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
A Word to the Water Wise
August is Clean Water Month, and it’s a topic that doesn’t get enough airtime considering how much salons rely on it for their service outcomes. Sustain Beauty Co. offers some top tips for being water-wise.
by Su Clark
August 27, 2025
A map of hard water areas in the United States? How do you fare?
4 min to read
We use it every day, yet we likely don’t mull over the fact that it’s the culprit for so many bad hair days. It is a diminishing resource, yet we waste it almost every time we use it. It’s life-giving, and if we run low, it would mean disaster. We are talking about water. August is Clean Water Month, and it’s a topic that frankly doesn’t get enough airtime considering how much we rely on it for our service outcome.
Key reservoirs in the Southwest have dropped by 60% over the past 25 years, while government tests found that one in five US aquifers (where much of our drinking water comes from) is contaminated. Inevitably, costs are escalating.
“Across the country, but especially in the center and in Florida, salons are already struggling with water that ranges from hard through to very hard to downright extremely hard, and that all impacts hair and skin,” says Valorie Tate of Sustain Beauty Co. “Hard water can make hair dull and lifeless, exacerbate scalp issues, and hamper or even alter color processing. Inevitably, as water loss accelerates, costs will keep rising.”
Valorie and her team have been championing water conservation and spreading awareness about the importance of clean, fresh water for years, advocating innovative practices and products to make it easier to save the wet stuff. To mark the end of Clean Water Month, she offers top water-wise strategies to help salons access better water and cut back on costs:
More Than a Faucet Issue
It seems an obvious piece of advice, but cutting back on water use is often difficult in a busy salon, but there are ways to conserve it. Start by considering the whole water map, including laundry, dishes, and facilities, rather than just what flows from the faucet. Laundry can be replaced or supplemented with compostable, disposable towels (which are much nicer for the client anyway), and every restroom should be low-flo these days. Don’t forget to act quickly on leaks – they are costing you money.
The team from Sustain Beauty Co from right: Carmella Songhorian, Paul Tate, Valorie Tate, Colin Wilson and Ann Marie Soltis.
Ease Up On the Product
Use less product and there is less to rinse away, and we are talking about at the basin as much as the color bar. One cool side effect of a water softener is you’ll find you need less shampoo and conditioner to get the job done. And, upgrading your color bar with new tech like ThePing X, makes color go further and glide on easier, so you’ll quickly find you need less. And if it isn’t obvious, it will be once you install color management tech, which, by guiding stylists on formula quantities, can cut color costs in half overnight. Less color, less chemicals rinsed into the water system.
Be Adventurous
It may seem like an impossible leap, but shifting over to low-tox supplies not only reduces chemical exposure for you, your team, and clients, it also stops toxins flowing into our aquifers. Explore planet-friendly alternatives where you can, and while you are at it, have a look at non-toxic cleaning products, like Cutler Pro.
Easy to swap with your existing showerheads, filtered versions like ECOHEADS will strip the nasties from the flow and save up to 65% of water and energy used on every client while also upping the pressure.
Clean Up the Mess
And lastly, let’s discuss hard water which is hideous for color. If you live in an area with ultra-hard water, consider adding a chelating treatment before color services. Install filters and softeners to combat the hard water in your salon, ensuring you don’t reintroduce minerals after each service.
You can instantly impact mineralization by installing high-filtration showerheads, such as ECOHEADS. Easy to swap with your existing showerheads, filtered versions will strip the nasties from the flow and save up to 65% of water and energy used on every client while also upping the pressure. It makes rinsing easier and quicker, protecting hair and color.
Remember, every little drop we save and every bit of chemicals prevented from contaminating our water helps sustain a resource that is intrinsic to delivering the best service possible.
For further info on how to be water wise explore the Sustainable Salon Checklist published by Sustain Beauty Co and available to download for free here
About SBCo: Sustain Beauty Co was born with the mission to help identify authentic, credible and environmentally responsible brands that put stylists at the forefront of their purpose. All Sustain Beauty Co products must: 1) Reduce the footprint of consumables in our industry. 2) Empower artists to create beauty responsibly.3) Protect the stylist and the environment equally. 4) Come from ethical sources and responsible manufacturing facilities.
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