Beauty salons busy at the end of the lunar year
On the 29th day of the 12th lunar month, (January 20, 2023), many shops across Da Nang gradually closed, but beauty salons were still busy from early morning to late at night to serve the beauty needs of customers for Tet.
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| Customers are seen at the Nha Khuyen salon on the afternoon of the 29th day of the 12th lunar month. Photo: T.D |
Customers on the last day of the lunar year are mostly labourers working until the 28th day of the last lunar month, small traders and housewives.
Visiting a nail salon at noon, Do Ngoc Mai, a 24-year-old worker of the Hoa Khanh Industrial Park, got a desired set of nails after more than an hour.
“I want to look fresh and new to celebrate the country’s biggest national holiday. If you are not beautiful, you will feel unconfident to welcome in Tet" Mai said.
Although the price of beauty services has increased from VND10,000 - VND20,000 compared to normal days, Mai still expressed her satisfaction.
"It's okay if the price increases a bit. Beautiful nails make me more confident, so the increase is still well worth it," Mai added.
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| The average beauty time of each customer is 1-3 hours. For such hair services as stretching and curling, the time can last up to 4-6 hours. Photo: T. D |
Le Thi Kim Anh, 32, the owner of a Spa shop on Dang Dung Street in Hoa Khanh Bac Ward, Lien Chieu District, said that from mid-January-2023, her shop has seen a significant increase in the number of visitors, and 25th to 30th days of the last lunar month is the peak time.
In order to meet the needs of customers, the shop has recruited additional two employees, bringing the total number to 4. However, the above number is still not enough to satisfy the increasing number of customers during the peak time.
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| Le Thi Kim Anh (middle) and staff rush to complete the nails for their guest. Photo: T.D |
At the same time, when Tet comes, customers tend to prefer more sophisticated nail designs, so the process takes a long time, leading to customers having to wait longer than on weekdays.
“In the days leading up to Tet, customers coming to the shop can wait from 1 - 4 hours. Sometimes the shop has to open until 2:00am. Like yesterday, I had a lunch at 5:00pm” Anh shared.
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| Manicure is the service chosen by most of female customers. Photo: T.D |
Similarly, staff of the Nha Khuyen salon located in Hoa Khanh Nam Ward, Lien Chieu District, are busy from 5:00 am to 11:00 pm. Her shop welcomes customers of all ages from students to middle-aged women.
Mrs. Nguyen Hoang Nha Khuyen, 36, the owner of the salon, said her shop has 6 main workers and 2 assistants. Despite the large number of workers, customers still have to wait for their turn because a customer simultaneously performs many different services such as hair washing, manicure, and hair straightening. However, the waiting time will not be too long.
According to Ms. Khuyen, near Tet, service prices at the shop increase by 10% compared to normal days. With many regular customers, she keeps the unchanged prices.
After cleaning the house, Mrs. Hang, 31, housewife, took advantage of some free time to beautify her self to welcome in the Tet holiday. "In the new year, if you are beautiful, you will be happier to welcome in Lunar New Year's Eve. Therefore, your spirit will be elated, maybe luck and fortune will come with you," Hang said.
Khuyen said that at noon on the 30th day of the last lunar month, her shop will stop receiving customers to tidy up her house and send employees back to their hometown to celebrate Tet.
Khuyen added if her shop opens until the evening of the last day of the last lunar month, there will still be customers. But both her and staff are so tired, so they want to rest to prepare for Tet.
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| Each customer does 3-4 different services. Photo: TD |
In a similar vein, barber shops on Pham Nhu Xuong, Ton Duc Thang and Au Co streets are also packed with visitors in these days leading up to Tet.
Reporting by THU DUYEN - Translating by M.DUNG