With back-to-back appointments, color corrections, and the emotional energy of connecting with clients, many salon professionals are running on empty. For stylists, owners and technicians, it’s easy to put their well-being on the back burner. That’s why September, National Self-Care Awareness Month, is the perfect reminder to prioritize self-care for yourself and your team.
Why Self-Care Matters in Salons & Spas
In a profession built on helping others look and feel great, self-care can feel like a luxury. Whether it’s carving out time for a nourishing meal, taking a walk between appointments, or taking a mental health moment before your next client, small acts of care can make a big difference. When you take care of yourself, you show up stronger, more present, and more creatively inspired.
Simple, Sustainable Self-Care Practices
Self-care doesn’t have to mean expensive retreats or complicated programs. Small shifts can have a big impact:
- Flexible scheduling: Allow for recovery time between demanding appointments.
- Regular breaks: Encourage stepping away, even briefly, to reset body and mind.
- Open conversations: Create a culture where stress and burnout are safe to talk about.
Creative Ways to Support Your Team
Consider weaving wellness directly into your salon or spa environment:
- Yoga and meditation sessions: Organize group sessions led by an instructor to help employees de-stress and reconnect with themselves.
- Wellness stipend: Support healthy living with allowances for gym memberships, fitness classes, or mindfulness apps.
- Massage therapy: Treat your team to rejuvenating seated massages or invite a licensed therapist to your salon or spa for on-site relaxation sessions that help melt away stress.
- Quiet spaces/wellness rooms: Create a designated area within your space for relaxation, stocked with comfortable seating, calming music, healthy snacks and soft lighting.
- Mental health days: Go beyond traditional sick leave by offering dedicated mental health days—giving employees protected time to rest, reset, and care for their emotional well-being without dipping into their regular paid time off.
- Wellness workshops: Host lunch-and-learn sessions focusing on stress management, mindfulness, meditation, or even financial wellness.
- Ergonomically friendly workspaces: Provide anti-fatigue mats, supportive footwear stipends, or posture-friendly stools.
- Off-site spa days: Pamper your team with a well-deserved escape at a partner spa, where they can unwind and enjoy the same nurturing care they provide to others every day.
- Personalized self-care kits: Surprise employees with curated items like candles, snacks, journals, or essential oils.
Building a Culture of Care
Self-care isn’t a seasonal perk – it’s a long-term investment. When wellness is prioritized year-round, your salon becomes a space where both employees and clients thrive. That culture of care doesn’t just improve morale—it strengthens retention, enhances performance, and builds client loyalty.
As an insurance partner to salons and spas, we’ve seen firsthand how supporting staff well-being also reduces risks – from workplace injuries to turnover-related costs. By caring for your team, you’re protecting both your people and your business.
Kathy Lopez, Account Manager for SASSI, the Salon and Spa Specialty Insurance program at Brownyard Group. She can be reached at klopez@brownyard.com.
