Shampoo bowl design

Here is an email I received from one of my clients who is confused about all the different salon shampoo washing systems and shampoo bowl designs available on the market.

“I’m opening a new salon and I really love all the new style salon shampoo stations, but I can’t find the design style information anywhere. I have a lot of questions. What style of wash system? of salon shampoo is the best to buy?? Should I stick with the traditional salon shampoo design or the fancy new European style shampoos? I am used to the old fashioned multi-purpose salon chair with sink. What are the pros and the cons of buying each different style? “Are some more comfortable than others? Do some models provide better water management? Is there anyone who can point me in the right direction? “

First of all, I would like to say that I absolutely love these new European style freestanding shampoo backwash units. The quality and style of the fiberglass base units combined with the tilting porcelain bowls have created fantastic designs. With that said, let’s talk about the age-old question I get asked all the time: Which bowl of shampoo should I buy?

What I’m telling people is buy the one that will make your salon stand out from the rest if that’s the fashion statement you want to make! But keep in mind the pros and cons of the design. Let’s talk about the basics of shampoo equipment like water management (water / gravity) and customer comfort. I like to break it down into three shampoo sink design styles, each with its own distinct advantages and disadvantages.

1) An Asian style horizontal placement shampoo unit puts 100% of the head and 100% of the water into the container with gravity working for you 100%. But speaking from experience, it always seems to be difficult to lay down (like a large table) and uncomfortable for customers. This shampoo unit probably has the best water management system, but it doesn’t sell much, due to the enormous lack of customer convenience.

2) So let’s talk about the old American beauty salon with its wall mounted shampoo sink. Well think about it, the client is at 45 degrees with the gravity of his head hanging from the sink and the stylist washing from the side. This means let’s say 45% of the water with the help of gravity is working with you for water management. But it is a pity that the customer’s head hangs in the bowl or that you are holding it. In addition, you are forced to stand towards the front of the shampoo container, which is usually wedged against the wall. This causes back strain for the stylist and head strain for the client, but the water management is not that bad because the sink is quite large and gravity works somehow for you.

3) Now, that brings us to the new European-style tilting shampoo container with more abs styling, all in one shampoo unit. These European designs are quite comfortable! It’s basically like sitting in a chair and this makes your client feel more comfortable and easier to handle when shampooing. The typical freestanding backwash shampoo unit has quite a few ergonomic advantages for stylists. First, you can wash the hair standing on the back of the bowl or on either side. This allows the back to remain straight and the use of both hands can be equal. The bowl will tilt (most units) towards the head and shoulders to compensate for the different heights. Some of these bowls tend to be smaller in diameter so that you are closer to your client, which is important for some of the smaller stylists. Most bowls typically have a deep neck recess with longer side extensions to catch the water. This will help water management with longer neck extensions as gravity does not work to your advantage with this style unit. You will need adequate but not excessive water pressure in combination with good work habits to manage your water around the customer. Although gravity is a bit more of a concern with this style, the advantages of European-style shampoo bowls far outweigh the slight differences to traditional shampoo units.

To sum it all up, the US market typically tends toward the standard wall-mount shampoo container (ex. 2) if you’re short on space and are on a budget. But the new European-style shampoo bowls offer great variety, ergonomic comfort, and very inexpensive options. Plus, the fashion statements that you can style in your living room are absolutely endless. To be able to offer these European-style shampoo systems with porcelain bowls, complete with all plumbing fixtures installed and a sleek fiberglass base that won’t rust at these affordable prices is very exciting for us here at Keller International.