It’s safe to say that we all want to be kinder to Mother Nature’s environmental resources. If you have been wondering how to implement some changes around your beauty location to make it more sustainable, we’ve got you covered with this post. Below we break down some of the changes spa owners can make to ensure their beauty businesses are more eco-friendly.
1. Go Paper-Free (Or Use As Little Paper As Possible)
Going paper-free is a great way to reduce your business’s environmental impact. It can also save you money. Going digital for your bookings (including doing booking through your website and social media platforms) provides a simple way to do so while also automating some of the booking process. Savvy digital demographics like Millennials and GenX use their phones for most things in life—so booking aesthetic services should be no different.
Your clients can book online and receive emails and texts for confirmation. There are several online booking platforms to choose from so you can determine which one meets your budget and helps you to streamline your business goals. You can also do new client intakes on a tablet rather than on paper to minimize the use of paper. To get your clients on board with going digital, you could offer incentives for doing so—like on your fifth service you get a percentage discount or a free add-on service.
Your clients can book online and receive emails and texts for confirmation. There are several online booking platforms to choose from so you can determine which one meets your budget and helps you to streamline your business goals. You can also do new client intakes on a tablet rather than on paper to minimize the use of paper. To get your clients on board with going digital, you could offer incentives for doing so—like on your fifth service you get a percentage discount or a free add-on service.
2. Choose Suppliers Who Are Water Conscious
You can further reduce your beauty location’s waste by partnering with wholesale suppliers that minimize their water and waste usage. Many suppliers are looking for ways to reduce their environmental footprint since consumers want products that are more eco-friendly—this could be with biodegradable packaging or packing that is recycled or partnering with companies that offer refills that come in sustainable packaging. You can also seek wholesale partners that use concentrated formulas, therefore minimizing their environmental impact. You could even install low-flow faucets and showers to reduce your business’s water consumption.
3. Install Smart-Home Thermostats
Similarly to reducing your business’s water usage, you can also install smart-home devices like automated lights, dimmers, and smart-thermostats to minimize your electricity use. You can schedule heating and cooling to only be on during business hours and you can monitor your usage from your phone through the app for each supplier.
4. Go Low Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC)
You are in the spa business where your clients are coming for self-care and a healthy experience overall—so it makes sense to use paints, rugs, and even furniture that does not off-gas VOCs. VOCs are gasses emitted from certain solid and liquid materials including the ones listed and can reduce the quality of the air inside your location and cause potential long-term health issues. The more health-conscious and eco-friendly your location is, the healthier it is for you and your team as well as your clients.
5. Recycle And Reuse (And Minimize Single-Use Plastics)
An inexpensive way to become a more eco-friendly business is to recycle and reuse wherever possible. If you use new slippers for each of your clients, you could donate them after they are used rather than throw them out. You could also cut old towels and linens and make them into mitts. Another easy step you can take to be more environmentally friendly is to get rid of single-use plastics.
Not all plastics are bad, since plastic is in most things and is one of the most recyclable materials on the planet. However, when it comes to single-use plastic, the name says it all. These plastic items are used only once and are typically not recyclable. For example, rather than use plastic cups in your beauty location, you can offer beverages with cups made of glass. You could also put your products used for treatments and in the showers into glass containers that you fill up as needed.
Not all plastics are bad, since plastic is in most things and is one of the most recyclable materials on the planet. However, when it comes to single-use plastic, the name says it all. These plastic items are used only once and are typically not recyclable. For example, rather than use plastic cups in your beauty location, you can offer beverages with cups made of glass. You could also put your products used for treatments and in the showers into glass containers that you fill up as needed.
Final thoughts...
The above represents only a handful of small changes your beauty location can make to become more eco-friendly while also saving money in the process. Not only could there be cost savings if you make these changes, you can market your beauty location as being a more sustainable business, which may attract new clients as well as satisfy the eco-friendly wants of your existing clientele.
