MENU
SEARCHYou're having one of those days. You're late to work, your first client never showed, you dropped some mustard on your pants at lunch. Grrrrr. Just when you think things can't get worse, you’re mixing color for a client, you drop the bowl and the color goes everywhere, all over her new designer purse. With a bad day, when it rains it pours.
Yesterday, at my weekly airbrush tanning appointment, my tanning guru Amanda was having one of those days. Right when I got to the salon, I could tell things weren't going well. She had a cut on her leg that was bleeding, two people were waiting in the reception area, and the airbrush machine was disassembled on the counter while she was trying to unclog it. I didn't mind that she was running late; Wednesdays are the salon's busiest days because they offer $10 airbrush tanning, a discount off the normally $30 service and they're ALWAYS booked solid on Wednesdays.
Time passes, and Amanda was eventually able to unclog the machine. Finally, it's my turn to go. I undress as Amanda is asking about me, my day, my life. I fill her in on the details as she preps the machine.
She starts to spray me, beginning with my arm, when all of a sudden KABOOM!!!!!!!!!!!! The lid comes flying off the bottle of solution and all the air
from the airbrusher starts pumping out the brown solution like a brown Old Faithful geyser, ALL OVER AMANDA! Her face, the walls, the floor, the furniture, the white cabinets, EVERYTHING gets completely splatter-painted in the explosion of tanning solution.Seriously, poor Amanda had liquid dripping form her cheeks, and I'm standing there, just completely shocked. (Remember in the movie Carrie, right after all the pig's blood gets dumped on her, how she just stands there, shocked, and all you hear is the drip-drop of the liquid hitting the stage? Yeah, that's what it was like. Only, I wasn't dressed, and it was brown, not red.)
I'm not joking, the VERY FIRST THING Amanda does is turn to me, and go, "Oh no! Did I splash you?" WHAT?! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! She doesn't at all worry about her cute sweater that was soaked, or her face that's covered in tanning solution, or the rugs or furniture, she asks ME, the naked one who actually went to the salon to be covered in tanning solution, if she got me with the spill. She stayed completely calm and immediately grabbed a different machine to spray me. She didn't worry about the mess, or the spill or anything. She was worried about me.
Talk about customer service! After she was done spraying me, we couldn't help but laugh at the crazy mess that was all over.
Here's a pic snapped from my cell phone after the service. It doesn't even begin to reflect the mess that was made from Old Faithful.
The point is, when disaster strikes, remain calm. Your clients will take their cues from you.
Last October in Salon Today, Modern Salon Media's business publication, I asked salon owners across the country, "What was your biggest spa disaster?" Here are some of my favorite responses:
"One time, when I was doing an eyebrow wax on a client, I accidentally dribbled a bit of wax into her hair. When I went to clean it up, I pulled off her wig."
Janet Rabig
Salon 37 & Day Spa
Algonquin, Illinois
"One of my booth renters hung up a calendar in one of my rooms. When she left, I went to take the nail out of the wall and realized that she had drilled a hole into the water line! Water came gushing out and I totally freaked! I had to call a friend in to screw it back in! To this day, that screw is still there and it brings back a painful memory."
Michelle Smith
Rejuve Salon Spa
Raleigh, North Carolina
"One time in our spa, a guest fell asleep with a mask on so the skin care specialist stepped out for a moment. When she went back in, she startled the woman who thought she was an intruder! With the green mask on, and her hair standing straight up, the client began running after our staff member. She ran right out the door and startled the rest of us!"
April Lyn Graffeo
Indra Salon and City Spa
Andover, Massachusetts
"The water was accidentally left on at the pedicure chair and the entire nail area flooded!"
Lacy Shirley
Hair Tech
Lewisville, Texas
"Hiring someone who was an absolute nightmare. After I had spent lots of money on advertising to help promote her business, I found out that she wasn't even "qualified" to do the work-and she was an independent contractor! I learned a great lesson."
Lynn Hammond
Harbor Hair Design
Kingston, Washington
"One time, the water pipes under our building busted and we didn't have hot water for morethan six hours."
Laurie Popover
Oz the Salon
Scottsdale, Arizona
Sofia Vergara, Lucy Hale, Alison Brie, John Salley, Brian Austin Green and more honored the best achievements in Science Behind Beauty, Health & Wellness at this glittering event.
Stress was the factor respondents blamed most often when their skin worsened, cited by 54%, followed by diet at 37% and hormones at 35%.
This year’s awards centered around the Monochromatic trend, which is rooted in minimalism and intentional by design.
Haircare brand The Doux has launched “My Salon Empire,” a free-to-play salon management game on Roblox, helping the next generation celebrate the diversity of textured hair and explore salon entrepreneurship.
The show reported 30% attendance growth. It felt that way. This event for the southwest professional beauty community had heart, spice, and something for everyone.
Wella artists presented the Monochromatic trend movement, introduced new Pure Perfection color and Sebastian styling innovations, while the Wella team created interactive fun throughout Wella Studio in Los Angeles.
Dominique LyVar, an influential educator and artist, is remembered by those who loved him for his significant impact on the industry and contributions to the community.
Known for his buttery blondes and a technique for highlighting hair with more precision that he called chunking, Brad Johns died on August 27. His friend and fellow colorist, David Stanko, shares thoughts on his talented colleague and close friend.
As technology evolves at an accelerated rate, you want to make sure you have the best in your business toolkit to help you grow sales, motivate your team, communicate with your current and future clientele, and streamline your managerial tasks. The 2026 SALON TODAY Technology Solutions Guide is designed to help you navigate today's growing landscape of salon and spa technology. In this guide, you'll find a curated look at more than 50 of the latest software platforms, digital solutions, and innovative features to help you compare options and identify the best fit for your business.
The Davines Edit reflects the brand’s passion for people and planet.
RÜTE Wash introduces a shower cap designed specifically for crown washing, helping clients with hair extensions cleanse the scalp while protecting the lengths from water.
Premiere San Antonio Presented by SalonCentric returns for its fourth edition August 30-31 at the Henry B. González Convention Center, delivering its biggest and boldest event to date.
One-Day Personal and Professional Development Education Event for Beauty Professionals Set for October 25, 2026, at the Hilton Philadelphia City Avenue.
According to the report, people are moving away from copy-paste trends and toward community, using real experiences to develop a sense of taste and beauty that reflects who they are.
Hairstylists and barbers can showcase their creative and technical vision in two global categories with cash prizes and a chance to represent in Portugal.
The BBR Beauty Show featured a prominent speaker lineup including Lacy Redway, Karrueche Tran, Danessa Myricks, Chelley B., Sabrina Elba, Jessica Harris-Dupart, and more.
The Professional Beauty Association and Pivot Point team up to develop an ongoing study that measures the confidence of salon owners, stylists, school owners, and students.
