Glambook, an Airbnb-like beauty platform for independent beauty professionals, announced its expansion to the U.S. to connect professionals and clients, as rising prices of beauty services prompt U.S. consumers to cut back on beauty procedures. The platform already operates in 38 countries and is said to help professionals earn up to 30% more by eliminating unnecessary fees and providing a free-to-use CRM solution while saving customers up to 20%.

Glambook's expansion into the US targets a $70B market with about 670,000 beauty professionals. The platform plans to invest $1M to scale the business in the U.S. and capture 10% of the market in 2023.

"As my wife is a beauty professional herself, we saw the need for a platform that caters to the changing dynamics of the industry. 67% of customers prefer the convenience of booking their beauty services online, and independent beauty professionals are increasingly opting to work for themselves. Existing solutions were mostly designed for salons, leaving a gap for independent beauty professionals to connect with clients directly.” — Alex Tomchenko, founder and CEO of Glambook

The platform provides a free-to-use CRM solution, enabling beauty professionals to manage their appointments, bookings, and payments, without incurring additional fees. Optional subscription fees of $20 per month can be paid to attract new clients through the platform and generate more revenue. The pro receives a percentage of the cost of the service if the client cancels the appointment at the last minute or doesn’t show up.

Although Glambook targets individual beauty professionals, beauty salons can also benefit from the platform. Glambook prioritizes showcasing individual masters and the salon can receive multiple impressions in the catalog, depending on the number of registered masters on the platform.

“Glambook's free CRM allows me to build my client base while providing top-notch customer service. The fact that clients can view reviews and handpick their preferred professional allows me to enhance and showcase my profile. With Glambook, my goal is to maintain my high industry standing, grow my clientele and enjoy the freedom to work on my own terms,” says Greg Leonard, a U.K.-based hairstylist.

Glambook’s customers have the opportunity to browse and select from a wide range of hairstylists, makeup artists, barbers, tattoo and piercing masters, massage therapists, cosmetologists, depilation, and nail specialists. Appointments can be booked as soon as five minutes in advance. 

The platform's photo galleries and rating and review system provide a level of transparency. There are no commissions for the clients and payments can be made digitally through Glambook or by cash.