How much should I charge for beauty treatments?

Jada

Hi Lessonlearned,

I'm a bit of a beauty and pamper queen so have a lot of experience when it comes to salons, be it home based or on retail premises. I have absolutely no problem going to a home based salon. As long as the service is good and it looks professional, you're sure to get repeat customers. But it's the price that gets them through the door to begin with.

My advice, firstly, is to get a website. Whenever I decide I fancy having something done, I look up services via Google, Yell.com and Gumtree - which is free for ads.

I find a website gives it that little more validity, that the salon actually exists and it gives the first impression that vital personal touch. 9/10 times I won't even consider calling an ad on Yell if it doesn't have a website, but like one of the posters before me has said, definately do flyers on your computer and drop them in letter boxes. I'd happily consider those salons even if they don't have a website, as I feel someone's gone to some effort sticking them through doors so it's worth enquiring further (if the prices are decent!).

I get various beauty treatments done regularly: hollywood wax, facials (especially microdermabrasion), massages, pedicures etc. Basically things that I can't do/bring myself to do, be it because of the pain or relaxation aspect of it.

However, I wax my own arms, underarms and legs (not that there's that much hair now on the latter two areas as I've lasered 95% off). This is because I think it's shocking to pay (I'm based in London):

• £8-£12 for an underarm wax (takes me 60 seconds to do both these days, even before I had laser treatment it was barely five minutes).

• £18-£30 for a full leg wax (I can do this in maybe 10 minutes per leg).

• £13-£20 for a full arm wax (I haven't lasered this area, but it still takes only about 10 minutes per arm to do too - the only problem I have is getting bored and distracted!).

But anyway, my point is, I do it myself because it's so much cheaper for exactly the same result as going to a salon - and it doesn't hurt at all. I get Nair or Wax Away strips from the 99p shop (which usually cost around £6 in Boots or Superdrug for the identical product!) and it works out that I'm spending 15p for both underarms, £2 for both full arms and £3-£4 for both legs; and that's me being a perfectionist and getting every hair. I do this about once a month.

Obviously it won't be economically viable for you to have prices THIS low, but I thought I'd point out what you're up against when it comes to the savvy MoneySaver who still wants to look beautiful, but on a tight budget. Personally I just can't justify paying the huge salon prices when I know I can save SO MUCH doing it myself (I've had no beauty training, just always watched how the beautician did it to me).

HOWEVER...if a salon offered, what I'd deem as reasonable prices, I probably would ditch doing it myself for the luxury of having someone else deal with it all. I lived in the East Midlands for a while and found this lady who worked from home (a converted garage, it was all very nice) http://www.rekha.org.uk/Pricedisplay.htm

I visited her several years ago when her prices were even less...but even now she only charges £25 for a 75 mins body massage. If I could get that in London, I would have one every other week! Alas, the cheapest I can find in London is £45 for 90 mins in this salon http://www.siambeauty.co.uk/prices.htm, but it totally lacks the personal touch because it's a massive salon and you get a different massuse each time; some of whom are excellent, some not so good. It's pot luck. Thus, I rarely have a massage as I can't justify the expense for what I get.

Going back to Rekha's, she charges just £21 (it was £20 back in my day PLUS I got 20% student discount, bringing it to £16!) for a full leg, full arm, bikini and underarms wax. You'd be lucky to get all that in outer London for under £50 or central London for under £80.

And a 75 mins, full works facial (exfoliate, steam, masque, extraction, cleanse, tone, massage etc etc) is £17. Again, where I live now, I'm lucky to get a similar facial for under £30, so I tend to only get it done when I spot a salon's special offer. This makes me a bit of a salon tart which I feel I have to be to get my money's worth, but I'd rather see one beautician regularly who has reasonable standard prices, then jump from salon to salon.

This is just my opinion (I don't know much about having a business and the extra costs it entails that you have to factor in on prices) but this is the most I would pay for certain treatments in order for a salon to have me as a regular, loyal customer:

• £15 for a hollywood wax (only because I'm lucky and get it at this price already! Otherwise I'd stretch to £20, tops)
• £10-£12 for a full legs wax
• £4-£5 for an underarm wax (I actually wouldn't even pay this as I have hardly any hair now, but if I did, I think that would be a fair price)
• £7-£9 for a full arm wax
• £20 for a facial
• £40 for a 90 mins body massage

I don't think there's any trouble with starting prices off low and slowly increasing them say, every January, by a pound. If I found a place I was happy with, I would sing its praises everywhere I go and would easily bring extra custom through the door, via family and friends. Of course, I've based most of this post on prices, but the service does have to be top notch too...otherwise it's all worthless.

Also worth a thought - parking is something you should always consider and how you accept payment. I much prefer paying by card, or cheque at the VERY least (I hardly ever carry cash with me).

I hope my tuppence worth is of help

All the best with your venture - :staradmin Jada :staradmin

lessonlearned

Thank you, thank you, thank you. :j

For taking so much trouble to type all that out. You are an absolute star. (I'm going to print all this out right now) All the tips too from the other posters too.

I am based in the East Midlands too so your price guidelines are going to be really useful to me. What a pity you are in London. I'd have given you a couple of freebies for all that help.;)

And hey, no shame in being a salon tart - we all need to watch the pennies, that's why we visit this lovely site.

scooby32

Perhaps a few starting offers. I usually get regular waxing and I once got a package where for £3 extra an eyelash tint was included with three areas. It made me book all three. Then each time I booked the package instead of one or two areas.

manicure and pedicure together small saving. Means at least toes are dry before leaving.

Regulars cards. One stamp for each treatment free mini manicure after so many stamps.

Sell polishes or ask client to provide own. Means if smudged can repair.

When you package together, less client traffic longer appointents. Head massage, shoulders or mini facial massage nice extras

just a few things that would make me spend more

Marg

Lesson-learned - from your point of view have a clear idea of the days/hours you intend to work & stick to them otherwise your clients will expect you to be on call 24 hours a day.
As a prospective client - Offer unsocial hours treatments (within reason) I'm often in the situation of wanting treatment in the evenings but they can be hard to find.
Good Luck!