All about lighting for hair salons

In short:

Lighting is really complicated. To make it as easy as possible, we recommend buying lighting here, because the models are always up to date. If you need help, you can get it here. If you want to see different hairdresser lighting in real life, you can book a time here. If you’d like to learn a whole lot, keep reading below.

Good lighting is your friend

The first thing a client notices—without knowing it—is the light in the room. The colours in the mirror, their own skin tone, the shine in the hair, and the feel of the room are decided by how your lighting spreads lumens, colour temperature, and contrast. Even so, lighting often ends up as the last thing that gets “fixed”—with a quick web order of cheap spotlights from a 100-year-old electrical firm that has them at 90% off. Do yourself a favour: buy professional hairdresser lighting.

3 types of light in salons

Base lighting

Base lighting is like the canvas you paint on. It needs to cover the whole floor area with no dark zones, so both the hairdresser and the client can find their way around. In practice, that means built-in LED panels or slim track models. The Sun LED panel is a popular choice because it delivers over 90 CRI and a neutral 3,000–3,200 K colour temperature that suits most salons. You’ll find it under the link at the top. Place the panels in an even pattern, ideally 120–150 cm apart, depending on ceiling height. Ceiling height affects how far the light reaches, and therefore how far apart the panels should be.

Professional lighting

Many hairdressers find that a client’s face suddenly looks “flatter”, or the hair colour looks duller with cheap LED; the reason is almost always low CRI and a bluish spectrum. It’s better to choose fewer lights—but professional ones. Directly above each chair—ideally 100–110 cm from the wall and centred over the chair—hangs your most important light source: a linear LED bar with high colour rendering, for example Sunbeam LED. Here you should demand CRI > 95, because otherwise even the smallest shade and colour differences in ash blonde vs. sand blonde get lost. The professional lighting should give 700–1,000 lux at working height in the hair without dazzling. Many choose spotlight lighting for the work area, as the LED is gathered more compactly and therefore gives an even more precise result than an LED bar. The downside of spotlights is that if they are not positioned correctly, you can dazzle the client or yourself, and the chance of harsh—unflattering—cast shadows is high.

Spotlights / Spotlight lighting

Once the base is in place, you create depth with track-mounted spotlights, for example the Track rail with Sun Spots. Aim the spotlight at product shelves, plants, or art to draw the eye. The rule of thumb is to place the spotlight as high and as far from the object as the ceiling allows, and then aim the light inwards: that way you minimise sharp shadows and avoid dazzling either client or hairdresser. Spotlights can of course also be used as professional lighting.

Mood lighting

Light is also that feeling of comfort. At reception, in the lounge area, or above the backwash unit, a decorative pendant can create calm and character. Remember to choose a dimmable model, so the light can be turned down during relaxing scalp massages.

Tech for nerds (and cool hairdressers)

CRI – Colour Rendering Index

CRI shows how accurately a light source reproduces colours compared with natural daylight. The scale runs from 0 to 100, where 100 is daylight.

• Below 80 = problems
• 90 = good
• 95+ = really good

For hair colour, we never recommend below 90, and for advanced colour work 95+ is ideal.

Kelvin (K) – colour temperature

3,000–3,200 K is the way forward. If you go down to 2,700 K, the tone becomes very golden; if you go above 4,000 K, the room feels cool and clinical—rarely flattering for the skin.

Lux

• 300–500 lux in the base light
• 700–1,000 lux in the work area
• 150–300 lux in the lounge/reception, but preferably dimmable down to 50 lux for a spa feel.

LED vs. halogen

Halogen and energy-saving bulbs give off about 90% heat and only 10% light. LED works the other way round: 90% of the energy becomes light. That means you can cut your electricity bill by up to 70% with a full switch to LED. A lifespan of 50,000+ hours equals eight years of operation. At the same time, you avoid UV damage to colour bottles and product boxes.

Placement – mistakes we often see

1. Lamps right at the hairdresser’s neck. Result: your own shadow covers the client’s hair. Move the light up directly over the client chair.
2. Spotlight pointing straight down into the mirror. Result: the client gets light straight in the eyes. Tilt the spotlight away and let it hit the shelf under the mirror instead.
3. Track too close to the wall. Less than 90 cm from the wall gives a tunnel-like shadow behind the client. Keep 100–110 cm.
4. One strong pendant as base lighting. Creates strong shadows and exaggerated contrasts.

Maintenance – light dies slowly

LED typically drops 15–20% in lumens during the first 30,000 hours. Do a yearly check: Is the base light still bright enough? Do all the drivers work? Wipe dust off spotlights and panels; a thin layer of dust can remove up to 10% of the light.

Budget and financing

A complete lighting set-up for a medium-sized salon can add up—especially if you also need an electrician to install everything. Many choose leasing. The monthly savings on electricity can actually cover part of the payment. At the same time, you get new lamps now, instead of making do with old halogen spotlights that also cost you extra on electricity.

Find your favourite light

Reading helps, but lighting needs to be experienced. In our showroom we have built fourteen separate interiors: from a Scandinavian spa to a retro barber shop. Each setting shows exactly how light works together with colours, furniture, and branding.

Do you have questions about models, tech, or placement?

Get in touch right here to get professional guidance on how to get the most day-to-day job satisfaction when it comes to lighting in your salon.