Clean Beauty Boosts Business for Baddhare Salon

The sunrise over Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, makes it an amazing location for a salon, which is why there is at least one on practically every nearby block. But clients of Baddhare Salon have more than the sun on their back to tempt them in. Baddhare is the most sustainable salon in the area, which, in turn, has helped make it one of the most successful.

It didn’t start like that. Since opening in 2017 Baddhare has bloomed from a small salon with five rented booths to 3,500 sq ft over two floors, a 25-strong commission-based team and a huge, devoutly loyal clientele grounded by a steadfast commitment to sustainability.

“We care about our people, our planet, our community and our business,” says Abigail Brown, who joined Rhysa Anderson as a stylist as Baddhare launched six years ago. “Like Rhysa, my passion for sustainability was born alongside my growing family and my realization that we need to do something to protect their future.”

In 2019, Abigail became a co-owner just as the salon relocated to larger premises and dropped booth renting. Shortly afterwards, they recruited Leslie Menich to lead on wellness education and sustainability. In April this year, Leslie joined Amy Roland from A Roland  in New Cumberland, Pennsylvania, and Pam Gordon from Gordon Salon in Chicago, Illinois, on a Dat- Driven Salon Summit panel discussion hosted by eco expert Valorie Tate, founder of Sustain Beauty Co. 

The progress of Baddhare has been in sync with the growing awareness of climate change across the country, but it’s also been fueled by Abigail and Rhysa’s commitment to their community within the industry and in Myrtle Beach. A desire to share their experiences has prompted them to launch the Baddhare Alliance, a customized program to coach other owners to become more sustainable.

“We set up Baddhare Alliance to help others build stronger foundations and a more profitable business,” continues Abigail. “We want them to be Baddass bosses able to turn their dreams of ownership into a reality.”

Closer to home the whole team has adopted the stretch of beach in front of the salon, taking on responsibility for keeping it clear of litter on a daily basis and they support the local women’s shelter, donating monthly.

In-salon, sustainability is paramount. All spa services are performed with Clean Mission Approved products, while retail is dominated by clean beauty brands. But to avoid alienating existing clients, the team still uses the same color line introduced in 2017 in tandem with a sustainable color line. Just over a third of clients opt for the sustainable line. The hope is that more guests will gradually convert to the cleaner color, and to encourage this, and healthier living, Baddhare runs lifestyle coaching and education sessions on sustainability. All of these are open to the salon team at a hugely discounted rate, while additional external support is available for any employee who needs it.

In the meantime, the team know that the impact of the non-eco color is minimized because the salon has Vish management technology installed at the color bar. Waste is practically zero, as the team mix only what they need. In just six months using this tech the salon was able to capture an additional $11k in revenue, while less waste led to reduced inventory costs, doubly driving up profitability.

“Over the past four years we’ve learned a lot through trial and error,” adds Abigail. “We would love to see more salons commit to greater sustainability, which is why we set up the Baddhare Alliance. Every business is different, so any solution must be customized. And we intend to offer what help we can.”

The ultimate goal of Abigail and Rhysa is for all salons to be sustainable, including those along Myrtle Beach. Baddhare is in the vanguard, but its owners are dreaming of a day when every salon and every client cares about the future they are creating for their children.