, and more.

Type #2: Nail Salons

A nail salon is a popular salon that provides clients with manicures and pedicures. Nail technicians manage the care of fingernails and toenails, either painting on unique designs or sometimes applying fake nails. Acrylics, gels, dips, and press-ons are all available through a nail salon. Anyone looking to glow up their nails can stop by a nail salon, make an appointment, and do some beautiful work.

Type #3: Spa Salons

A beauty salon is sometimes also referred to as a spa salon. This is a place where clients can relax and enjoy a full-body experience. Spa salon services include massage, such as deep-tissue, oil, Swedish, hot stone, and others predominantly. Additional services may be acupuncture, cupping, microdermabrasion, and facials.

Type #4: Barbershops

A barbershop mainly involves cutting short and simple styles, typically for men. Some women prefer a barbershop for certain afro styles or tapers and fades. Certain barbers are well-known for these services. A person looking for a short hairstyle cut, such as an undercut or pixie, can rely on a barbershop to provide quality results.

Type #5: Specialty Salons

Sometimes, you have a very simple salon with limited specialty services. An example would be cosmetologists who exclusively work in one type of work. Specialty salons offer very specific services, which can be helpful to anyone looking for salon services that are a bit rarer than the norm or require additional educational qualifications to be able to provide them.

Type #6: Student Salons

A student salon is often linked with a cosmetology school. It is a salon focused on aiding students with their teachings. They offer discounted services to customers to allow students to do the work. This is most common with hair-cutting and styling.

From a customer’s standpoint, they save a few bucks while achieving the cut or style they want except performed by a student and their teacher.

Type #7: Hair Braiding Salons

A hair braiding salon is a subcategory of a hair salon. It specializes in hair braiding and hair extensions. Most hair salons may have a single person on staff who braids or maybe two. A hair braiding salon specializes in this area of service. They offer various services and protective styles, including box braids, rope twists, Marley twists, flat twists, and locs.

Type #8: Home Hair Salons

A home hair salon is someone with a cosmetology license starting a hair salon out of their home. They provide limited service; however, they are often available for a better deal, are warmer and more welcoming than many other types of hair salons, and many find them a lot more personable. After all, you’re being pampered by a professional from their home. That’s welcome!

Type #9: High Street Salons

A high street salon is another subcategory of a hair salon, specifically targeting individuals looking for luxury. They are often in middle-to-upper-class neighbourhoods, are appointment-only, and may provide many services, from hair to facials, scrubbing, waxing, and more.

High street salons also zero in on the customer experience, are equipped with premium furnishings and decor, and sometimes offer free drinks and complimentary snacks while enjoying their services.

Type #10: Boutique Salons

A boutique salon is as much focused on salon services as it is on the retail side of things. They will often sell luxury handbags, clothing, and jewelry and tend to be more expensive. Boutique salons attract many high-end customers and are well-promoted locally, targeting visitors and individuals looking to make an impression with personalized hair salon services.

Type #11: Hybrid Salons

More salons these days are offering more than one category of services. These bear the name of a hybrid salon. For example, you may find a spa salon offering hair services or a nail salon offering hair styling. Individuals who want to go to a single place for all their services, as a sort of all-in-one, rather than driving around town, may want to consider a hybrid salon.