Services

What is a hijab friendly salon? | Abingdon | Didcot | Wantage | Oxfordshire

Opening in 2018, our space is now one of the busiest. Our creative team are celebrated for their signature haircuts, hair colour, perms, blowdries and more.

CALL: 01235 534705
EMAIL: [email protected]
4 EAST ST. HELEN STREET, OX14 5EA

Hair Salon Opening Times

Tuesday
First Appointment
Last Appointment

Wednesday-Thursday
First Appointment
Last Appointment

Friday
First Appointment
Last Appointment

Saturday
First Appointment:
Last Appointment:

10 am
3:30 pm

11:30 am
7:30 pm

10 am
6 pm

9 am
4:30 pm

Hijab Friendly Hairdressers in Abingdon

For many women who wear the hijab, experiences as routine as a hair appointment can prove challenging for a number of reasons. As anyone that wears a hijab knows, the importance and necessity for both privacy and modesty when removing a head covering can present challenges for most salons for a number of reasons. For example many salons are unisex and gender inclusive, they are open spaces that lack privacy not to mention that many salons aren’t necessarily aware of diverse client needs and therefore aren’t able to identify themselves as ‘hijab friendly’.

In our daily blog, we explore what a hijab friendly salon looks like, how a salon friendly hairdressers can support you and what a typical hijab friendly haircut appointment consists of.

If you are considering something different, our ladies haircut service page can help. Finally, if you’re new to the salon and not sure how to get the most value from your next appointment, need a consultation or would value a conversation before booking, call or send a WhatsApp message on 01235 534705

Got a Question?

Send a WhatsApp

Hijab Salon FAQ's

What is a hijab friendly salon?

A hijab friendly salon is a hairdressing environment that is able to cater to women that wear a hijab and who can feel comfortable having their haircut. Typically hijab friendly salons ensure that clients can feel comfortable in the knowledge that the space is private whilst feeling comfort in their surroundings. Modesty is important and an environment which is sensitive to this remains a priority. A salon which has created a hijab friendly environment may have a separate room, a sectioned-off area, timed appointments to minimise salon foot fall to ensure that the space welcomes a reduced number of staff and clients or even a ‘one in one out’ policy.

If a salon is hijab friendly, it reflects the salons commitment to understanding the cultural and religious importance of privacy for Muslim women. This too isn’t just a ‘space’ or separate area but rather recognition that your chosen salon is welcoming, your experience is free from judgement or awkward and this too should extend to supportive staff.

Why aren't all salons hijab friendly?

A lack of understanding aside, most salons are restricted to the practical limitation of space. The dimensions of a typical salon building which won’t allow salons to cater to offering a private space or separate room without relocating the salon or through work which would cause logistical problems in doing so. So whilst many Stylists and even salons will recognise the importance and have at least some understanding for inclusivity, many clients will be unable to be hijab friendly given the restrictions imposed on them by their surroundings and in most cases is entirely unintentional. Whether it’s open-plan layouts, affixed and large mirrors, and mostly communal styling spaces, this makes the guarantee of a safe space challenging.

To a lesser extent not all staff will be familiar nor have the basic training necessary to offer a hijab friendly service nor recognise what this means. More positively, many salons are beginning to recognise the importance of offering hijab friendly appointments and with increased awareness some salons may even offer more flexibility from temporary screens to hijab friendly specific appointments at specific times of day adapt in more flexible ways or even appointments outside of work hours to better accommodate.

Should I mentioned that I need a hijab friendly appointment?

If you are requesting a hijab friendly appointment whether with ourselves or elsewhere it is strongly recommended to mention your desire for a hijab friendly appointment when trying to booking. In most cases whilst a hairdressers may advertise itself as a hijab friendly appointment, salons may need to prepare for your appointment, make provisions for male staff/clients or in our case where we have a safe space on our ground floor, this may already be booked. For this reason communicating your request for a hijab friendly appointment is really important and gives your salon the best opportunity of firstly managing your expectations and being able to accommodate an appointment in the diary.

In the case of booking an appointment with us, the easiest and most straightforward way of communicating your need for a hijab friendly appointment is either a WhatsApp message, message via web chat, a phone call or WhatsApp message outlining your name, contact details, what you hope to book and your availability. When booking online, simply make your appointment and within the comments, advise us as to any helpful information. Whilst at the appointment, communicating effectively is really important to ensuring we are able to deliver your perfect haircut.

As a reference point, many salons may not market themselves effectively though many will still identify as hijab friendly nonetheless. If you are uncertain, simply ask your salon. However if the team sound unsure, dismissive, or cannot offer the privacy you need, then it might not be the right environment for you.

What does a hijab friendly appointment look like?

A hijab friendly hair appointment won’t necessarily take on the same format nor look the same from one salon to the next, however what you should expect from your chosen hijab friendly salon where they do market themselves as such is a salon that will be adaptable where possible. A hijab friendly appointment will usually begin in a private area or separate room with minimal to no foot fall. In our salon, we have a separate space on our first floor which allows for the flexibility to cater to appointments away from our main ground floor space. Our space is closed off from other clients to ensure that no one else beyond you and your Stylist can see you without your hijab. In our salons many may have a similar set up or a screen or curtain to create a similar environment albeit temporarily.

The appointment itself is unlikely to be too different from any other in terms of the service you receive. You’ll still have a consultation with your stylist to work through any likes/dislikes, what you hope to achieve, any inspiration pictures, hair history, our recommendations and everything in-between. The only difference of course (assuming you will take advantage of our upstairs space rather than a screen) is the lack of background noise and therefore a different atmosphere.

Conclusion

Hijab friendly salons tend not to be visible in their marketing and therefore far more difficult to find than perhaps they should be. Once you have established a salon that works for you, whilst the final haircut needs to tick the box, the overall experience that you can reasonably expect is a welcoming and private space that is respectful of your needs without compromising your modesty. As awareness continues to grow, an increasing number of salons across Oxfordshire are adapting their spaces to meet the needs of hijab-wearing clients.

If you are feeling lost in what could work best for you, leave it to us. Our consultations work through any question you might have, logistics and we too make recommendations based upon your lifestyle and hair type.

@wisteriaavenuehairsalon Balayage and blow dry complete! ✅ #AbingdonHairdresser #OxfordHairdresser #Highlights #Balayage #HairColour #Blowdry #HairSalon #Hairdressers #Hair #HairStyle ♬ original sound - Wisteria Avenue Hair Salon

Opening in 2018, our space is now one of the busiest. Our creative team are celebrated for their signature haircuts, hair colour, perms, blowdries and more.

CALL: 01235 534705
EMAIL: [email protected]
4 EAST ST. HELEN STREET, OX14 5EA

Opening Times

Tuesday
First Appointment
Last Appointment

Wednesday-Thursday
First Appointment
Last Appointment

Friday
First Appointment
Last Appointment

Saturday
First Appointment:
Last Appointment:

10 am
3:30 pm

11:30 am
7:30 pm

10 am
6 pm

9 am
4:30 pm

Want to know more about hijab friendly hair appointments?

Complete the below and a staff member will contact you at the earliest opportunity with further information about how we can help you with your hair appointment. Any questions, call or send a WhatsApp to the salon on 01235 534705 or book your appointment online.

Want to know more about how a salon can make your appointment hijab friendly?

As one of the best hijab friendly hairdressers in Oxfordshire, we would love to discuss your plans with you! To book your hair appointment or consultation, get in touch with Wisteria Avenue Hair Salon by booking online or calling us on 01235 53470.

Wisteria Avenue on instagram

wisteriaavesalon

We are a boutique hair salon in Abingdon, Oxfordshire. For hair appointments, visit www.wisteriaavenue.co.uk
☎️ | 01235 534705

Check out some of our beautiful blonde highlightin

Follow on Instagram

Where are we?

Our Latest Hair Trends Blog

Our hair trends blog looks at the latest hairdressing trends, hair styles, hair colours, gents haircuts, ladies haircuts, perms, seasonal styles and much, much more!

For regular updates and blog postings, check out our recent blogs.