How to create a more inclusive hair and beauty business
“I want everyone to feel welcome”. That’s the message from Queila Doyle, founder of My Beauty Squad. One of the reasons she set up the award-winning mobile hair and beauty service was to make the hair and beauty industry more inclusive. And this was particularly important to her after her own experience of discrimination.
She says, “I’ve got afro hair and when I’ve been to salons, I’ve had hairdressers asking me a lot of questions before starting the service as if they didn’t want to do it. The time you get your hair done is a time to relax and when you go there and feel discriminated it really ruins the experience.”
We caught up with Queila for our latest Salon Services podcast to discuss the importance of inclusivity in the hair and beauty industry.
You can listen to our podcast with Queila or on your usual podcast platform.
And if you’ve been enjoying the Salon Services podcast, why not leave us a review and subscribe so you never miss an episode. It's completely free and packed full of expert advice!
How to make your hair and beauty business more inclusive
Queila recommends looking at your service list first. She says, “Ask yourself, ‘Is this inclusive? Do I have afro hair blow dry? Do I have products in my salon or my kit for afro hair or for curly hair?’
“This is something I came across a lot. Someone would use a product on my hair, and I knew from the get-go it wasn’t for me and wasn’t going to work. At the end of the day my hair would end up looking super oily as the product was too intense for my hair. Take a look at your kit, at your service list and see what you can do and what you can add to be more inclusive.”
“The beauty schools need to make it a priority to provide models of all colours and all ages.”
Making beauty education more inclusive
If you’re a hair and beauty student, Queila has lots of advice for ensuring your training is inclusive. She says, “There is a huge issue with our beauty schools. I’ve been talking with MUAs, hair stylists and beauty therapists and all are saying they aren’t given models of colour in their training. Most of them say they have to go and find their own models.
“The beauty schools need to make it a priority to provide models of all colours and all ages. What is happening right now is people are leaving the training schools and are not prepared. We’ve seen therapists who say, ‘I can only do Caucasian hair’ or ‘I can only do Caucasian makeup’.
“It’s important that every stylist who works with My Beauty Squad knows how to do trans women, how to do afro hair and curly hair. At the end of the day, everyone wants to feel loved and welcome.”
What is the Salon Services podcast?
If you’re a hair and beauty professional or student, then the Salon Services podcast is for you.
In each episode we are chatting to some of the leading names in the hair and beauty industry. And they are sharing expert tips and advice on everything from working with celebrity clients through to how to increase your prices.
We’ve chatted to celebrity hairdresser Dom Seeley about the loneliness of freelancing and barber Tom Chapman - founder of the Lions Barber Collective - about the hair and beauty industry’s role in suicide prevention.
Where can I listen to the Salon Services podcast?
You can listen to our Salon Services podcast with Queila or on your usual podcast platform.
And if you like what you hear, please leave us a review and subscribe so you never miss an episode
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