As a blogger, I receive hundreds of emails each year from companies looking to collaborate, as well as press releases from PR firms and businesses about product launches and, my favorite, story ideas for blog posts.
This week, an email from Alison Flood, Publicist for Booksy, caught my attention. The message is particularly timely and important for hairstylists and barbers in Ontario, so I wanted to share it on my blog. This is not a personal endorsement for Booksy; rather, it addresses the critical issue of mental health in the beauty industry. However, I do commend them for bringing attention to this vital discussion.
Furthermore, it serves as proof that beauty professionals are an essential part of our community. The services they provide extend far beyond making people look good; they also play a significant role in helping people feel good.
Hi Natasha,
No longer missing from the spotlight on mental health awareness are the struggles that hairstylists endure. Customers regularly reveal their personal struggles to their hairstylists, which are nearly as diverse as those handled by mental health professionals. Compounded by the high-energy and creative nature of the profession, job-induced stress, anxiety, and depression can sometimes be at the surface, and hard to hide from clients behind their fierce facade.
Booksy, the app that connects 13M users to beauty and wellness professionals for appointments, has designated today, May 27, as National Hairstylist Mental Health Awareness Day. Today, Booksy shines a light of advocacy and support on the mental health struggles these pros may have and lets them know it’s okay to have an off day, take time for themselves, and talk about their problems, too.
According to a Booksy survey of its barber and hairstylist professionals:
- 43% of professionals feel like their client’s unofficial therapist all of the time
- 44% have a hard time separating themselves from work mentally even when they aren’t behind the chair
Consider these insights from Booksy’s survey of consumers to learn about what they share with their hairstylist, their opinions of them, and more:
The most popular topics to discuss with a hairstylist:
- Covid-19 | 74%
- Family | 72%
- Work | 59%
- Personal relationships | 46%
- Physical health | 41%
- Mental health | 26%
- Sex | 21%
Hairstylists have a telling impact on their customers:
- 61% said they generally feel happier
- 47% of people feel more optimistic after a visit to their hairstylist
- 37% feel more confident in social situations
Customers have been picking up on how their hairstylist is feeling:
- 27% notice their hairstylist frequently seems stressed
- 26% notice their hairstylist frequently seems overworked
- 20% said their hairstylist frequently seems anxious
- 16% notice their hairstylist frequently seems depressed
When hairstylists open up to their clients, here’s what they’ve been talking about:
- 71% have expressed frustration over Covid-19 measures needed to do their job
- 57% have opened up about personal problems
- 55% have raised concerns about making ends meet
- 41% have discussed thoughts about changing their profession
You can find out how to recognize hairstylists here.
Best,
Alison
