Lighting plays a key role in the beauty and esthetics field. Whether in hair salons, barbershops or beauty salons, the right choice of lighting can make all the difference in achieving the best customer satisfaction and, consequently, greater business success.
Although throughout the text we will refer mainly to hairdressing salons, the lighting tips and recommendations are equally valid for all three types of business.
How to choose lighting for a hairdressing salon
When choosing lighting fixtures, we must keep in mind that the quality of light is crucial, more so than in other types of business. After all, tasks such as haircuts, dyes or highlights are performed, where having a good light that respects the colors and creates a space free of shadows is essential.
This is why we must put special emphasis on the level of illumination, color rendering index and color temperature.
Lighting levels in hair salons and barbershops
The lighting level is measured in lux and indicates the amount of light at each point in the space. The light should be as uniform as possible and allow professionals to perform their work effectively and comfortably.
The recommendation for how many lux are needed in a salon is to maintain a minimum of 500 lux throughout the space. This ensures that the light is sufficient for all activities.
High color rendering
The color rendering index (CRI) measures how faithfully light reproduces colors compared to sunlight. It is a value ranging from 0 to 100 with 100 being the CRI of the sun.
Undoubtedly a crucial factor in these establishments, where accurate color perception is essential. We don’t want a makeup or hair color to look good inside the salon and when we go out on the street the color tones are different.
We will be looking for a CRI of at least 90 so that the client can see the real result of their treatment.
Light color temperature in hairdressing salons
The color temperature of lighting is another relevant factor which, like the CRI, is closely linked to how colors are perceived. Color temperature is a numerical representation of the color of the light itself, ranging from warm lights with more orange or reddish tones to cool lights with mostly bluish tones.
In general, it is recommended that lights imitate natural light as this is the most accurate way to see colors. We will install luminaires that have a neutral color temperature, being 4,000 K or 4,500 K the most common.
Complementary lighting for hairdressing salons
Although in general terms the lighting we have described is sufficient, there are some areas of hairdressing salons and barbershops where we can play a little more with the lighting:
Reception and waiting room
In this area we can use warmer lights than recommended, around 3000K, to create a more cozy and relaxed atmosphere. Pendant lights in this part of the salon can add a touch of personality and style that can help us create brand image.
Work area
In addition to general lighting, it may be necessary to have spot lighting at each workstation to ensure optimal visibility and minimize shadows.
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Product area lighting
If we have an area with products displayed for purchase we can use lights that focus the attention of customers on them to boost sales. The track spotlights can be a good ally to achieve this because we can move them and focus them where we are most interested.
Emergency lights
Complying with safety regulations with adequate emergency lights is essential for the safety of customers and staff. They are especially relevant if the space is large or has stairs.
As we have seen, lighting plays a crucial role in customer experience and worker performance contributing to the success of businesses and the beauty and aesthetics sector is no exception.
By taking into account factors such as lighting level, color rendering index and color temperature, we will ensure that we have the perfect lighting for each of the tasks performed in hairdressing salons, barbershops and beauty salons in general.