How to Cover Chemical Smells in a Hair Salon

Colour, bleach and perm solutions are part of the job. How salons keep the air fresh, where to place scent, and which fragrances work over chemical smells.

Ammonia, bleach and perm solutions are part of every salon day. Clients expect a little of it, but nobody wants to walk into it. The best salons handle it in two steps: move the air, then give the room a signature scent.

The short answer

Ventilate the colour area first, then scent the reception and waiting area clearly with a clean or bright fragrance. Do not try to overpower chemical smell with a stronger scent; it just becomes two strong smells.

Step 1: Ventilation

Run extraction or an air purifier near the colour and mixing station.
Keep the dispensary door closed and vented.
Open the front door briefly between heavy colour appointments.

Scent cannot replace ventilation, but it changes what clients notice first.

Step 2: Scent the right places

Reception and waiting area. The first breath, and where clients sit before their appointment.
Washing stations. A soft scent here feels like a spa.
Washroom.

Keep scent away from the colour mixing station itself.

Scents that work over salon smells

Bright, clean scents cut through better than sweet ones.

Grand Foyer: bergamot, lemon and white jasmine. Bright and polished, lifts the whole room.
Thé Blanc: white tea and ginger. Clean, calm and very easy for clients.
Ambre Safran: bright and mineral, for a bold, modern salon.

Avoid vanilla and gourmand scents; mixed with chemicals they can turn cloying.

Intensity

Clients sit for one to three hours. Keep the main floor moderate and the entrance a little stronger.

How much oil

A salon running one to two units during opening hours usually uses a 500 ml bottle every month or so, or a litre every two to three months.

Our concentrates are made for waterless (cold-air, nebulizing) diffusers that have a refillable oil bottle. They are not for water (ultrasonic) diffusers or sealed-cartridge machines.

Quick answers

How do salons get rid of the chemical smell? Ventilation at the colour station first, then a clean scent at reception and washing stations.

What scent covers hair dye smell? Bright, clean scents like citrus and white flowers work better than sweet ones.

Can I use a scent diffuser next to the colour station? Keep it at reception and washing areas instead, where clients spend their time.

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