The Clients Who Never Wash Their Hair at Home

A striking number of salon clients rarely wash their own hair, preferring instead to rely entirely on salon visits for scalp care, shampooing, and styling. They book weekly or twice-weekly appointments and leave the technicalities of scalp care, product selection, and heat styling entirely to the professionals.

“For some clients, coming to the salon is a matter of convenience and lifestyle,” says Marcos Verissimo, founder of The Six in Mayfair. “If you can afford it, it’s easy. You walk in, walk out, and you’re always in the hands of someone who truly understands your hair.”

It’s not just about looking polished. Many of these clients never learned how to wash their scalp correctly. Some have sensitive skin or underlying conditions that make scalp care more complex. “Most people have never been taught how to properly wash their scalp, yet it’s crucial for hair growth,” Verissimo explains. “The scalp has its own microbiome, much like the gut, and when it’s imbalanced, it leads to problems. I believe the next generation of scalp products will focus on this. We will start seeing topical probiotics specifically designed to support scalp health.”

Salons are beginning to understand the value of this client. A single regular might generate thousands in revenue over the course of a year through repeat appointments alone. Blowdry-only clients are lucrative. On average, a single blowdry appointment in London can range from £35 to £60. Multiply that by two visits a week, and a salon could earn over £5,000 annually from just one regular. Multiply that by 30 clients, and you're looking at upwards of £150,000 a year. Add in the upsell of scalp treatments, glosses, or quick brow threading and manicures during the appointment, and suddenly, this is a cornerstone client category. Add in services like brow threading, express manicures, scalp treatments or glossing masks while the client is already in the chair, and the business case strengthens. These clients are low-maintenance for stylists and high-value for salons.

“In the right salon setting, where you can get multiple treatments done at once, such as a blowdry, manicure, and even eyebrow shaping, it is actually time saving and cost effective,” says Verissimo. “It’s 20 or 30 minutes that genuinely simplify your day.”

Salons that want to attract this type of client are now thinking more strategically. Some are offering subscriptions or memberships, giving clients a set number of blowdries each month at a slightly reduced rate. This not only secures recurring income but also builds long-term loyalty. These clients no longer book appointments sporadically. They become part of the weekly rhythm of the salon.

Then there’s the product overwhelm. “Blowdrying requires the right shampoo, conditioner, heat protection and styling aids, and the market is saturated,” Verissimo says. “When you go to a salon, all of that is taken care of. You’re not wasting time and money testing products that might not work for you.”

And for some women, this level of care is essential. They might have thick, textured, or unruly hair that feels unmanageable at home, and their life requires them to maintain a certain image - while the relaxed hair look might fly on holiday, they’re looking for a sleeker day to day work look - “some of our clients literally cannot leave the house without blowdrying their hair,” says Verissimo. “It’s about more than vanity.”

And for salons, these clients are more than loyal. They’re the ones who fill weekday afternoons and shoulder times, who show up without fail, who never say “just a trim” and then disappear for six months. They’re the modern equivalent of the old-school regular. Only now, she doesn’t wash her hair. And she doesn't have to.