The Professional Beauty Association (PBA) recently released an its first-ever Salon and Day Spa 2007 Consumer Trend Report. Compiled by The Benchmarking Company the study showcases the patterns of salon and spa goers, including frequency of visits, preferences, lifestyle behavior and buying habits.

According to the study, five key consumer trends are:

1. ESCAPE ARTIST. Women are motivated to visit salons/spas to escape their stressful environments.
2. PERSONAL BEAUTY. Women seek to improve their appearance and expect to forge an emotional tie with their salon and stylist.
3. PRACTICALITY RULES. Customers are willing to pay a premium for services and products while also being interested in receiving a good deal.
4. SPEAK UP. Salons are not communicating enough marketing messages to customers, and women say they would prefer to be contacted by their salon/spa for more than appointment confirmations.
5. VIP WORLD. Being part of an exclusive beauty club and feeling special in a spa/salon experience is very important to women, and they want to feel “fabulous” when they walk through the salon door.

The study also suggests women are consistent when it comes to the type and number of salon visits. A majority of salon services reported were hair (90%), waxing (26%), and nails (20%); a majority of spa services were massages (24%), facials (19%), body treatments (16%), and skincare (15%). Consumers view salon services as primarily hair care and spa services as “relaxation type” services.