An entire collection of beauty professionals are building their businesses around simplifying and automating daily tasks using salon-dedicated appointment scheduling apps. As you probably guessed it, this call has been driven by the urge to create more time to do what they love. Two of the leaders among the best salon booking software are Salon Life and Styleseat. 

Is one of these online booking salon systems better than the other? Let’s find out by doing a comparison!

1. Salon Life

Salon Life is a cloud-based salon booking system used by hundreds of salons and spas in over 50 countries around the world. It enables beauticians to set specific appointment lead times as well as manage appointments, clients, preferences, and their employees. Its special features include recurring appointments, creating notes & staff breaks, automatic appointment scheduling, client profiles, reports & statistics, and importing & exporting of data. 

Salon Life comes with a salon calendar that provides salon owners with an online platform from which to add customized headings, descriptions, as well as customer retention-focused content. They can set the salon booking system to automatically send booking reminders, confirmation notes, and thank you messages after a scheduled appointment is fulfilled.    

Platforms

Web 

Salon businesses catered to:

• Small salons
• Mid-size salons
• Enterprise/big salons

Ease of use and customer support (out of 5 stars)

• Ease of use: 5/5
• Customer support:5/5

Pricing

Pricing starts at $7/month. 

Free trial

Yes

Free version

Yes

Special Salon Features

• Access Control
• Client profiles
• Employee management
• Appointment management
• Automated scheduling
• Booking management
• Calendar management
• Client management
• Customer history
• Customizable branding 
• Data import/export
• Email marketing
• Group scheduling
• Multi-location
• Multiple users
• Reporting and statistics
• SMS integration
• Social media integration
• Booth rental management
• Inventory management
• loyalty program
• Payroll management
• Point of Sale (POS)

Pros

• Easy to use platform ideal even for novice internet users. 
• An intuitive drag-and-drop interface that allows users to copy and paste bookings, navigate the calendar, and drag appointments in or out of schedule. 

Cons

• This salon booking system does not come with a mobile app. However, the web platform is fully optimized for seamless performance across all mobile device browsers. 

1. Styleseat

Styleseat is an online booking salon platform where beauticians and wellness professionals can showcase their services and connect with clients. On their end, clients can use this market place to book appointments online as wells as discover new nail techs, estheticians, hairstylists, and many others.

On top of offering beauty professionals a free platform to showcase their services, Styleseat also offers effective management and business growth solutions. Just like Salon Life, it also features recurring appointments.  

Platforms

Web, iOS app, android app

Salon businesses catered to:

• Small salons
• Mid-size salons

Ease of use and customer support (out of 5 stars)

• Ease of use: 4.5/5
• Customer support: 4.5/5

Pricing:

The pricing starts at $35/month. 

Free trial

Yes

Free version

No

Special Salon features 

• Appointment management
• Booking management
• Calendar management
• Client management
• Customer history
• Email marketing
• Multi-location

Pros 

• Comes with an android and iOS app

Cons

• Cannot support the operations of large salons
• Doesn’t offer phone support
• Doesn’t come with Access Control, automated scheduling, customizable branding, data import/export, group scheduling, booth rental management, employee management, inventory management, loyalty program, payroll management, and Point of Sale (POS)
• This salon booking software also lacks some key features such as client profiles, multiple users, reporting and statistics, and social media & SMS integration. 

Comparison table

Here is a table that summarizes the differences as well as the similarities of these salon booking systems:

Features	Salon Life	Styleseat
Access Control		X
Client profiles		X
Employee management		X
Appointment management
Automated scheduling		X
Booking management
Calendar management
Client management
Customer history
Customizable branding		X
Data import/export		X
Email marketing
Group scheduling		X
Multi-location
Multiple users		X
Reporting and statistics		X
SMS integration		X
Social media integration		X
Booth rental management		X
Inventory management		X
Loyalty program		X
Payroll management		X
Point of Sale (POS)		X
Free version		X
Starting Price	$7/month	$35/month

Expert’s verdict

At a fraction of the price, Salon Life offers almost triple the efficient salon management tools offered by Styleseat. The fact that the latter doesn’t allow users to use the platform for free before subscribing to any of the plans is also very disconcerting.

Marketing your beauty salon yourself can be difficult. For this reason, teaming up with a digital marketing agency to help with pay per click management is the quickest way to grow your beauty salon.

 In summary, Salon life is a way superior and easy-to-use salon booking software that offers business owners free salon management tools and real value for their money after subscribing to any of the plans.  Still, in case none of these two looks interesting to you, you can test another booking software and see if that one does wonders for you. 

Whether you’re heading out on summer vacation, planning a winter sun trip, or just debating whether to hit the local pool, being armed with the right swimsuit is vital!

1. Get Your Summer Body Ready 

This doesn’t mean losing weight, strict diets, and hitting the gym every day – it simply means get your body however you want it to be. Comfort is essential before you choose any swimsuit, and you need your body to be at its perfect place so that you can best select the swimwear perfect for you. There’s no point falling in love with a swimsuit and saying ‘I need to lose weight to fit into this.’ Instead, you need to work with what you have and flaunt it!

This includes preparing your skin to be seen, too. Eating healthily and getting the right vitamins can help to get your skin and body prepped with a natural glow and healthy look. Altrient, Leading Liposomal Supplement Brand, can provide all your vitamin supplement needs in time for showing off that swimsuit body. 

2. Understand Your Body Shape 

Choosing the right swimwear means understanding what your body looks best in, and that means identifying its shape. Certain designs of swimwear can look more flattering on particular body shapes, so you’ll want to identify yours. Measure your body in all the relevant places – waist, hips and bust – so you can compare your measurements with the associated shape. The most common shapes are hourglass (even bust and hip ratio which pulls in at the waist), pear (larger hip size than bust size) and straight (an alignment of the bust and hip which appears more straight than curved). Once you know, you’re good to go. 

3. Shop for the Right Swimsuit 

Now that you understand your body shape, you can shop only for swimsuits which match the criteria. Online stores may make it easier with filters designed around specific body shapes so that you can save time and distraction by ruling out the swimwear which doesn’t apply to you, or if you’re in-store, you can ask a sales representative to point out the swimsuits best suited for the body shape you have. 

4. Pay Attention to Fabric Cut, Color and Design

Knowing your body shape is only half the battle. You’ll then want to ensure that the swimsuit you choose serves to accentuate your favorite bits and camouflage your less-than-favorite bits. If you have a large bust which you like to accentuate, a low-cut swimsuit may be more desirable; or likewise, if you’d rather steer attention away from a large bust, you could opt for a full covered one piece with a high neck or a halter neck bikini. If you feel more comfortable having your stomach covered, then a one-piece is a better way to go than a two-piece.

Plain colors such as black are very slimming, whereas bold and bright prints and designs can draw attention to certain places – so make sure those places are the right ones!

By Limsan Boulter (@limo_x)

Animal print trend has been undeniably huge in recent seasons. With boot season looming again round the corner, it is only fitting that we are seeing this trend transfer onto the Fall favorite must-have wardrobe item.

Brazilian designer Alexandre Birman does this beautifully with this $995 ‘Dora’ two tone zebra boot. By adding textures with the use of dyed calf hair, this pointed toe design even subtly sneaks in the clear panel trend running up vertical up the calf and across the ankle.

Have the need to splurge? These babies are currently available on saksfithaveneue.com

Are Jeannie Mai and Young Jeezy an item? It certainly seems so. The two struck a striking post at Jeezy’s Sno Ball in Atlanta, with Jeannie in a $3,850 Michael Costello Dress:

The dress features one shoulder and a backless design:

Love it! It looks great!

If you can splurge, by all means do so at CostelloCouture.com.

What say you?

You ask, we answer! @mscandyc writes, “Can u please tell me where I can find Monica’s hat?”

 @monicabrown looked stunning in a $425 Eugenia Kim Dionne leopard print rabbit felt beret. The chic leopard-print beret is crafted from sumptuous rabbit fur in a classic saucer-like silhouette with a jaunty stem.

Love it? Get yours here.

Thoughts?

You ask, we answer! @ashashmb writes, “We need the details on this cute white outfit.”

#KenyaMoore was spotted wearing a $79.99 Ivory Set by J Lux the Label. The top ties at the front and has an elastic back, and the matching pants have a high waisted, wide leg cut, and an elastic waistband. 

This is a great look–and affordable to boot.

Thoughts? 

Many of you DM’ed me excitedly last night to tell me that you had seen my stunned face on a recent episode of Basketball Wives. In case ya missed me, relive the magic below:

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A post shared by Joey (@omfgrealitytv) on Aug 28, 2019 at 5:25pm PDT

Some of you may remember a few months ago, when I spent 24 hours in LA! Fashion Bomb Daily was actually a media partner for Jennifer Williams’s Classy Girl Wardrobe event, which was a shopping event in support of breast cancer charity Not Just October held at a bomb boutique called Beverly Muse. The initiative struck a chord for me because my mom overcame breast cancer. I was super excited because I love Basketball Wives! It’s entertaining and the fashion is always on point. Get into the Balmain, Versace, Balenciaga, Burberry, Christian Cowan drip below:

Bonus, Jennifer Williams, Evelyn Lozada, Malaysia Pargo and honestly all the ladies are sweethearts.

My experience was more like the below:

Overall the party was fun and for a great cause. It was in the midst of speeches at the end that we realized that Jackie was causing a ruckus outside, at which point I made my exit.

Say what you want, VH1 shows are entertaining. And the Basketball Wives have great style!

A show about women working fashion would be a dope concept, as well, no?

To have us cover your next event, email bookclairesulmers@gmail.com (the Getty photographer they were talking about, Robin Lori, was also working for FBD!). And get my Claire Jeans at FashionBombDailyShop.com. My jacket is from Jennifer William’s store ClassyGirlWardrobe.com.

And learn more about the breast cancer charity Not Just October at NotJustOctober.org.

Images: Robin Lori

Queen Latifah opted for a $1,695 Orange Blazer and $1,995 pants from Sergio Hudson’s Fall 2019 collection for this year’s MTV VMAs:

Her pants boast fun fringe, while her blazer offers a tailored fit.

Watch her describe the inspiration for her look below:

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A post shared by Fashion Bomb Daily (@fashionbombdaily) on Aug 27, 2019 at 5:53am PDT

And shop her look + more Sergio Hudson at FashionBombDailyShop.com.

Hot! or Hmm…?

Happy Friday eve! Meet this week’s Fashion Bomb Kid: Farrah Noor from New York City aka @missfarrahnoor_gmm.

Farrah Noor is just 4 years old and she is represented by a modeling agency as a kid model for brands like Target, Carter’s, and Cotonelle to name a few. She is building quite the fashion resume at such a young age, we love a young businesswomen.

She also has a style that is all her own to match her modeling skills. Her styles matches the aesthetic of Zara which is one of her favorite places to shop. She is in touch with the brand’s fashion forward and modern classic feel.

She loves to keep her looks rather simple and occasionally will top it off with a statement piece like a bold jacket or coat.

We love Farrah and her style!

We’re always searching for the next Fashion Bomb Kid! Submit 5-10 different looks of your mini Bomber or Bombshell via DM to @fashionbombkids or simply tag us in your pics for a chance to be our next Fashion Bomb Kid.

It is with sadness and heavy hearts we report the passing of Dapper Afrika, an industry fixture, stylist, and artist.

A self professed “Wardrobe Icon,” Dapper Afrika’s unique style sensibility was hard to miss at industry events like New York Fashion Week. His ensembles invariably mixed African prints with bold accessories like bracelets, necklaces, and hats.

More than his sartorial flair, Dapper Afrika will be remembered for his sweet spirit and positive energy. In an industry that can be cutthroat, Afrika was always kind. In a word full of conformists, he was one of a kind. He will be missed.

During his career he contributed several editorials to Fashion Bomb Daily, featuring Tweet, stylist Joiee Davis, and more. Please reflect upon his life and legacy through the photos below:

His family is accepting donations for his home going service. Contribute here.

See a performance below:

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A post shared by dapperafrika (@whenpeoplefindtheyway) on Aug 27, 2019 at 8:19pm PDT

May he rest in peace.