Tag: IPL

The UK beauty services industry appears to be immune to prevailing economic conditions, with the number of high street salons continuing to grow at a rate of 10% a year. Two prevailing factors explain the health of the sector. Firstly people seem to be prepared to forgo most other luxuries ahead of beauty treatments and pampering which make them look and feel good. Secondly beauty salons have succeeded in appealing to a younger audience, influenced by the cult of celebrity which values physical looks above everything else. Surveys show that over a quarter of beauty salon customers now come from the 18-30 age group. The number of small salons has increased markedly to meet growing demand, and 75% of businesses in the sector have fewer than 5 employees. The industry is completely unregulated in the UK, making setting up a salon relatively straightforward. While this ensures that smaller enterprises can compete with larger rivals, it also means that many professionals in the industry lack any training, qualifications, or the necessary experience to perform beauty treatments competently and safely. This is leading to more and more injuries among salon customers every year.

Many treatments at beauty salons require therapists to apply strong chemical solutions or heated substances such as wax to sensitive areas of the body. New customers should always be offered a skin patch test at least 48 hours before a treatment is carried out to ensure a product is safe to use. They may suffer an allergic reaction to waxing products, or more commonly to chemicals contained in dyes used during procedures such as eyelash tinting. Many solutions used in beauty treatments contain highly toxic chemicals which can severely damage skin if they are spilled, mixed incorrectly or poorly applied. Intensive chemical peels involve solutions containing phenol (carbolic acid), which will burn the skin if it is not removed at exactly the right moment. Eyelash dyes meanwhile contain peroxide and ammonia which may cause blindness in extreme cases if spilled in the eye. Different hair removal waxes require heating to different temperatures, and mistakes by a therapist in this area may lead to burns, blistering, swelling and unsightly scarring. It is this combination of toxic and heated solutions in the hands of negligent staff which poses the biggest danger to beauty salon customers.

There are numerous other situations in which poorly trained or inattentive therapists can injure their clients. During waxing for example, the strips may be removed too quickly, causing the skin to tear and bleed. This can lead to rashes, ingrown hairs, pain, embarrassment and infection. Eyelash extensions may be attached with too much glue, or may be too heavy, resulting in the natural eyelashes being gradually torn out. More generally an unhygienic beauty salon will provide a breeding ground for bacteria which may cause infections among clients. It is essential therefore that all surfaces and equipment are routinely and effectively disinfected. Equipment used at beauty salons should also be regularly inspected to ensure it is safe to use. A malfunctioning sunbed or IPL laser for example could cause permanent blindness if the eye’s outer layer (cornea) is over-exposed and burned.

Despite the lack of specific industry regulations, customers are still protected against negligent beauty therapists and salon staff by basic consumer laws. Clients have a right to expect that their treatment will be performed to a reasonable standard, similar to that which they could have expected had they taken their business elsewhere. Damages for botched beauty treatments will reflect the full and ongoing effects that an injury has caused. An injured person may therefore claim for loss of enjoyment if they have been forced to miss or cancel a special occasion, or for psychological injuries such as extreme self-consciousness or loss of sexual desire. Compensation claims do not usually end up in court, as salons and therapists have public liability insurance to protect them in the event of a claim from an injured customer. It is always best to seek the advice of a specialist lawyer with experience of injuries at beauty salons if you wish to make a claim. Solicitors will normally handle cases on a no win no fee basis, meaning there will be nothing to pay win or lose.

In times of economic recession it can be extremely challenging for beauty clinic operators to gain access to a number of types of business funding in order to help their business expand and grow. Lets look at two important types of funding, which can help underpin and strengthen growth in terms of capital equipment and growth, and also point of sale (POS) finances a good way of driving sales and increasing profit for the business owner, In any economic climate.
To start with well take a look at operations finance which we can use as an catch all heading which includes business equipment leasing, overdraft facilities, business loans and any other credit that you would use to grow your company. If you want some new equipment or facilities you would most likely finance this with a business loan or a lease, in good economic times there would be dozens of options available, but in recession, most asset lenders who have to fund assets to be in business tend to contract and point their activity to markets such as Gov bodies or the medical sector due to the given perception, and likely reality, that these markets are better covenants from them and therefore offer lower risk.
With less resource and access to funds it can be extremely hard for beauty salon owners to realistically expand their business. A fairly new concept of obtaining a cash advance from credit card machines is sweeping the UK and USA and is an excellent for beauty salons to raise cash to expand. What happens is you can get a cash advance on your future sales that allows you to acquire new equipment to make more sales. There is no credit check as the agreed payback is inputted into your card machine.

The biggest advantage of this is that if sales are low one month, you only make small payments back, therefore eliminating the risk to your business. However, if you have new equipment that increases sales, it makes good business sense because you are paying back out of those higher and more profitable sales. It gives you instant access to growth funds that you would not normally have. You can read more detail about it here

Now lets look at point of sale finance or POS at it is also known. Some treatment courses such as IPL hair removal, skin rejuvenation or Laser lipo can cost upward of a few thousand, which a lot of people simply havent got the moment. Some clients will apply for finance options if you offer them, but the chances of getting passed for credit these days are getting harder and harder.
Enter your very own instalments plan. Ok, I here the shouts but we are not a finance company Of course you are not, and you dont have to be. If you take cards you can take instalments. If not, uses standing orders, they are simple to set up. The point is this. Offer a plan where to take a reasonable deposit, say 25%, and collect the rest over 9 months.
Do read more about this in a separate article found here

if done properly, it can transform your business and tap into a huge market that is hungry for what you offer, but do not normally believe that they can afford it.
There are a number of finance options available on our website and you are more than welcome to ask for help or advice on selecting which options suits your needs best of all.