Salon Today Publishes Column Arguing Salons Already Occupy a Recognized Position Inside the Global Wellness Economy

What Salon Today Published and Who Wrote It

Salon Today published a column on September 17, 2026, written by Tracy Rado, founder of Balanced Beauty Edit. Rado is a licensed cosmetologist with more than 30 years behind the chair and holds a Bachelor of Science in Public Health with a concentration in Health Education. The column's central argument is that salons and barbershops already occupy a formally recognized position inside the wellness industry and can grow alongside the wellness economy through incremental operational changes rather than a full business overhaul.

The Wellness Economy Figures the Column Cites

Rado draws on Global Wellness Institute data, which classifies personal care and beauty as one of eleven recognized wellness sectors. The column cites figures placing the global wellness economy at $6.8 trillion in 2024, with the Global Wellness Institute projecting expansion to $9.8 trillion by 2029 at an annual growth rate of 7.6 percent. These figures are projections, not assured outcomes.

The column also draws on Circana data covering the first half of 2026. Rado cites Circana figures showing both prestige beauty sales and mass beauty sales each rose 7 percent in that period. Within the hair category specifically, Circana reported prestige hair care sales up 11 percent, with hair serum sales alone up nearly 60 percent over the same six months. Rado interprets this as evidence that clients are increasingly willing to spend on hair health beyond traditional styling products.

Three Operational Moves the Column Proposes

Rado outlines three moves she describes as incremental — each using resources a salon already has in place rather than requiring new infrastructure or a revised business model.

The first is deepening the client consultation. Rado describes this as the lowest-cost starting point: training a team to ask broader questions about the whole client rather than only the booked service, and to notice patterns in hair, skin, or nails. She argues this builds trust and sharpens product recommendations, giving clients a reason to act on what is suggested.

The second move is expanding retail to include wellness-adjacent products. Rado identifies several categories already available through standard professional distributors, including red light devices for home use, scalp and skin stimulation tools, topical peptide products, and hair, skin, and nail supplements. She notes that topical peptide products represent a current retail opportunity rather than a future one. On supplements, Rado is explicit that recommending one carries a different level of responsibility than recommending a shampoo, and that a professional's scrutiny should weigh ingredient quality, contraindications, and the scope of a beauty professional's role more heavily than a brand's marketing claims.

The third move involves adding wellness elements to existing services without requiring new equipment or a new service category. Rado gives examples such as a scalp ritual, a guided relaxation option during processing time, quieter appointment formats, or adjusted lighting. She notes that wellness does not look the same for every client, and that asking clients ahead of time what they would prefer can be built into the booking process at no cost. She also suggests that salons can review the products they already use through a more health-informed lens — weighing ingredient evidence, sensitivities, and client preference rather than relying on broad marketing language.

Rado's stated position is that none of the three moves requires overhauling a business model: a better consultation costs nothing beyond closer attention, retail uses shelf space already being paid for, and a service addition uses time already booked.

Related resources

• Salon Today Releases Its 2026 Technology Solutions Guide Covering More Than 50 Software Platforms for Salons and Spas