No salon, no sanctuary: beauty under ‘lockdown’ in Australia in 2020

Figures & data

Table 1. Overview of survey respondent demographics.

Overall sample
n = 383
Age
Range	18–77
Average	39
Gender Identity
Woman	343 (90%)
Non-Binary (NB)	1 (<1%)
Genderqueer (GQ)	1 (<1%)
Man	35 (9%)
Transgender (Trans)	2 (<1%)
NB, Trans, GQ total	7 (2%)
Did not disclose	2 (<1%)
Sexual Identity
Straight	256 (67%)
Other	125 (33%)
Queer	46 (12%)
Bisexual	58 (15%)
Pansexual	9 (2%)
Lesbian	16 (4%)
Gay	16 (4%)
Asexual	8 (2%)
Did not disclose	2 (<1%)
Location
NSW	68 (18%)
VIC	219 (57%)
ACT	38 (10%)
TAS	6 (2%)
QLD	31 (8%)
NT	1 (<1%)
WA	8 (2%)
SA	10 (3%)
Location Type
Urban	302 (79%)
Rural	61 (6%)
Regional	18 (5%)
Did not disclose	2 (<1%)
Place of Birth
Australia	288 (75%)
Other	91 (24%)
Did not disclose	4 (1%)
Ethnicity
Anglo European	348 (91%)
Other	35 (9%)

Table 2. Overview of salon attendance as clients, based on responses to the questions: ‘Prior to COVID-19, what hair or beauty services did you most often seek out as a customer? (Please select all that apply)’; and ‘Prior to COVID-19, how frequently (on average) did you visit salons as a customer?’.

Salon attendance as client
n = 383
Beauty service
Hairdressing	250 (65%)
Eyebrow and/or eyelash maintenance	113 (30%)
Manicures and/or pedicures	102 (27%)
Waxing	67 (17%)
Skin treatments incl. facials	59 (15%)
Barbering	23 (6%)
Day spa services	22 (6%)
Other	14 (4%)
Spray tanning	10 (3%)
Makeup	10 (3%)
None – N/A	7 (2%)
Did not disclose	68 (18%)
Frequency
Once every few months	167 (44%)
Once a month	98 (26%)
2–3 times a month	32 (8%)
Never	8 (2%)
Once a year	4 (10%)
Once every few years	4 (10%)
1–2 times a week	2 (<1%)
3–5 times a week	1 (<1%)
Did not disclose	67 (17%)

Table 3. Overview of client feelings by gender and sexuality based on responses to the question: ‘Prior to COVID-19, how did visiting salons make you feel? (Please select all that apply)’.

Client feelings about visiting salons prior to COVID-19 x gender and sexuality
Pre-COVID-19	n = 383** Total % reporting	n = 33 % of Cisgender Men	n = 341 % of Cisgender Women	n = 7 % of NB, Trans, GQ	n = 256 % of Straight	n = 125 % of QBPLGA
Happy	54.05	33.33	56.30	42.86	53.75	55.47
Relaxed	37.08	27.27	38.71	14.29	41.50	28.91
Calm	28.46	18.18	29.91	14.29	28.46	28.91
High self-esteem	25.33	15.15	25.81	42.86	24.11	28.12
Social	24.54	15.15	25.22	28.57	26.09	21.88
Connected	24.02	12.12	25.51	0.00	23.32	25.78
Safe	18.80	6.06	19.94	14.29	15.81	25.00
In control	17.49	12.12	17.89	14.29	17.79	17.19
Relieved	14.62	6.06	15.25	28.57	14.62	14.84
Stable mood	13.32	15.15	13.49	0.00	14.23	11.72
Anxious	11.75	15.15	9.97	71.43*	5.93*	23.44*
Neutral/no feelings	8.09	18.18*	7.33	0.00	9.09	6.25
Low self-esteem	4.18	3.03	3.81	28.57*	1.19*	10.16*
Disconnected	1.31	0.00	0.59	28.57*	0.40	2.34
Frustrated	1.04	0.00	0.88	14.29*	0.40	2.34
Unsafe	0.78	0.00	0.29	14.29*	0.00	1.56
Moody	0.78	0.00	0.88	0.00	0.40	1.56
Out of control	0.52	3.03*	0.29	0.00	0.00	1.56
Sad	0.26	0.00	0.29	0.00	0.00	0.78
Lonely	0.26	0.00	0.00	14.29*	0.00	0.78
Angry	0.26	0.00	0.29	0.00	0.00	0.78
Other	2.61	0.00	2.64	14.29	1.98	3.91
Did not disclose	18.54	27.27	17.89	14.29	20.16	14.84

* Statistically significant values for chi-square analyses based on p = 0.05 at one degree of freedom

** Note: there were two respondents who did not disclose gender or sexuality included in this total

Table 4. Overview of client feelings by gender and sexuality based on responses to the question: ‘If your experience of visiting salons changed because of COVID-19, how did this change make you feel? (Please select all that apply)’.

Client feelings about visiting salons after COVID-19 x gender and sexuality
Post-COVID-19	n = 383** Total % reporting	n = 33 % of Cisgender Men	n = 341 % of Cisgender Women	n = 7 % of NB, Trans, GQ	n = 256 % of Straight	n = 125 % of QBPLGA
Happy	3.39	6.06	2.93	0.00	3.16	3.91
Relaxed	2.35	0.00	2.64	0.00	2.37	2.34
Calm	3.13	0.00	3.52	0.00	2.77	3.91
High self-esteem	1.04	3.03	0.88	0.00	0.40	2.34
Social	1.83	3.03	1.76	0.00	1.98	1.56
Connected	3.92	3.03	4.11	0.00	4.35	3.12
Safe	5.74	6.06	5.57	14.29	5.93	5.47
In control	3.13	9.09	2.64	0.00	2.77	3.91
Relieved	4.44	0.00	4.69	14.29	3.56	6.25
Stable mood	1.31	0.00	1.47	0.00	1.58	0.78
Anxious	19.84	15.15	20.82	0.00	20.16	19.53
Neutral/no feelings	13.32	9.09	14.08	0.00	14.23	11.72
Low self-esteem	10.44	3.03	10.85	14.29	8.70	14.06
Disconnected	16.97	6.06	18.18	0.00	13.04	25.00*
Frustrated	18.80	6.06	20.53	0.00	17.00	22.66
Unsafe	8.36	9.09	8.21	14.29	6.72	11.72
Moody	3.13	3.03	3.23	0.00	3.16	3.12
Out of control	10.18	0.00	11.14	14.29	7.91	14.84
Sad	20.10	6.06	21.70	14.29	18.58	23.44
Lonely	4.96	3.03	5.28	0.00	4.35	6.25
Angry	1.04	0.00	1.17	0.00	0.79	1.56
Other	5.48	6.06	5.28	14.29	5.14	6.25
Did not disclose	29.77	51.52*	26.98	57.14	30.43	27.34

*Statistically significant values for chi-square analyses based on p = 0.05 at one degree of freedom

**Note: there were two respondents who did not disclose gender or sexuality included in this total