The Constant
Starting at Impressions front desk in 2006 when he was 19 years old, General Manager Paul Petrowsky is a seasoned professional who owner Sarah Taylor says is responsible for much of her own success.
by Stacey Soble
10 Things Vaccinated Stylists Still Can't Do
Inspired by a witty column in The New Yorker, we put our heads together with some salon owners and created a list of things that are still bad ideas for stylists, even if they are fully vaccinated.
April 1, 2021
Image created by the team at Studio Wish Salon in Twinsburg, OH.
4 min to read
As vaccines roll out across the country, the inoculated are embracing their new superhero abilities, such as gathering indoors with others, eating in restaurants and even boarding crowded airplanes.
These emboldened activities encouraged columnist Eli Grober to pen a few tongue-in-cheek warnings in his article, “Things Fully Vaccinated People Are Still Not Allowed To Do” for the March edition of The New Yorker. For example, Grober cautioned the vaccinated they still needed to stay mute during Group Zoom calls, that it’s still rude to not order fries but then eat your friend’s off their plate, and that it’s still wrong to hog both armrests on a plane.
The editors at SALON TODAY and MODERN SALON admired this piece of journalistic wit so much, we put our heads together with a few salon owners for a brainstorming session and created a version for the professional beauty industry.
So, for all the fully vaccinated stylists out there, here is a list of 10 things you still can’t do:
5-Second Rules
Your salon may have put in sophisticated new air purifying system, but you still can’t drop your comb then claim it’s safe because of the ‘5-Second Rule.’ That dirty comb needs to take a swim in a bath of disinfectant.
Cover Thy Nose and Mouth
It always was considered rude to cough or sneeze on top of your client’s head. You might be COVID-free, as well as masked, but it’s still rude. Step away, cover your nose and mouth, then wash your hands.
Pixabay
Jingling the Bells
Your 2020 holiday season may have been slower than normal (or if you work in a salon in California or Canada, non-existent), and you missed the ka-ching that comes along with that holiday soundtrack. Resist the temptation to play your favorite festive tunes in the salon---April is still way too early.
Black Coffee for All
Those split shifts that help your salon accommodate more clients during capacity restrictions may have you coming in earlier than normal, but that’s no excuse to use almost all of the creamer and put the nearly empty carton back in the fridge, fooling your coworkers into believing there still is creamer. P.S. Munching on your colleagues munches or snacks also is still a no-no.
Image created by the team at Studio Wish Salon in Twinsburg, OH.
Dirty and Neglected
You might be slammed with back-to-back corrective color appointments with clients who practiced a little home art over the past several months, but that does not mean you can let your dirty color bowls accumulate in the sink. Who do you think is going to wash all those bowls?
Social Beware
Now that you’re fully vaccinated and restaurants are opening up, it’s mighty tempting to call in sick and meet some good friends for lunch. But it’s still a bad idea for your career to post a picture of your reunion for everyone to see.
Image created by the team at Studio Wish Salon in Twinsburg, OH.
The Color Police
While you might think using an entire tube of color per client makes it more sanitary, it’s still a huge waste—both economically and environmentally. Mix your color safely, and return your tubes back to the dispensary.
Time for a Load
If you grab one of the last towels out of the cubby after a shampoo, you can’t act like you didn’t notice. When you get a few moments, throw in a new load, fold some fresh towels from the dryer, and help your team keep those services chugging along.
Image created by the team at Studio Wish Salon in Twinsburg, OH.
No Fur Babies
It might be entertaining to see if you can turn your round brush into a modern-day version of a Furby, but no client wants a brush with someone else’s hair touching their head. Clean your brushes in between clients.
Feeding Clients a Line
We all make mistakes, but you need to own up to them. It might be tempting to tell your client whose color result turned out too dark to “Just wash it a few times and it’ll be fine.” Or inform your client whose hair you cut seven layers in that’s it’s the ‘Stairway to Heaven’ special. But you’re more likely to keep their loyalty if you apologize and issue them a complimentary re-do.
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
More Salon Management
The Most Wonderful Time in Salons and Spas
Planning is in full swing for the most anticipated events and promotions for the 2026 holidays. As owners share their favorite ways to celebrate, they prove that a carefully planned event can also build culture, increase client loyalty, boost sales, and set a business up for a successful 2027.
by Stacey Soble
Leading with Empathy, Humility and a Mastery of Systems
When things run amok at Mane Attraction Salon, Owners Chris and Jenny Knudsen say General Manager Sami Hernandez is their go-to resource and ultimate sounding board. Meet Sami in this installment of Meet the Manager.
by Stacey Soble
Pagoda Brings AI-Powered Operations to Skinovatio Medical Spa Locations
Pagoda, a new AI-native operating system for scheduling, payments, patient records, marketing, and client communications, launches at Skinovatio Medical Spa in Arlington Heights, Illinois.
by Staff
How Women are Rewriting the Rules of Grey Hair
At a panel discussion hosted by L’Oréal Professionnel in Paris in early July, French Philosopher Sophie Galabru explored the cultural shift where women are increasingly choosing natural, personalized color results over traditional grey coverage. In an exclusive interview with SALON TODAY, Galabru and L’Oréal Professionnel Colorist Pierrick Beringer discuss this shift and how salons and colorists respond.
by Stacey Soble
Warm Leadership and Analytical Precision
At Salon Blonde, Director of Operations treats the staff as the salon's most important guests, while her wonderful 'nerdy' side, loves data, systems, and numbers. Find out how she makes Salon Blonde tick.
by Stacey Soble
Trotting the Globe, Forging Connections, Fostering Artistic Creativity
In an exclusive interview with SALON TODAY, Salon Owner Salvatore Minardi reflects on his past 18 months as Intercoiffure America Canada's World Talent Exchange Ambassador and how his experiences will help encourage cultural and artistic exchange and support greater engagement between ICA and the global organization Intercoiffure Mondial.
by Stacey Soble
Client Retention Guidebook
Everything you need to know about client retention as a salon owner.
Success Grown from Within
Owner Shelby Bills says her general manager, Sydney Osborne, reminds her of the power of leading with heart. Find out how Osborne became a great leader in our lastest installment of Meet the Manager.
by Stacey Soble
How Salon Leaders Can Process the Pain and Lead Forward When a Team Members Leaves Unethically
In her latest blog, Kati Whitledge identifies the five stages salon owners go through when a team member leaves the salon unethically, offering advice for each stage.
How AI Is Closing Revenue Gaps for Salons and Spas
The beauty and wellness businesses pulling ahead aren’t just working harder—they’re using AI to capture demand, personalize pricing, and convert more of every guest interaction into revenue. Here’s what the benchmark data reveals about the growing gap between AI adopters and everyone else.
Sponsored by Zenoti
The Premium Talent Magnet: The Modern Salon Playbook for Attracting Six-Figure Stylists
Stop chasing recruitment ghosts on generic job boards and start curating an elite team. Discover the framework that top-tier salons use to bypass phone tag, automate visual portfolio vetting, and attract high-earning, culture-first beauty professionals directly through real-time messaging. Turn your recruitment process into an exclusive brand invitation that keeps your highest-ticket chairs permanently filled.
Sponsored by Beautista
Five Revenue Leaks Hiding in Your Salon
Your calendar looks full, but is all of that demand actually converting to revenue? From phantom rebookings to underpriced peak hours, the 2026 Benchmark Report exposes five revenue leaks that most beauty and wellness businesses don’t even know they have.
Sponsored by Zenoti
The Heartbeat of Zandi K's Success
After moving to Colorado and teaching at a cosmetology school, Allison Stock joined Zandi K as a stylist, eventually becoming part of the Leadership Team, Education Team and Master Bridal Team. Today, as Director of Operation, Stock is Owner Nicki Wenz's right hand, managing human resources and operations, education and career development, and coaching and culture.
by Stacey Soble
Rethinking Retail in the Era of E-Commerce
In a world dominated by e-commerce, salon owners push back with proven strategies to increase retail sales while motivating team members to educate their clientele and delighting clients with retail-themed events and clever merchandising displays.
by Stacey Soble
The Harper Ellis Hair Co. Certification Program Teaches Stylists a Smarter, Safer Way to Install Extensions
The company's Concealed Bead Method is raising the bar for what professional extension education can deliver.
by Staff
The Micro-Salon Blueprint: How Kat Scott Quadrupled Income by Maximizing Her Suite
Scott maximized her micro-salon by transitioning from stylist to strategic owner, focusing on recruiting and station-sharing. By prioritizing her ownership role over behind-the-chair work, she grew her team to six stylists within the two-chair, 150-square-foot space before eventually moving to a larger facility.
by Staff