Salon Senses A Feminist’s Internal Conflict

Abstract

Visiting the salon is a sensory experience, one that does not always end in the outcome we desire. Why are salons so visually appealing? Why do we put ourselves through these often painful procedures time and time again? Are these experiences adding value to our lives or stealing our time and self-worth? Why does salon gossip feel so good? These are some of the questions I explore in this essay where I navigate the boundaries of beauty expectations, feminism, and feelings of guilt from the auto-ethnographical perspective of a working-class woman in Scotland. Feminist literature on beauty is extensive and contradictory. I investigate if the beauty industry is inherently suppressive, whilst also exploring the idea of the body as a symbol and beauty a ritual, that creates and sustains social ties.