Covid-19 Impact & The Changing World Of Beauty & Grooming

2020 shattered all the expectations we had for it in a matter of months - but it need not go down in history as the terrible 20s, as more and more people are holding on to the hope for new opportunities once the world heals. We spoke to experts and professionals across the Indian salon & beauty industry to understand the current scenario as well as their insights on what’s next.

If you are a beauty professional, there is no better time than now to upgrade your skills to become the best you can be at what you do. If you are a struggling business owner barely getting month on month, the next few months are going to be challenging — so, use this time to create a robust marketing plan that can help acquire new clients and strengthen your business once the economy opens.

If you are an established brand, take time to enjoy your success, collaborate with your team online to create new systems, innovate, and work towards becoming a stronger brand in the coming future.”

— Roopa Ambekar, Founder /Managing Director, Uber Salon & Spa, Bangalore

For an industry that is based on human interaction and touch, the salons have been greatly affected by COVID-19 and the consequent lockdown. The industry is a major employer, especially for women. Since talent is an important resource in this business, it will be imperative for the government to step forward and support the industry with steps to engage talent, simplify approvals, help with liquidity in the short term, and stimulate consumer demand by lowering the GST slab.

During the lockdown, we are using the time to further hone our teams’ skills through classes and training sessions. We are also keeping in touch with our customers through live sessions and social content. We are utilising our work from home to emerge stronger and to bring the best to our customers when the situation returns to normal.”

— Pushkaraj Shenai, CEO, Lakmé Lever