Salon Business Practices and Recordkeeping
Client records
A service record card for each client should capture contact information, health history and allergies, services performed with dates and products used, patch test results, product removal dates, and any referral made. Records protect the client and protect you if a reaction is reported later. Write facts, not opinions: "client reported itching at left ring finger sidewall; product removed; referred to physician" - not "client had an allergy." Keep cards confidential, store them securely, and retain them according to your policy and any Department requirement.
Product and safety records
Keep manufacturer instructions and Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for every chemical on site, and make them accessible to staff. Log disinfection, autoclave, and lamp-bulb maintenance where your policy calls for it. Keep warranties, equipment manuals, and inspection paperwork together.
Money and operations
Know your numbers: service price must cover product cost, your time, rent or chair fee, insurance, and taxes. Track retail inventory to control shrinkage and expiration. Booth renters handle their own estimated taxes and liability insurance; employees do not. Carry professional liability coverage and understand what it does and does not cover.
Scheduling and professionalism
Booking policies, cancellation fees, deposit rules, and late policies should be written and given to clients, not invented at the counter. Confirm appointments, keep accurate transaction records, and issue receipts.
Traps
Questions often test the difference between what you observed and what you diagnosed in a record, and whether SDS sheets are optional (they are not). Another trap: assuming a shop license or shop insurance covers an independent renter.
Rule of thumb: if it was not written down, it did not happen - document service, product, and referrals.