RIYADH: Salons and barber shops across Saudi Arabia experience some of their busiest times of the year during Eid Al-Fitr.
From fresh cuts and blowouts to manicures and henna, residents prepare to look and feel their best in new outfits to usher in the holiday. For many, preparations are not complete without a trip to the salon or barber shop, making the Eid rush a key moment in the Kingdom’s beauty calendar
Zahiyya Nomassi, the owner of a beauty salon in Riyadh’s Irqah district, told Arab News that the rush usually begins four days before Eid.
The salon’s biggest challenge is coordinating the technicians’ roles to manage the traffic, while also trying to minimize the waiting time for customers. “We usually try to prepare by increasing working hours,” she said.
“We have a booking system for appointments, but, before Eid, due to the high demand, we cancel bookings for some services,” she continued. “Only Moroccan bath and massage services remain by appointment. As for hair and nail services, due to the pressure, there are no bookings. Clients take a number and wait their turn.”
During this time, there is high demand for nail services, haircuts, dyes and treatments. Popular nail salons like Base & Boon, which have three locations in Riyadh and one in AlUla, are fully booked. Others, like Mellow Nail Artistry and The Nail Corner, which has three locations in Riyadh, are also fully booked prior to the celebrations.
For men, a trip to the barber shop is part of the Eid ritual. Making an appointment, however, is out of the question. Men usually call their barber, who decides when they should come in based on their availability and the queue at hand.
Abu Ali, a barber at Men’s Address Barber in Al-Sahafa district, who has worked in the industry for 32 years, told Arab News that the rush starts roughly three days before Eid.
“For styles, they usually ask for a proper cut to be able to meet people. Even younger clients don’t look for hair grading. They go for a clean cut, then may go back to grading after Eid,” he said.
On the eve of Eid, the shops usually stay open until Fajr prayer to accommodate the number of clients, regardless of their usual 12:30 a.m. closing time.
At Abu Ali’s shop, they don’t accept new clients during Eid to ensure they don’t have to disappoint existing customers. “You have to give your clients who have been coming to you for years their Eid cut. It’s unacceptable to turn them away,” he said.
Despite the intensity, the season remains one of the most important, and rewarding, times of the year for the industry.
“After the rush is over, we feel great and all is good. We can finally relax,” said Abu Ali. “Unless there are clients that are celebrating in the evening time. They might call us so we can accommodate them the next day.”
