get serious

WHY? “You should know why you want to offer beauty treatments because profit margins in hair and beauty are very different,” says Ian Egerton, owner of Stress Exchange in London Bridge. “You need to look at cost breakdown

and potential for generating revenue per treatment. A hair stylist will generate a lot more money in a lot less space, but beauty is about adding value, rather than money.” Mayfair salon Webster Whiteman used

to rent out a space to a beautician for £300 per week, but just over a year ago they stopped, after finding the overheads meant it no longer made sense. Now they want to offer beauty again, but this time they’ve brought in a manicurist on the payroll, which they project will generate £15,000 profit per year. Co - owner Lisa Whiteman says: “If you

want to increase your revenue by using clients you already have to bring in more money, this is perfect. I think as soon as a client steps into another salon for something else, then they start to make that break from you, which is why we wanted to offer beauty again. This way we believe we can make money doing it too.” While bringing in money, a manicurist

takes up very little room so it’s perfect for smaller salons, but there are other services that can be done with limited space. Errol Douglas introduced celeb makeup artist Ariane Poole’s range to his Knightsbridge salon last year, as an alternative to full-on beauty treatments. “It bumps up the service,” he says.

“This is where business people and hairdressers have to be honest; it’s not going to bring in lots of money, but it has brought us in £17,000 in just over a year,

so that’s money we didn’t have before.” Now Errol can offer his hair clients an

exclusive makeup service – including application and lessons, as well as some complementary services such as eyelash extensions, altogether making an ideal package for brides-to-be – it’s all about offering more. If you do have extra space you could

branch out even further than beauty offerings. Clay Salon and Spa in Oxshott, Surrey has a product line, coffee bar, spa and hair salon – all under one roof. Co - owner James Davis set up the

salon – which he describes as “more like a half-day spa” – to provide a platform for his exclusive organic haircare range, Clay Organics. He had been working on the product line for three years before meeting beautician, Claire Gibson, and deciding to join ventures to create this exclusive venue. >>

Clay Salon and Spa