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Business is booming in the Australian beauty industry as the latest industry figures predict year-on-year market growth of 3.69% until 2030. Australians are putting their beauty needs ahead of other discretionary purchases, following trends and seeking out innovative products and services that are giving the beauty industry an edge. Some of these trends include:
- New technology: AI-driven apps for virtual try-ons and personalised makeup and skincare recommendations are reshaping the beauty space. The emergence of AI-led beauty innovations is such a revolution that it’s predicted to reach a global market value of US$172 billion by 2030, with an annual growth rate of 17.9%.
- Men’s grooming: The male beauty market is expected to grow by more than 5% over the next decade.
- Eco-friendly and cruelty-free products: Ethical options are continuing to gain popularity. In Australia, a quarter of consumers say it’s very important to them that they have a choice of sustainable products.
If you’ve been thinking about starting your own beauty business, either based on one of these trends or something completely different, this could be the perfect time. Here are 13 beauty business ideas, including tips on how to make each a success.
1. Hair salon or barber shop
A hair salon or barber shop can be a reliable business model with a steady flow of customers. As long as they’re happy with your service, they’ll keep coming back. And because people want their hair cut or styled all year round, you won’t be faced with peaks and dips in revenue that can challenge some other businesses. What’s more, you have the creative freedom to specialise in unique services and styles or to cater to particular clients.
Key considerations:
- Location: You’ll ideally want a spot with regular foot traffic, like a street with other shops, an arcade or a shopping centre. Avoid anywhere that’s out of the way or hard to find.
- Branding and interior design: These will play an important role in attracting new clients. Consider how they will reflect your services and appeal to your target clientele.
- Equipment: Good-quality salon chairs and hairdressing tools will allow you to offer customers a comfortable and professional experience.
- Staff: Hiring barbers or stylists with the experience to match your services is essential. To retain talented staff, you may want to offer above-average rates and benefits in addition to a positive working environment.
- An efficient, flexible online booking system and POS: Enable fuss-free booking and offer to take payments while your client is still in the chair for added convenience. Square Appointments makes it so easy to take bookings and payments, with sleek hardware you’ll be proud to show off.
A strong marketing strategy specific to the beauty and personal care space is key, as is making the most of social media and a professional website to find customers. As part of your marketing strategy, you’ll stand out if you have a unique selling point and keep up to date with current hair trends.
2. Home salon
If you’d love to own a salon but don’t have much capital, prefer to start small, or want to enjoy the benefits of being near your children or pets, a home salon could be a great option. With lower startup costs and no need to rent a commercial space or hire staff, it’s an appealing entry point that comes with the added benefits of setting your own hours and working from home.
Key considerations:
- Licences and permits: Check with your local council to make sure a home salon is permitted by their zoning laws. You will also need to submit the correct business and tax registrations.
- Website and online bookings: You won’t get any walk-ins, so you’re going to need a professional, functional website that allows online booking.
- Social media and marketing: It’s important to show off your work to attract new clients. Social media platforms such as Instagram, TikTok and YouTube are perfect for gaining followers, and you can turn them into customers by offering online promotions and options to book right from your social pages.
You’ll need a dedicated room or area in your home for a working space, and putting some thought into the design and decor will make it welcoming and comfortable for clients. If you don’t have a lot of money to start out, consider buying quality second-hand salon equipment, and focus on building good relationships with your clients to encourage word-of-mouth referrals and repeat business.
If you’re running your salon as a sole trader, you won’t want to interrupt your client consultations to answer the phone. Square Appointments makes it easy to take online bookings so you can focus on your work.
3. Nail salon
Nail salons are enduringly popular and aren’t looking to slow down anytime soon with the industry revenue expected to rise by 2.3% in 2025-26, to reach $1.9 billion across Australia.
As with hair, nail salons can attract regular and repeat customers throughout the year, making it a great entrepreneurial choice. From basic manicures to unique nail art, there are a range of services you can offer to attract clients and expand your customer base. A nail tech (short for nail technician) is a trained professional who specialises in mixing the grooming and artistic design aspects of nail care, whereas a nail artist designs and decorates nails with creative, detailed and often intricate artwork.
Key considerations:
- Location: As with other salons, a good location in a shopping strip or shopping centre will help you to get walk-ins and regular customers.
- Products and equipment: Offer a wide range of high-quality nail polishes, styles and treatments to achieve the best results for your clients. You’ll also need professional manicure stations and pedicure chairs to provide great customer experiences.
- Staff and training: Hiring skilled nail technicians and offering additional training when needed will allow your staff to provide tailored experiences to each of your clients.
- Strict hygiene protocols: Learning and following best practices, such as tool sterilisation and disinfecting equipment between each session , are essential to ensuring client safety and satisfaction, and for maintaining a professional working environment.
Offering promotions and creating a rewards program like Square Loyalty can be great ways to attract new customers and keep them coming back. You can even integrate a loyalty program into your Square Appointments to keep track of customer engagement and spending habits.
4. Online beauty store
An online beauty store gives you access to a global customer base while offering lower overhead costs than a brick-and-mortar store. It can also allow you to start small and scale up as you grow. Plus, as we all know, online shopping provides the ultimate convenience for customers – a store that’s open 24/7 and doesn’t require you to leave your couch.
Key considerations:
- Website: Developing an attractive website with a user-friendly eCommerce platform is absolutely essential. As many people shop on mobile devices, make sure it will look good and work well on all screen sizes. You’ll also want to include high-quality photos and detailed information for all your products. Square Online is free to get started and offers a range of website themes that will suit your business concept.
- Digital marketing: As you’re operating solely in the online world, you’ll need a clear marketing strategy to drive traffic to your site. Social media, SEO and influencer partnerships can all be used to bring in customers.
- Logistics: An efficient system for managing stock will ensure you keep on top of what’s moving well and never run out of your best-sellers.
Given how many online stores are competing for customers, you’ll want to find a niche or a unique selling proposition. Whether it’s a highly curated range of products, below-market prices, or new digital technology like virtual try-ons, your store needs something to stand out. Offering a range of payment choices will encourage customers to shop with you, and providing excellent customer service, including quick shipping and hassle-free returns, will help you to find repeat shoppers.
5. Aesthetician
Australians are increasingly searching for more ways to look their best. As a result, cosmetic treatments provided by aestheticians have become more popular in recent years. These beauty professionals offer a wide range of services such as facials, hair removal, laser, microneedling and much more. This range of services can allow aestheticians to establish a broad customer base as well as a loyal following.
Key considerations:
- Regulations: In order to operate legally in Australia, you’ll need to adhere to the regulations of your state or territory to perform aesthetic treatments.
- Training: You and your staff will need the appropriate qualifications for the procedures your clinic offers.
- Equipment: You’ll likely need to make a significant investment to get the professional equipment and products required for your services.
Building trust with clients is essential to running a successful aesthetic clinic. Focus on listening to your customers’ goals and offering tailored advice and services to meet their needs. And don’t overestimate the power of warm and friendly customer service to put people at ease. Employing expertly trained staff and keeping up to date with the latest advancements in the industry will help to ensure client satisfaction, and a professional online booking system, such as Square Appointments, is essential for managing consultation and treatment scheduling.
Christine from Cosmetic Injectables by Christine uses Square Appointments as she knows that most of her clients book in outside salon opening hours, meaning she can switch off at the end of the day, safe in the knowledge that bookings are taken care of.
“Square Appointments looks after itself,” she said. “Once you have your appointment options and durations entered the patients are able to easily book and cancel at any time, day or night. Interestingly many of my appointments are made after hours when people have the time and means to make the online booking. This gives me time back to focus on my patients.”
6. Bridal beauty services
There will always be a demand for beauty services tailored to brides wanting to look their best on their special day. These businesses can often charge premium prices for a full package of beauty services, including hair, makeup and nails. They also provide an opportunity for owners and staff to explore their creativity in devising an overall aesthetic or theme, such as soft glam, classic or Bohemian, in consultation with the bride.
Key considerations:
- Portfolio: To attract and earn the trust of clients, you’ll need to develop a portfolio of work to show what you’re capable of achieving.
- Networking: Building relationships with wedding planners, photographers and other professionals can help you to get referrals and find more clients.
- Appointment management and planning: Given the competing conflicts and strict time frames associated with weddings, you’ll need to ensure that appointments are carefully planned and managed to meet your customers’ needs. Flexibility and reliability are essential.
To succeed as a bridal beauty business, you’ll have to tailor your services to meet the needs of each bride. Setting up a professional and relaxing workspace can help you gain the confidence of your clients, as will showing attention to detail in the planning and preparation for the event and staying up-to-date with bridal trends.
7. Men’s grooming and skincare
Men have become more invested in personal care products in recent years, with recent data revealing a 10% increase in use of skincare products by Aussie men over the last 5 years. With that in mind, there is a growing opportunity for brands and businesses catering to men’s skincare needs.
Key considerations:
- Services: Focus on men’s grooming services such as haircuts, shaves and skincare treatments, but also consider offering a wide range of options like waxing, tanning, massage and advanced beauty treatments.
- Research: Keep up to date with current trends in order to meet your clients’ needs. In a fast-growing industry, customers will often be looking for the newest products and services.
- Branding and design: Aim for a visual identity that leans into a masculine aesthetic and a space where men will feel comfortable and relaxed.
- Products: As with other salons, selling products targeted to your clients is a great way to generate extra revenue.
You’ll need to develop marketing campaigns that clearly communicate your offer and services, and that appeal to your target market, however broad or niche that may be.
Take MADE Barber & Barista, which combines barista-made coffee with haircuts and clothing items, as a twist on traditional salon services. For ease of customer transactions, they use Square Stand for the barbershop and Square Register for the cafe.
“We love to use the Square Stand in the barbershop, because it makes it really easy for us to swivel to show our customer the price before checking out,” said co-owner Britt Westcott.
8. Waxing salon
Hair removal services have been popular for decades, and there’s still consistent demand for waxing specialists. Like other salons, a popular waxing business will have a steady stream of revenue, as many clients want regular appointments. With a growing number of men now also wanting hair removal, there’s a bigger potential customer base than ever.
Key considerations:
- Staff: Hiring well-trained, professional, customer-focused staff will help your clients feel comfortable.
- Hygiene: Implement strict hygiene practices, such as cleaning between clients, using disposable spatulas, and sanitising your hands to promote the safety and comfort of your customers. You should also provide them with advice on what to do (and not to do) after their waxing service to help prevent infections.
You’ll want to prioritise the comfort and safety of your clients to earn their trust and repeat business. Creating a loyalty program is another great way to build a following of regular customers as it makes people feel valued for repeat custom by offering rewards or discounts after a certain number of visits or purchases. According to the Square Future of Beauty report, 85% of beauty leaders with a loyalty program say they drive repeat visits.
With a Square Loyalty program you can create promotions, reward frequent visits and track how each campaign performs.
9. Makeup artist
Starting a makeup artistry business is an opportunity to explore your creativity in the beauty industry while working in a diverse range of settings, from photo shoots to theatre productions. Many makeup artists start out as freelancers, which can offer a lot of flexibility in terms of where and when you work.
Key considerations:
- Portfolio: To attract clients, you’ll need to put together a strong portfolio of work. Social media platforms like Instagram can be a great place to show off your skills, and you’ll also want to create a website.
- Equipment: Investing in a wide range of makeup products and tools suitable for different skin types will help you appeal to a broad range of clients.
- Networking and relationships: Establishing good working relationships with allied professionals such as producers, photographers and art directors will help you get rehired by clients and referred to others.
- Trends: To make a career out of makeup artistry, you’ll need to follow developments and trends in the industry and keep your skills up-to-date.
Finding regular work in the creative industries can often be a challenge, so make sure you’re providing every client with your best service – be responsive to their needs and requests and always respect appointments and agreed time frames. Don’t forget that Square gives you the ability to take mobile payments with a reliable POS system for added convenience.
10. Spray tanning salon
Tanning in the sun carries risks that all Australians are aware of, but many still want an extra glow and professionally-applied spray tans are a popular and safe way of achieving this. Spray tanning salons usually see regular business throughout the year, with many customers coming in to get a glow-up before special events and occasions.
Key considerations:
- Equipment and products: Take time to research spray tanning equipment and products that will help achieve professional, consistent results for your clients.
- Health and safety: Although there’s no UV radiation involved in spray tanning, there are still safety risks associated with potential inhalation of the aerosols. Provide masks for your clients when requested and ensure your staff follow safety protocols for all tanning services.
- Location: To encourage walk-ins, and so your customers can easily find you, look for a street with other beauty businesses or a space in a shopping centre.
Creating a strong marketing plan can help your spray tanning salon stand out. Think about targeted social media posts and ads, and make sure you’ve got a professional website with a list of your services and prices, as well as an online booking function.
11. Mobile beauty services
Mobile beauty businesses offer clients salon-quality services in the comfort of their own home. Not only is this appealing to people with busy schedules and those who have difficulty travelling to a salon, it’s also an attractive business opportunity thanks to low setup and overhead costs.
Key considerations:
- Vehicle and equipment: A reliable vehicle is essential to running your business. Make sure you’ve got convenient, compact equipment to provide your services on-the-go, and consider investing in some carry cases that are easy to move and allow you to set up and pack up without a lot of fuss.
- Scheduling: Timeliness will play a big part in keeping your clients happy, so plan your appointments carefully and allow enough time to travel between locations.
- Marketing: As you won’t have a shop front, you’ll need to find customers online or via referrals. A marketing plan will be a great asset here.
While a mobile beauty service is a convenient alternative to a traditional salon, it’s important to maintain just as high a level of professionalism as if you were operating out of a permanent location. Make sure to refresh your skills regularly and keep up to date with current beauty trends. A great way to ensure a steady revenue stream is to build strong client relationships that will lead to regular appointments.
12. Eyebrow and lash technician
An eyebrow and lash technician shapes, colours and enhances clients’ eyebrows and eyelashes through treatments such as waxing, tinting, lifting and extensions. The global lash extension market is expected to reach US$ 3,300 million by 2035, making it a great time to set up a business in this space.
Key considerations:
- Hygiene: Ensure you disinfect tools, use disposable items where possible and sanitise between clients. In Australia, the AS 5369:2023 is a recommended guide for most salons that aren’t using skin-puncturing tools on how to prevent infections.
- Humidity: To protect your products, ensure there is adequate humidity using a sensor-based humidifier in your salon at all times.
- Staggered appointments: To avoid waiting and reception area congestion, it’s advised to have staggered appointments and team shifts. You’ll need a reliable online booking system, such as Square Appointments, for this.
To avoid no-shows and last-minute cancellations, which can affect your bottom line, consider using an online booking system that provides automated appointment reminders and a waitlist.
13. Massage therapist
Massage therapists are major providers of health services, with 20% of Australians having seen one within the past 12 months.
Key considerations:
- Ambience: Create a soothing environment with soft lighting, relaxing music and calming scents to elevate the client experience.
- Client records: Keep detailed records of client preferences, pressure levels, allergies, injuries and health conditions to ensure safe, personalised treatments that build trust and encourage repeat customers.
- Digital bookings: Since you’ll often be with clients and unable to answer calls or messages, use an online booking system like Square Appointments to handle appointment requests seamlessly.
- Training: Ensure that you and your staff have adequate training and qualifications to deliver the experience you’re aiming for, and stay up-to-date with new techniques and trends.
Atmosphere is key to success in this type of business, so you need to put a lot of thought into the design and layout of your salon. Square Appointments allows you to build an online booking site that visually ties in with your decor and branding.
Whichever beauty idea is the right one for you, Square has a range of tools that will make setting up and running your business just that little bit easier.
Beauty business FAQs
What are the most profitable beauty businesses to start?
The most profitable beauty businesses to start are those with low overheads, high client demand, and opportunities for repeat bookings. Popular options include lash and brow studios, nail salons, and massage therapy, all of which can start small and can expand. Makeup artistry and mobile beauty salons are great options too, as you may not need to rent studio space by servicing clients in their own homes.
What beauty businesses can I run from home?
You can run a hair, nail, waxing, makeup, spray tanning, eyebrow and lash or massage therapy salon from your home. However, there are a few important legal requirements you’ll need to meet before you can open a salon at home. You’ll need an ABN, the right permits and zoning, and to comply with health and safety standards. If all those conditions are met, you can run your beauty business from home.
Do I need a licence to start a beauty business?
There’s no national licence needed to start a beauty business, and qualifications aren’t legally mandated for most beauty services (except for cosmetic injections). However, recognised training is often required for insurance and council approval. You’ll also need public liability and professional indemnity insurance and, if operating from home, check local rules for business activity and client visits.
What’s the best software for beauty businesses?
The best software for beauty businesses is built for the beauty industry, with specific features and needs in mind. Square Appointments streamlines everything from appointment scheduling, inventory tracking, client profiles and team management and has built-in payment features and integrations with popular third-party software, ensuring it can grow with you as you refine your experience.
