Beauty Salon Equipment – A Complete Guide

Everything you need to know about beauty salon equipment, including what you need and where to get it.

Beauty salon equipment is a hugely important consideration to make when you are starting up your own salon.

Not only is starting your own salon a big step to take, so is selecting and purchasing your equipment. The equipment you choose to buy will affect nearly every other aspect of your salon's quality, including the atmosphere and ambiance of your salon, the range of beauty services that you are able to offer, and the overall quality and price range of your salon. That is why you should know your stuff and take a look around for the best deals before you jump in the deep end and start buying your salon equipment.

The first important question to ask yourself is: what type of services is my salon going to offer? Successfully answering this question should make it easier to determine what beauty salon equipment you need.

There is usually no question that you will need one of more salon chairs for your clients to use. There are many salon chairs available on the market at a wide range of prices. Look out for features that will enhance the quality of your salon, such as having fully upholstered and cushioned chairs for extra comfort. This is important when your clients will be sitting down for a long period of time. You should also be looking for a chair that can recline without any trouble.

While it is easy to set up a mirror on the wall and stick a chair down in front of it, you should also think about whether you want to purchase a "one-stop salon station", which is an easy to install piece of furniture that includes mirrors, storage space, and sometimes even sinks and a chair.

First hand beauty salon equipment is usually highly priced -- especially if you buy it direct from a specialist salon equipment retailer. For that reason, if you are buying first hand it is more economical to purchase direct from an equipment distributor, who will price their equipment lower than a retailer. Another option is to buy your equipment second hand -- but if you do make sure you can inspect the items in person before you purchase to ensure that they are in a good condition.

Once you have decided on a set of chairs and beauty stations you will have a basic formation of your salon already prepared. After that you need to think about extra services and what beauty equipment they will require. Popular services offered by salons include manicures and pedicures -- beauty treatments for the hands and feet. For these services you will want to have the latest manicure and pedicure equipment, so unless you personally know someone who is selling new equipment second hand, it is better to buy brand new.

The same goes for equipment for hair and skin treatment. Try and find a wholesale retailer or distributor who will work on a long-term contract to get you the latest lotions, creams, treatment utensils and beauty salon equipment.