The Check-In Newsletter – Dec 29, 2025: Yearly wrap-up
Looking back on the year for beauty and wellness businesses.
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Before we turn the page on the year, let’s take a quick look back at the strategies and shifts that defined beauty and wellness this year. Thank you for reading, sharing, and being part of our community. Here’s your 2025 wrap-up to help you scale smarter, move faster, and drive growth in 2026.
Featured findings
A few data points that shaped the conversation:
- Personalization pays: 73% of clients would spend more for personalized services, with 43% willing to pay up to 10% extra.
- Booking friction costs businesses: 71% of regulars have skipped booking because it was too hard to reach someone or use the online system.
- After-hours demand is the norm: 81% of regulars manage appointments outside business hours, at least sometimes.
- Client loyalty is unpredictable: Nearly half of wellness providers (48%) lost long-time clients in 2025, and about 60% of those clients were believed to be loyal and unlikely to leave.
Standout reads from 2025
Beauty & Wellness
- Growth-driving insights: 7 effective marketing strategies to grow your beauty and wellness business – from the experts
- Revenue boost: Should you pass on credit card fees to customers? What salons and spas need to know about surcharges
- Must-read for 2026: AI receptionists vs. call answering systems: Key differences for salons and spas
- ICYMI: Quiz - How Gen Z–ready is your salon or spa?
Standout stat:
62% of clients report that accuracy is the most important part of their front desk experience.
Salons
- Growth-driving insights: Salon reputation management 101: How to handle negative Google reviews the right way
- Revenue boost: 5 hair and beauty salon consumer trends you can’t ignore in 2026
- Must-read for 2026: Convert salon gift card sales into long-term revenue
- ICYMI: Turning social media into a booking machine: Proven strategies for salons
Standout stat:
56% of stylists say tipping culture has worsened, and 55% would prefer higher, all-in pricing.
Spas
- Growth-driving insights: Study: The best cities in the world for spas in 2025
- Revenue boost: 2025 Survey data: 5 key salon and spa consumer trends shaping appointment management in 2026
- Must-read for 2026: How spas can dominate local SEO and capture more leads
- ICYMI: How to convert spa gift card users into members: Turning relaxation into recurring revenue
Standout stat:
62% of clients are more likely to choose a spa that offers after-hours support.
Medspas
- Growth-driving insights: 2026 medspa consumer trends – AI, communication, and client loyalty
- Revenue boost: How to unlock more profits through bundling: Medspa strategies for smart packaging
- Must-read for 2026: How medspas can use AI to deliver luxury-level personalization
- ICYMI: Top 10 personalized experience strategies for medspas in 2026
Standout stat:
No-show appointments cost medspas an average of $42,640 each year.
Barbershops
- Growth-driving insights: 6 surprising barbershop trends for 2026: What clients really want from booking and AI
- Revenue boost: Winning customer loyalty for your barbershop business
- Must-read for 2026: Cut down on chaos: Why barbershops are adopting all-in-one booking tools
- ICYMI: How barbershops can own the local search results: A guide to Google profiles, reviews and listings
Standout stat:
80% of barbershop regulars report that calling is always/mostly the easiest way to update appointments.
Fitness
- Growth-driving insights: How to build a gym ambassador program that actually drives growth
- Revenue boost: Why fitness gift cards may be the secret to gym membership expansion in 2026
- Must-read for 2026: How AI can help keep gym classes full and cancellations low
- ICYMI: 5 profit-boosting fitness business metrics you’re not tracking (but should be)
Standout stat:
70% of wellness clients said rewards programs would keep them coming back.
A sneak peek at 2026
As we head into 2026, we’re focused on delivering what helps you stay ahead, bringing you:
- Fresh surveys packed with client insights.
- Clear breakdowns of the latest tools and innovations shaping the beauty and wellness industry.
- Even more practical, share-worthy content you can use to make this your best year yet.
Until then, you can catch up on past newsletters here. Email us at [email protected] to tell us more about what you want to see in 2026.
Thanks for reading
Wishing you a wonderful New Year! We’re excited to continue sharing resources and insights to help you grow with confidence in 2026.
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