If you are planning to open a beauty salon or spa, getting the atmosphere right is one of the most important things. You want people to feel relaxed when they walk in and you also want to make your customers feel at home. For this, it is important that the salon has the right environment with soothing color schemes, essential oils, and relaxing music.
People picture a spa as a place where people just sit back and relax while someone else takes care of their beauty needs. If the atmosphere isn’t right, the whole customer experience will be impacted and it’s unlikely that people will come back for a return visit. If you are starting your own wellness and beauty business, here are some great tips to help you create the perfect relaxing atmosphere.
Get The Color Scheme Right
The color of the walls and decoration has a colossal impact on the mood of people. The first thing you will need to do when starting your beauty and wellness business is choose your color scheme. Make sure you pick colors that have a soothing effect on people and that will help you relax. The best colors are neutral shades like beiges and pastel greens.
Avoid using bold colors for the walls as these are too intense and will make people feel agitated when they walk in. Also, avoid red color schemes because this is an energetic color that makes people more active. If you use red, you should offset it with calming blues or purples to tone things down a bit. The most important thing is to keep it light and airy.
Keep The Lighting Low
While you want your customers to see what’s happening, it also helps to keep the lighting low. Lighting is very important because different lights can change the mood of people completely. For instance, warm white lights are perfect for relaxation and encourage people to sit back and relax. Cooler tones like blue tones help energize people so these should be used sparingly.
Dimming the lights and using warm tones will give you that relaxing atmosphere that you want, and make people feel like they are in a safe, comfortable space.
Use Essential Oils and Diffusers
Aroma is another important factor when it comes to relaxation. The smells that you choose can affect the feelings of your customers, and if you use the right aromas, this will definitely help them relax. For instance, orange and lavender essential oils are perfect for relaxation; they encourage people to sit back and chill out. Similarly, sandalwood has a very calming effect on people while peppermint or lemon is great for energizing people who need an extra boost in the morning.
You should invest in aromatherapy diffusers to disperse scented water vapor into the air throughout the day. This is much better than using candles because the scent lasts longer and it’s not as intense or overwhelming as strong candlelight can be.
Get Some Relaxing Music
No relaxation can be complete without music. While you don’t want anything too energetic or loud, soft sounds are perfect to fill the background while your customers relax. Waterfalls and nature sounds are great, but if you want some more soothing tunes, go for piano or violin music.
If possible, get hold of meditation CDs with ocean waves or other soothing sounds so that people can choose what they want to listen to while inside your spa. With the right atmosphere, your customers will feel completely relaxed and rejuvenated when they leave. You should also keep changing things about every three months because then it won’t become monotonous for people who come in all the time.
You should look into different music for specific treatments too, so you can maximize their effectiveness. For example, if you get specific music for reflexology treatments, you can help clients really get in the right frame of mind. You’d be surprised how much difference music can make, so it’s best to pay for professional music instead of using any old free tracks you can find online.
Provide High-Quality Robes
The robes might seem like a small detail but they make a big difference. Make sure you invest in high-quality robes that people can wear while they are getting their treatments. It’s a mistake to go for the cheap option because people will notice and it changes their whole perception of the place.
You should also consider which type of robe people might prefer based on the type of treatments they get. For example, if you offer waxing treatments it’s best to provide terry cloth or linen robes so that your customers feel more comfortable throughout the process. These extra touches really help with making your customers feel at home and relaxed.
Ban Electronic Devices
This is such an important one because people spend way too much time with their electronic devices and you should try to create a break from this. First of all, no phones or electronics in the treatment rooms because it changes the vibe completely and leaves people feeling anxious and nervous instead of relaxed.
There’s nothing more distracting than phones going off while people are trying to unwind, so consider putting an outright ban on them and asking everybody to switch them off when they enter.
Get The Right Temperature
Make sure the temperature is just right in every room because too much or too little heat can change your clients’ whole experience with you. If it’s warm, they’ll have a hard time relaxing, and if it’s cold then they might feel a little chilly when they’re trying to settle down in a new place. Finding the optimum temperature can be tough because everybody has slightly different preferences. However, if you keep it at around 68-72 degrees then you should be fine.
You can also keep a robe and slippers in every room as well as water and other refreshments for your clients to help them relax and make them feel at home. Without the right environment, relaxation is impossible even with the best treatments, so make sure you get this crucial part of your spa business right or it’s not going to work out.
