Let’s be real… we know what happens in the salon chair goes beyond a haircut, and now, new research from the British Beauty Council puts the figures behind the industry’s contribution to confidence, wellbeing and communities across the UK.
To kick of British Beauty Week 2026, the British Beauty Council’s launched their latest report, The Impact of Beauty: Revealing its Social, Cultural, and Economic Value, supported by L’Oréal Groupe and produced by Oxford Economics, explores the wider impact of the beauty and personal care industry.
Hairdressing leads the way
Of all the beauty and personal care services available, hairdressing and barbering come out on top as the most widely used:
The average British adult visits their hairdresser or barber every two months, with 53% of adults booking an appointment at least once every three months. Men are particularly regular visitors, with 30% attending monthly.
Deeper than a haircut
We all know the salon chair can be a place for a good conversation, and the research confirms just how important that connection can be.
Among frequent users of beauty and personal care products and services:
- 44% have had a meaningful conversation with a personal care service provider in the past six months.
- 42% have discussed personal matters, life events or concerns with a provider.
- 18% say that, in some weeks, visiting a personal care provider is one of the few times they interact with other people.
Interestingly, that final figure rises to 42% among men aged 18–24, highlighting how important these spaces can be for younger clients too.
Yes, we know these figures cover personal care providers more broadly, but it certainly reinforces what many hairdressers experience every day. Salons and barbershops offer human connection, familiar faces and a space where clients feel comfortable talking.
Keeping the high street alive
Here’s another statistic worth shouting about! The report reveals that hair and beauty salons actively bring people into town centres.
Of respondents’ most recent personal care appointments, 55% took place on a high street or in a town centre. Of those visits, 86% were made primarily for the appointment, and half also resulted in spending at another local business.
A profession worth recognising
The findings make a strong case for the wider value of hairdressing, highlighting the value of in-person services that cannot simply be replaced by online shopping or automation.
Read the full British Beauty Council report, The Impact of Beauty, here.
The research was conducted by Oxford Economics, including a nationally representative YouGov survey of 2,116 UK adults in July 2026. Figures relating to confidence, wellbeing and social connection refer to frequent users of beauty and personal care products and services, rather than hairdressing clients specifically.
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