“We don’t upsell”: Why that mindset is costing beauty and wellness businesses more than they think

Across the beauty and wellness industry, a familiar line comes up again and again from leaders: “We don’t upsell. Recommending isn’t our style.” 

On the surface, this makes sense. Owners and CEOs want to protect the trust they’ve built with clients, and no one wants to feel like they’re pushing unnecessary treatments. But there’s an important distinction here: recommending isn’t the same as upselling.  
 
In fact, failing to guide clients toward the next step in their treatment journey can actually hold them back from the results they’re looking for. Especially as data shows that 37% of salon and spa clients usually or always act on a recommendation. For medspas, this number is even more compelling, as nearly half of medspa regulars (48%) will always buy a recommended product.  

Clients consistently express that they want longevity and quality in their results. They often just need help connecting the dots between today’s service and the care that will help those results last.  

Many wellness brands that consider themselves “good” hover around 10–15% recommendation-to-purchase rates. On paper, that looks respectable. But consumer behavior suggests the opportunity is far greater. 

Trust between providers and clients is already high: more than eight in ten beauty and wellness customers say they have a strong level of trust in their service providers. That trust opens the door to recommendations, yet it often goes underutilized. In fact, an overwhelming 96% medspa regulars will buy a recommended product at least sometimes.  
 
In salons and spas, the trend is similar, with three-quarters (78%) of customers purchasing a recommended product at least occasionally. 

The expectation for personalization has also grown year over year. Almost all medspa clients (99%) say personalization during in-person visits is important, and this desire extends well beyond the treatment chair. Personalized marketing has become a deciding factor in loyalty: more than nine in ten medspa consumers report being more likely to rebook when they receive personalized offers. Even outside of direct offers, 74% of consumers say personalization in marketing communications is important. 

Taken together, these numbers highlight a striking gap. Clients are open, willing, and even eager to act on provider guidance — yet many businesses stop short of giving that guidance consistently.  
 
The bottom line: Brands aren’t losing revenue because clients don’t want more treatments or products. They’re losing it because teams aren’t confident in how — or when — to recommend.  

For many employees, the barrier isn’t unwillingness; it’s discomfort. They hold back for three main reasons: 

When recommendation opportunities are limited to “in-store only” conversations at the front desk or in the treatment chair, these challenges are magnified. 

The result? Valuable moments are missed, clients miss out on better outcomes, and clinics see revenue plateau. 

The most effective beauty and wellness businesses don’t treat recommendations as a single selling moment. They spread them across the entire client journey — before, during, and after the visit. 

These “between” moments, when clients are at home and reflecting on their visit, are often when a recommendation feels most thoughtful and welcome. 

If your business’s recommendation rate sits below 10%, here are three strategies to help bridge the gap: 

Encourage your team to think of recommendations as education, not upselling. Clients value guidance on how to protect their results. See it as part of the service, not an add-on. 

Regular product knowledge refreshers and short role-play exercises can build comfort. Celebrating when recommendations convert into rebookings or sales reinforces that clients do appreciate the advice. 

Digital tools like email and SMS can deliver personalized offers automatically, reducing reliance on staff memory and ensuring clients never miss a relevant recommendation. 

The wellness brands that thrive aren’t the ones avoiding recommendations. They’re the ones reframing them. 

Guidance given at the right time, in the right way, doesn’t feel like selling. It feels like care. And when care is the focus, both client outcomes and clinic performance improve. 

Moving beyond a 10% recommendation rate isn’t about pushing harder. It’s about building a culture of confident guidance — one that supports clients in getting the results they came for. 

Because in the end, great recommendations don’t just grow salon and spa revenue. They grow trust.