Beauty services fully booked during year-end period

In the days leading up to Tet, many hair salons, nail parlors, and eyelash extension studios in Hanoi are continuously overwhelmed, with customers waiting up to one hour for their turn and appointments fully booked from morning until evening.

A haircut takes about 30 minutes, while a perm or coloring lasts 2-3 hours. After the hair is treated and set with rollers, customers wait, giving up their chairs for others to get haircuts to save time.

On 12/2, at a men's hair salon on Luong The Vinh street, Thanh Xuan ward, 5 staff members worked continuously to serve customers. Popular services included haircuts, coloring, and perms.

According to the owner, customer numbers began to rise from the 15th day of the twelfth lunar month. In the days leading up to Tet, the number of customers doubles compared to normal days, with peak hours from 16h-19h. Even with prior appointments, each customer still waits an average of about 30 minutes.

A hair salon on Ly Nam De street, Hoan Kiem ward, serves customers of all ages, from children to the elderly, during this period.

About 4 km away, a nail salon on Nguyen Trai street is consistently fully booked. Due to dust and polish fumes in the space, most customers wear masks while receiving services.

Nguyen Minh Hieu, the salon owner, stated that customers this year favor Ivy League and side part hairstyles. The sudden surge in customers during the pre-Tet period has required staff to work overtime, sometimes until 23h. Each branch has added one additional stylist.

“I do not increase service prices so that loyal customers can enjoy the best possible cost,” Hieu said.

Nguyen Bao Ngoc (18 years old, Phan Chu Trinh ward) traveled over 6 km to the salon for a “cat eye” nail design. Although she booked 10 days in advance, she still waited about one hour for her turn. “At the end of the year, all services are busy, so I am comfortable with this waiting time,” Ngoc said.

Yen Nhi's women's hair salon in Dai Kim ward normally serves about 30 customers daily. During the pre-Tet period, customer numbers increase to 70-80 people.

According to Nhi, the “cuc bung” (layered bob) hairstyle, a shaped cut, is popular this year. Each customer choosing this style takes 4-6 hours, involving multiple steps such as cutting, perming, and coloring.

Before Tet, Nhi did not hire additional staff, but the salon remains open throughout the holiday. From the 28th day of the twelfth lunar month to the 6th day of the first lunar month, each seasonal staff member is paid 1 million VND per day.

Beyond hair services, skincare treatments like acne extraction and facial massages also attract customers. After applying gel and an acne patch, customers wait about 15 minutes for it to dry before the treatment, priced at 40,000 VND per session.

Normally, the salon serves about 15 nail sets with 4 staff members. During the pre-Tet period, customer numbers double, and the salon adds one to two more staff to meet demand. According to the owner, a set of nails costs an average of 400,000-500,000 VND and takes about two hours to complete. After polishing, technicians use a UV lamp to cure for one minute, helping the polish dry and last longer. This year, customers favor the “cat eye” design combined with flower embellishments. Each flower attachment takes about 10 minutes and is usually placed on one to two fingers. In addition to nail services, many customers choose eyelash extensions, priced at 200,000-400,000 VND depending on the type. Each session lasts about two hours.