Salon brands try and stay in the conversation amid lockdown

The salon industry has been vastly affected by the ongoing national lockdown due to the Coronavirus pandemic. There was a time when people could easily step out of their homes and just walk into a salon. That's not the case anymore. The idea of grooming now is confined to how you look on a video call. The need for one to make use of professional salon services is clearly on the decline.

So, to keep their customers engaged and, at the same time, stress on the importance of professional grooming, salon brands have been constantly using their social media handles to great effect.

L’Oreal has been sharing posts urging people to not mess with their hair during lockdown and, instead, wait for professionals to give them the new look or colour they want (for their hair). Lakme has started a series called ‘Beauty from Home’. The episodes are aired on Lakme's Facebook page. The series includes expert tips on makeup, skin, and hair by the brand's national creative directors. Lakme has also collaborated with Audrey D’Souza, head of styling, bedhead by TIGI, a haircare and nail product division of Unilever, to talk about hair-related concerns during lockdown. BBlunt has been keeping busy by posting about DIY hairstyles and haircare tips for both men and women on its Instagram handle.

While several brands are completely against the idea of colouring, or even cutting, your hair at home, Jawed Habib, the renowned hair stylist and owner of numerous salons and hair academies across India, has a different perspective. He has been regularly sharing lockdown live sessions, under the name ‘BalBharat', on his Facebook page. During the 35-40 minute session, he is seen answering questions on haircare and also teaching his audience how to colour and cut their hair in different styles while being at home.

Salons are now revving to get back into action. Geetanjali Salon and Lakme have already started taking pre-booking of appointments. L’Oreal recently posted on Twitter, saying it has resumed services in some locations, while adhering to the directives of local authorities.

Keeping the current situation in mind, Geetanjali Salon has also shared a customer guideline post on its Instagram handle to inform them about the norms that must be followed while coming in for their appointments. BBlunt has shared a post on the safety norms that are being followed in its salons. Lakme has ensured that its salon experts are armed with PPE kits to maintain the highest standards of safety when its customers start coming in. Several salons have also started using the Aarogya Setu app to monitor and screen everyone who enters their premises to ensure a risk-free environment.