Beauty salons are a ubiquitous of modern life, and they’ve had many incarnations over history. The current incarnations of the beauty shop can be traced to the nineteenth century, but there have been beauty experts throughout much of civilization.
The creation of the modern beauty salon was empowering for women, as it gave them a place to work and make a living. Today, beauty salons, day spas and hairdressing shops are very sophisticated. But how did we get to modern cosmetology salons?
Ancient Beauty Treatments
Even though the beauty treatments of the ancient world were different from our modern processes, citizens of ancient civilizations still took pride in their appearance.
In ancient Egypt, as far back as 4000-3050 BCE, there were hair combs made of bone and wood being used. In the 27th Century BCE, copper and bronze hair combs were common, and hairstyling was a marker of social status. The Pharaohs had private hairdressers and barbers, and wealthy Egyptians of these eras had elaborate wigs.
In the Roman Empire, “tōnstrīna” was a word that referred to local barbershops and the haircutting and shaving services patrons could find there. These were establishments where men could congregate and converse about current events.
Many of the ancient Romans styled their own hair, but as the Empire grew, distinct haircuts became a part of local cultural identity and an indicator of social status. Short, well groomed hair was a sign a man had wealth. Women of affluence wore their hair braided or wrapped, and on special occasions, adorned with crowns of flowers.
The Middle Ages
During the Middle Ages in Europe, barbers were responsible for haircuts, as well as basic medical procedures like bloodletting and tooth extractions. Hairdressers served nobility and the royal courts.
The First Beauty Salon
The first dedicated beauty salon was opened by Martha Matilda Harper in 1888 in Rochester, New York. Harper was a Canadian domestic servant who had emigrated to the United States, using her life savings of $360 to open the Harper Method Shop. This first beauty shop was revolutionary at the time, because up to this point, beauticians in the US made house calls to their clients.
Harper was an inventor and entrepreneur, who created her own shampoos, and invented the salon reclining chair. She used the success of her first beauty salon to open training schools, more salons, and cosmetic laboratories. Eventually, she sold makeup, hair dyes, facial creams, and her signature shampoos. Harper’s beauty salons became a franchise, and at one point, over 500 salons trained in the Harper Method were in operation.
The Late 19th Century
The late 1800s saw a large resurgence of interest in style, beauty, and fashion. There were many innovations in hairdressing taking place. The world’s first hair dryer was invented in France in 1890. This device was large and cumbersome and could only be used in a hair salon. Handheld hair dryers would not be invented for several decades. The salon hair dryer was a big advancement in hairstyling, because it gave beauticians more flexibility and precision in the hair styles they could create and offer.
The first perm was done by Marcel Grateau in 1872 using a thermal method.
Early 20th Century
In the beginning of the 1900s, Karl Nessler experimented with various chemical and heat treatment techniques to create the first permanent wave. He gave a demonstration of this for his colleagues on October 8, 1906, and patented the first electric permanent wave machine in London in 1909.
Beauty and skin care pioneer Helena Rubinstein opened her first beauty salon in Melbourne, Australia in 1902 before expanding to Paris, London, and New York City shortly thereafter.
At the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis, washerwoman Sarah Breedlove Walker met Annie Turnbo Malone, who took her under her wing. Malone was an entrepreneurial Black woman who sold her own shampoos and hair irons. After working as a commission agent for Malone, Walker began selling her own hair products, adopting the brand name Mme. C. J. Walker. Walker and her sales team sold door-to-door and via mail order, reaching 250k in sales in the early 1910s.
In the mid-1910s to the 1930s, A’lelia Walker opened several beauty salons as part of the Harlem Renaissance. Walker was one of the most famous salon owners of her time, with a multi-million dollar beauty products line sold direct to consumer.
1920s – 1930s
In 1928, Marjorie Stewart Joyner created and patented a permanent wave machine. She was the first Black student to graduate from the A.B. Moler Beauty and Culture School in Chicago in 1916, and was later a salon owner and executive for the Madam C. J. Walker Manufacturing Co.
In the 1920s and 1930s, beauty salons were opening in greater numbers. These salons offered more services to meet the requests of their clientele. Beauty shops began to provide facial treatments, waxing, and makeup applications.
1940s – 1960s
During World War II, more women entered the workforce to fill jobs left by men fighting in the war. Hairstyles were evolving, and they required professional treatments from professional hairdressers, who had access to the equipment and processes to create specialized hairstyles. Women went to the beauty salon more often, because they did not have as much time to do their own hair themselves. Hair coloring was a service that was in high demand during this period.
Movies, magazines, and television helped popularize different trends, like perms, crimps, bouffants, bleached hair, and thin eyebrows. Beauty salons increased in popularity.
In the 1950s, Mr. Kenneth became the first celebrity hairdresser. He helped create the iconic hairstyles of Jackie Kennedy, Audrey Hepburn, and Marilyn Monroe.
In 1952, Paul Mitchell enrolled in the Morris School of Hairdressing at age sixteen, going on to win several hairdressing competitions. He would later co-found John Paul Mitchell Systems.
In 1954, Vidal Sassoon opened his first salon in London. His innovative geometric “five point” haircut was famous for being low-maintenance, organic, and stylish. He opened his first salon in New York City on Madison Avenue in 1965. Throughout this period, Sassoon worked closely with many celebrities and movie stars.
In the 1960s, salons became focused primarily on hair styling. Some boutique shops focused more on holistic beauty treatments.
1970s – 1990s
By the 1970s, hair salons were no longer seen as something only for women. There was a large influx of male clients, many of whom wanted perms and other hairstyles that had to be done at the hair salon.
In 1980, John Paul Mitchell Systems was founded by Paul Mitchell and John Paul DeJoria.
The 1980s continued to see a boom in beauty salons, with both women and men going for professional haircuts and beauty treatments.
In the 1990s, John Frieda opened several salons in the UK, and later in London and Paris. His father was a salon owner and hairdresser and mentored him early in his career. He became a celebrity hairdresser in England in the 1990s, launching a beauty product line.
In 2000, the Paul Mitchell the School system was launched to teach future professionals how to become elite hairdressers and cosmetologists.
Modern Beauty Salons, 2000s - present
In recent decades, beauty salons and day spas are flourishing more than ever. Many of them offer a wide range of services such as hair coloring, hair styling, hair extensions, skin care treatments, eyebrow waxing, hair braiding, nail art and more. Beauty salons have adapted to the changing demands and needs of the customers.
Beauty influencers are a big part of cosmetology culture, influencing buying decisions through the content they share on TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram.
Cosmetology continues to be a popular career choice for women (and men)! Job flexibility, artistic expression, creativity, career stability, and interpersonal connections are big reasons why people continue to become hairstylists and beauticians.
Become a California Licensed Cosmetologist in 36 Weeks
If you’re interested in becoming a professional hairstylist, there is a world-class cosmetology training program in Sacramento for cosmetology students. Paul Mitchell the School at Campus Sacramento offers a comprehensive 36-week beauty school program that teaches students the skills they need to start their cosmetology career. If you want more information on our cosmetology or barbering programs, contact our Admissions department or call 888-675-2460.