Salon Essentials - Styling Tools, Spa Supplies, & Esthetician Equipment

Though this answer could depend on who you ask, yes, salon supplies are usually better than store-bought spa products. Many beauty products that you find in drugstores are diluted and not nearly as effective as their salon product counterparts. These lesser quality products are mixed with water, fillers, and chemicals, making them not just less effective, but potentially unsafe, too.

At the very least, they are not nearly as healthy as they claim. For instance, hair care products found in salons are made with high-quality ingredients that are concentrated and work together to hydrate and nourish your hair. Drugstore products simply can’t compete.

Starting a salon is an exciting endeavor. However, the equipment you need to start one can vary depending on the type of services your salon intends to offer.

There are a variety of salon supplies required, ranging from administrative equipment like a cash register and POS system, to decor and seating for your waiting area, to laundry equipment and salon stations.

Each salon station will need things like salon chairs and washbasins, plus storage cabinets and carts to house your salon products. You’ll also need spa supplies like towels, hair appliances, hair care products, and possibly other salon necessities like manicure stations, manicure and pedicure supplies, and more.

Before deciding which type of salon equipment you need, it’s a good idea to write out a business plan and decide what services you will offer your clients. Once you determine your treatment menu, you can then create a list of your equipment and salon supplies needed.

Every salon will have different processes for maintaining its salon tools and equipment. However, all hand-held salon tools––like lash and brow products such as tweezers or manicure and pedicure supplies like nail clippers and cuticle cutters––require daily cleaning and disinfecting followed by thorough drying.

Sinks and counters must be scrubbed and disinfected, salon chairs must be wiped down, and floors must be swept and mopped. It’s a good idea to clean all spa equipment and tools after each use so that they last as long as possible. If you allow gunk and grime to build up, it will only cause more rapid deterioration.

Additionally, it’s wise to keep tools that have moving parts well-lubricated, including pumping your hydraulic chairs up and down a few times each week, to keep the seals lubricated.

Always lower the chair after each client as well, and lock the base. This can help diminish wear and tear as each new client takes a seat. Routine maintenance for salon equipment is vital to keep it all working like a charm.

Hair services like cuts, trims, and color are a definite must for any full-service salon. Most full-service salons will also offer nail services like pedicures and manicures. Waxing is also fairly standard, although the type of waxes that are offered can vary from salon to salon. For instance, some may consider bikini or leg waxing as salon essentials, while others only offer brow and lip waxing. Depending on how high-end the salon is, some full-service spas also offer massage therapy services.

These two terms are often used interchangeably, though there are differences. The biggest difference is that a client might visit a spa to be pampered for an entire day. However, a trip to a salon might just entail a haircut or a manicure. Spas are often larger locations than salons, and offer a wider range of services and spa supplies, though many of those things could overlap between the two.