Salon and Spa Consent Forms: What Every Beauty Professional Needs

Every salon and spa appointment involves some degree of physical contact, chemical application, or both. A client who walks in for a balayage, a chemical peel, or a deep tissue massage is trusting you with their body. When something goes wrong, whether it is an allergic reaction to hair dye, a burn from a wax treatment, or irritation from a new skincare product, having a signed consent form is often the difference between a manageable situation and an expensive lawsuit.

This guide covers what salon and spa professionals should include in their consent forms, and how to implement them without disrupting the client experience.

Why Salons and Spas Need Consent Forms

The beauty industry operates in a gray area between personal services and healthcare. You are not a doctor, but you are applying chemicals to skin, manipulating joints, and using tools that can cause injury. Courts hold beauty professionals to a standard of care, and clients can and do file claims for adverse reactions, burns, scarring, and infections.

A consent form serves two purposes: it documents that you informed the client of the risks, and it captures information you need to perform the service safely. It is both a legal protection and a clinical tool.

Essential Sections for Salon Consent Forms

1. Client Information and Contact Details

Collect the client's full legal name, date of birth, phone number, and email address. This establishes identity for the record and provides a way to follow up if there are delayed reactions.

2. Service Description

Clearly state which services the form covers: hair coloring and chemical treatments, cutting and styling, nail services, waxing and hair removal, skincare treatments, massage and body treatments, and lash and brow services. For specialized treatments like chemical peels or keratin treatments, consider using a separate, service-specific consent form with more detailed risk disclosures.

3. Allergy and Sensitivity Disclosure

This is arguably the most important section. Ask clients to disclose known allergies to chemicals, dyes, fragrances, latex, metals, or adhesives. Ask about sensitivity to specific ingredients such as formaldehyde (common in keratin treatments), PPD (in hair dye), or acrylates (in nail products and lash adhesives). Include any medications that affect skin sensitivity, including retinoids, blood thinners, Accutane, and topical steroids.

Include a statement that the client is responsible for disclosing all known allergies and sensitivities, and that failure to disclose may result in adverse reactions for which the salon cannot be held liable.

4. Patch Test Acknowledgment

For chemical treatments, industry best practice is to perform a patch test 24 to 48 hours before the treatment. Your consent form should include a recommendation for patch testing, an acknowledgment section where the client confirms they received a patch test or are declining one and accepting the associated risk, and a note that even a negative patch test does not guarantee the absence of a reaction.

5. Medical History and Health Conditions

Certain health conditions directly affect how a client responds to services. Ask about pregnancy or nursing (many chemical treatments and essential oils are contraindicated), diabetes (affects wound healing, relevant for pedicures), autoimmune conditions (may increase sensitivity), recent cosmetic procedures such as Botox, fillers, or laser treatments, circulatory conditions (relevant for massage and heat treatments), and current medications that may change the risk profile.

6. Pregnancy Disclaimer

Given how frequently pregnancy affects treatment safety, it deserves its own clearly marked section. State that the client is responsible for informing staff of pregnancy or suspected pregnancy before any service, that certain treatments will be modified or declined during pregnancy, and that the salon follows manufacturer guidelines regarding contraindicated treatments.

7. Chemical Treatment Risk Acknowledgment

For services involving chemical application, the client should acknowledge that results may differ from expectations due to hair history, porosity, and natural pigment. Chemical processing carries risks including dryness, breakage, scalp irritation, and allergic reaction. Previously chemically treated hair, including box dye, henna, and metallic dyes, may react unpredictably. This section manages expectations as much as it manages liability.

8. Photo and Social Media Consent

Many salons use client photos for social media and portfolios. This consent must be separate from the liability consent, with its own signature or checkbox. It should be optional, specific about usage (social media, website, print materials), and clear about whether photos may include the client's face or will be limited to the work itself.

Tips for Implementation

Make it part of the intake process. New clients should complete the consent form before their first appointment, not while sitting in the chair.

Digitize the process. Paper forms get lost and degraded. Digital consent forms are searchable, timestamped, and backed up automatically. WaiverDrop's salon and spa template includes all of the sections described above, with separate signature fields for liability consent and photo consent. Clients can complete the form on their phone before they arrive.

Update for new services. Any time you add a new treatment to your menu, review your consent form to ensure the new service's risks are covered.

Have a re-signing policy. Ask clients to update their consent form annually, or whenever they report a change in health status, allergies, or medications. A form signed three years ago may not reflect the client's current health.

The Business Case for Good Consent Forms

Beyond legal protection, consent forms improve the quality of care you provide. When you know a client is on retinoids, you skip the aggressive peel. When you know about a latex allergy, you switch gloves. When you know about a previous bad reaction to a particular brand, you reach for an alternative.

A thorough consent form is not a barrier to the client experience. It is a signal that your salon takes safety seriously, and it builds the kind of trust that generates repeat business and referrals.