Thoughts on the after: Reopening hair salons together

For the last four years, while leading L’Oréal’s Professional Products Division worldwide, I have had the opportunity to meet hairdressers around the globe and have fallen totally in love with them. 

In this period of crisis, I want them to know that they are not alone because we are doing everything we can to help them navigate this situation and move towards the reopening of hair salons.

More than a haircut: a symbol of hope.

The prospect of reopening salons gives great hope to the entire global community of hairdressers. Through the emails and texts I receive every day and the conversations I have with our partners all around the world, I know that hairdressers are currently waiting for just one thing: get back to work. I am humbled by the commitment of hairdressers, their exceptional mobilization, their courage and their will.

Another belief I have is that the prospect of reopening hair salons gives great hope to consumers who want to pamper themselves. I was thrilled to see a lot of them express their desire to go to their hair salons as soon as the lock down ends. More than a haircut, I believe we all miss being taken care of and building strong connections.

What I know with certainty is that the prospect of reopening hair salons motivates me greatly. L’Oréal has been a historical partner of hairdressers for over 110 years, particularly in terms of training, business support and business transformation. More than ever, as the leader of the industry, we have an important role to play. Hairdressers and all our partners are counting on us. My teams and I are proud to leverage the power of L’Oréal to help them in this period. It gives meaning to my work and to my teams’ work.

Now, how are we enabling a brighter future for hairdressers?

Right at the very beginning of this crisis, we decided to freeze the existing payments of independent salons and hairstylists until their businesses resume. This decision we made already has a huge impact: 100,000 salons worldwide benefit from the freezing payments measure.

At the same time, I am proud to announce that initiatives are multiplying! In the United States, for instance, the L'Oréal USA Professional Products Division has made a substantial contribution to the Professional Beauty Association COVID-19 Relief Fund, which provides emergency funding to stylists and salons who have been unable to work because of COVID-19.

In parallel, L’Oréal is still finding new ways to support hairdressers via social media: every day, brands of the Professional Products Division post articles, stories and go live to support hairdressers. Our goal? We want to help them to take advantage of this time to upskill themselves while also staying in touch with their customers.

And now, we are working with the industry to prepare for the reopening of hair salons. We’re proposing hydroalcoholic gel hand sanitizers and masks to hairdressers, as well as clear hygiene guidelines, so that everyone will stay safe. Hairdressers are ahead of the game: most of them are already in th?e habit of disinfecting their tools, paying attention to how their sinks and seats are used. Together, we are reinventing the customer journey.

There is an after to this difficult crisis for small firms and independent workers. Today, there is a glimpse of hope: all over the world, the reopening of hairdressing salons will be a symbol of well-being. And while we are all waiting for that, we are hopeful and supportive.

Nathalie Roos, President of Professional Products Division