So, what to look for in a salon.
The best place to start in your search for a hygienic salon or Tech/Therapist is to ask Family and Friends if they can recommend someone, but bear in mind that your needs may differ form theirs and the salon they use may not provide services you want. So failing F&F, where do you begin?
Take a look around the area which you live, see what there is around, check on shop window notice boards there are usually a few ads on those, and go visit a few. For salons with a street presence you can just pop in and ask for a treatment list and leave (you don’t have to stay for a treatment).
For home based or mobile Techs/Therapists who don’t have a shop, Google them, see if they have a website, look on the net and see of there are any reviews for them, and if you want to, give them a call. If you don’t know of any then search for “the treatment you want” in “your area” and this should bring up a few you may not have known about.
If the salon does a service which you like the look of or what you have been looking for then personally I would be looking at cleanliness as first on the list, but unfortunately sometimes you don’t get to see the place or Technician/Therapist before you visit for the first time, so if you get to your chosen salon (or the Technician comes to you) and you don’t like the look of it/her, then you do not have to go through with the service.
Ask questions- Just because somewhere looks clean, it may not necessarily be clean!
How often do they change their barbicide (cleaning solution for implements, should be changed daily).
If mobile, how do they clean their implements?
How do they use their wax if a waxing service? Some Techs ‘double dip’ which is a complete no-no (unless they are using a metal spatula on larger areas of the body).
Are metal nail implements clean and if so how are they sanitised?
Make sure they give you a Pre/Post Care sheet too. The Therapist/Technician should already have gone through this information with you in a consultation before you have your treatment, but this will help you remember what you have to do when you get home!
*N.B. Please also respect and consider the Technician/Therapist when you go for your treatment. Please arrive clean and in a timely manner. Should you be going for a nail treatment and appear to have a fungal infection or verrucae, or going for a hair service and have a condition such as head lice (we can all get them!) which the Tech/Therapist notices (this should be uncovered during the consultation), please do not be offended or embarrassed if they refuse to treat you. This is to protect themselves and their livelyhood due to cross contamination within the salon and they will be more than happy to see you again once the infection/condition has cleared up.
If you are having a spray tan, is the towel on the floor clean, is there paper for you to stand on if you are not offered ‘sticky feet’?
Do they have certificates (if not on display)? Ask to see their training and insurance certificates.
If the answer to these questions (even just one) is no, then run to a different salon. You don’t want to end up with an infection of some sort because you stuck with an unclean salon. If you do feel comfortable and have asked all the relevent questions (I will post more here when I remember more) then go ahead and enjoy your treatment.
And remember, beauty treatments should never hurt (unless you are going for a sports massage!), if you are being hurt, more than likely you are also being damaged. Tell the Technician and ask them to stop.
Return home from what to look for