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Can the salon industry be corona-proof and be sustainable?

“We need to be able to find the right balance.”

“Sustainability even before COVID-19 was a tricky area. Salons perform a wide range of chemical services such as colour, rebonding, and keratin, plus services such as hair washes, which use shampoos, conditioners, and serums. The fact of the matter is – not all of this is replaceable by sustainable or eco-friendly products without compromising on the results. Of course, salons and clients can choose to do this consciously, but there is quite a bit of salon work that does require chemicals to give the desired results.

The most significant impact of COVID-19 has been the switchover to disposables and a multifold increase in packaging. Single use aprons, capes, sheets, towels, PPE, masks, and gloves generate a lot of waste that is not ecofriendly. Even manicure and pedicure services have switched to single use packs, which means, packaging is discarded with every service.

As salon professionals, we need to be able to find the right balance – switching back to reusables where possible, while ensuring that we are still safe with respect to COVID-19. We need to check on the items that actually make a difference, and which ones are just to reassure clients visually, without really having any utility. Going overboard with disposables has consequences simply because of the huge increase in waste generated.”

Bina Punjani, Art Director, Bina Punjani Hair Studio and Academy

“We are confident of returning to sustainable practices.”

“‘Sustainability’ has been a buzzword in the salon industry for a while now. With countries such as Australia leading the way with ecofriendly and energy-efficient practices in the hair and beauty space, we have had some time to understand and adapt to the concept. In India, the shift towards sustainable beauty has been majorly pushed forward through eco-friendly product ranges from prestigious brands and significant changes in service delivery by popular salon chains. The demand for sustainable hair and beauty products never saw a slowdown during the COVID crisis. At LOOKS Privé, we continue to encourage sustainable practices be it through product recommendations or measures taken to save electricity and water. We house brands such as Davines to drive the message further and efficiently employ our sustainability strategy. Yes, with safety precautions in place due to COVID-19, we have had to make a few compromises such as not serving snacks and beverages in reusable cups. But these are only temporary, and we are confident of returning to sustainable practices to safeguard the environment’s carbon footprint.”

Deepak Jalhan, Creative Director and Educator, LOOKS Privé Salon

This article appears in the PBHJ Feb-Mar 2021 Issue of Professional Beauty/ Hairdressers Journal India

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This article appears in the PBHJ Feb-Mar 2021 Issue of Professional Beauty/ Hairdressers Journal India