Opening a salon in South Africa: the complete starter stock list

Lime Light Hair & Beauty · 25 September 2026 · 9 min read

Everything a new hair, beauty or barber salon needs on day one, from colour and backbar to consumables, tools, furniture and retail, with a printable checklist at the end.

💡 The quick answer

A new salon needs stock in seven groups: furniture and equipment, electricals and tools, colour, backbar care, styling, consumables and retail.

Buy furniture first (it has the longest lead time) and consumables last (you will reorder them weekly).

Start lean on colour. Cover your most-used shades and two peroxide strengths, then build from what clients actually ask for.

Open a trade account early so every item is bought at professional prices.

What stock do I need to open a salon?

Think of your stock in two halves. Fixed stock is everything you buy once: chairs, basins, dryers, trolleys and tools. Running stock is everything you use up and reorder: colour, shampoo, foil, gloves and neck strips. Getting the fixed stock right sets up the salon; getting the running stock right keeps it profitable.

Stock group	Fixed or running	When to buy	Typical reorder
Furniture and equipment	Fixed	8 weeks before opening	Rarely
Electricals and tools	Fixed	6 to 8 weeks before	Replace as they wear
Colour and developer	Running	4 weeks before	Weekly to monthly
Backbar care	Running	4 weeks before	Monthly
Styling and finishing	Running	4 weeks before	Monthly
Consumables	Running	2 weeks before	Weekly
Retail shelf	Running	2 weeks before	As it sells

Salon opening countdown timeline from 8 weeks out to opening day — *Order in this sequence so nothing holds up your opening day.*

What furniture and equipment does a new salon need?

Furniture is your biggest single spend and has the longest lead time, so it comes first. Size it to your floor plan and the number of stylists working at once.

One styling chair per stylist, plus one spare for busy Saturdays
Wash basins: one basin for every three to four stylists. A portable basin is a smart start for small or mobile salons.
A trolley per station to keep tools, clips and colour within reach
Stools for stylists and beauty therapists
A hair steamer or processing unit if you plan to offer treatments
Massage or treatment beds if you are adding beauty

Salon furniture: Goose styling chair, Ribalta portable wash basin, Rome hair trolley, salon stool, Ribalta hair steamer and Marbella massage table — *Goose styling chair, Ribalta portable wash basin, Rome hair trolley, YOLO stool, Ribalta hair steamer and Marbella portable massage table.*

ℹ See it before you buy

Furniture is easier to choose in person. Our showrooms in Sandton, Boksburg, Cape Town and Durban have chairs, basins and trolleys on display.

Which tools and electricals should every stylist have?

Decide whether the salon supplies electricals or whether stylists bring their own. Either way, budget for at least:

One professional hair dryer per station. A high-wattage AC-motor dryer such as the Parlux 3800 lasts years longer than a domestic one.
A flat iron at every station or shared between two
Clippers and trimmers if you offer barbering
Brushes, combs, rollers and sectioning clips
Capes and aprons: two capes per chair so one can be washed

Tools and electricals: IHT dryer, Parlux 3800 dryer, Brazilian Gold flat iron, Wahl Barber Combo, KAMM rollers, boar bristle brush, cutting cape and apron — *IHT and Parlux 3800 dryers, Brazilian Gold titanium flat iron, Wahl Barber Combo, KAMM rollers, boar bristle brush, cape and apron.*

What colour stock should a new salon start with?

Colour is where new salons overspend most. You do not need every shade on day one. Start with one permanent colour line and cover the shades that do most of the work:

Naturals from level 1 to 10, for grey coverage and everyday colour
A few ash, gold and copper tones to correct and personalise
Peroxide in 10 vol and 20 vol, adding 30 vol once you lighten regularly
One bleach, plus foil, bowls, brushes, applicator bottles and gloves

Colour bar starter: XY Tint, Exclusively Yours peroxide 20 vol and 10 vol, bleach powder, XY salon foil, tint bowls, tint brush and applicator bottle — *A complete colour bar from one system: XY Tint, Exclusively Yours peroxide and bleach, foil and mixing tools.*

💡 Which colour line should I choose?

Pick one system and learn it well. Lime Light stocks Dikson, Nouvelle, Toujours, XY / Exclusively Yours, Wella and KADUS, each with its own peroxide.

Read our guide Peroxide strengths explained for which developer to use when.

Which shampoos and treatments do I need for the backbar?

Backbar is the product you use at the basin. Buy it in large salon sizes (1L to 5L): the cost per wash is far lower than retail bottles.

A basin shampoo and conditioner in 5L for everyday washes
A sulphate-free shampoo for colour and keratin clients
A rinse-out treatment or mask to upsell at the basin
A colour-protect mask to finish every colour service

Backbar products: Exclusively Yours Silk Shampoo and Conditioner 5L, GoCare Shampoo and One Minute Treatment 1L, Dikson PROMASTER masks and Argan Oil shampoo and conditioner — *Exclusively Yours Silk 5L, GoCare 1L, Argan Oil 750ml and Dikson PROMASTER 1L masks.*

What styling products should be at every station?

Heat protection, used before every blow-dry and iron
A strong-hold hairspray for finishing and updos
A leave-in or multi-purpose spray for detangling and shine
Texture products: styling powder, sea salt spray, clay and wax, especially for barbers

Styling products: Nouvelle Rock Hard hairspray, Argan 11 in 1 spray, SHAKEBAR heat protection, BEAMARRY heat and sun spray, BLACKRED styling powder, American Crew Matte Clay, OSSION matte wax and BLACKRED sea salt spray — *Every one of these doubles as a retail product, so the client can buy what you used.*

Which consumables do salons run out of first?

Consumables are small in price but huge in volume. Running out of foil or neck strips stops a service, so keep at least two weeks of stock on hand.

Salon consumables: disposable shower caps, BLACKRED neck strips, razor blades, gloves, tissues, cotton pads, paper bed roll and salon foil — *Shower caps, neck strips, razor blades, gloves, tissues, cotton pads, bed roll and foil: the items new salons reorder most.*

💡 Reorder in minutes

Once your trade account is open, your past orders sit in My Account on limelighthb.co.za, so a weekly consumables reorder takes a couple of clicks.

What if I am opening a beauty, nail or combined salon?

Many South African salons combine hair with waxing, lashes and nails. Add these to your list:

Waxing: roll-on cartridges, hot wax, a warmer, spatulas and pre- and post-wax care
Lashes and brows: tint, developer, eye pads and brushes
Nails: files, buffers, gel and lacquer, tips and adhesives
Skincare: a facial steamer, bed roll, cotton pads and a professional skincare line

Beauty starter products: Depileve wax cartridge and warmer, RefectoCil lash tint, NAILZ files, Ribalta facial steamer and paper bed roll — *Depileve wax and warmer, RefectoCil tint, NAILZ files, Ribalta facial steamer and bed roll.*

How much stock should I buy before opening?

Buy fixed stock for the salon you will be in six months, not the one you open with. Chairs and basins are hard to add later.
Buy running stock for four to six weeks of trade. Then reorder based on what you used.
Track your top 20 items from week one. They will be most of your spend.
Leave budget for retail. An empty retail shelf is lost profit from day one.

ℹ Grow your retail from the start

See our post How salons can increase retail sales for shelf layout and product pairing ideas.

Printable salon opening checklist

Print this page and tick off each item as it arrives.

Furniture and equipment

✓	Item	Why you need it
☐	Styling chairs	One per stylist, plus a spare
☐	Wash basins and chairs	One for every three to four stylists
☐	Trolleys	One per station
☐	Stools	For stylists and therapists
☐	Mirrors and reception desk	Front of house and stations
☐	Hair steamer or processor	For treatments and colour
☐	Treatment beds	Beauty only

Electricals and tools

✓	Item	Why you need it
☐	Professional hair dryers	One per station
☐	Flat irons and curling tongs	Per station or shared
☐	Clippers and trimmers	Barbering
☐	Brushes, combs and rollers	Round, paddle and cutting combs
☐	Sectioning clips	Every station
☐	Scissors and razors	Usually the stylist's own
☐	Capes and aprons	Two capes per chair

Colour

✓	Item	Why you need it
☐	Permanent colour, levels 1 to 10	One system, naturals first
☐	Selected ash, gold and copper shades	For correction and fashion
☐	Peroxide 10 vol and 20 vol	Add 30 vol for lightening
☐	Bleach powder	One lightener to start
☐	Foil, bowls, brushes and applicator bottles	Colour bar tools
☐	Colour chart	For client consultations

Backbar and styling

✓	Item	Why you need it
☐	Basin shampoo and conditioner, 5L	Everyday washes
☐	Sulphate-free shampoo	Colour and keratin clients
☐	Treatment mask	Basin upsell
☐	Heat protection spray	Every station
☐	Hairspray and finishing products	Every station
☐	Texture products	Clay, wax, powder, sea salt

Consumables

✓	Item	Why you need it
☐	Gloves	Colour and chemical services
☐	Neck strips	Every cut
☐	Shower caps	Treatments and processing
☐	Towels	Allow three per client per day
☐	Tissues and cotton pads	Front of house and beauty
☐	Razor blades	Barbering and razor cuts
☐	Cleaning and disinfection products	Tools and stations

Retail and front of house

✓	Item	Why you need it
☐	Retail shelf or unit	Visible from reception
☐	Retail hair care	The ranges you use at the basin
☐	Styling and men's grooming	Top sellers only to start
☐	Price labels and shelf talkers	Clear trade-to-retail pricing
☐	Payment machine and booking system	Ready before opening day

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to stock a new salon in South Africa?

It depends on the number of stations and services. Furniture and electricals are the largest once-off costs; running stock is a smaller monthly spend. Our branch teams can help you plan a starter order to your budget.

Where can I buy salon furniture and products in one place?

Lime Light supplies salon furniture, equipment, electricals, colour, care, consumables and retail brands on one trade account, online at limelighthb.co.za and at branches in Sandton, Boksburg, Cape Town and Durban.

Do I need a trade account to buy professional products?

Yes. Professional products are sold to trained professionals. Registering is free and quick; see our post How to open a trade account with Lime Light.

What is backbar stock?

Backbar is the product used in the salon during services, usually in large 1L to 5L sizes. Retail stock is the smaller sizes clients take home.

How many wash basins does a salon need?

As a rule of thumb, one basin for every three to four stylists working at the same time.

Which colour brand is best for a new salon?

Choose one complete system with good shade coverage and its own peroxide, and one you can get training on. Lime Light stocks Dikson, Nouvelle, Toujours, XY / Exclusively Yours, Wella and KADUS.

Does Lime Light offer training for new salons?

Yes. We run free hands-on training sessions in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban, led by brand educators. Check the Education page on limelighthb.co.za for dates.

Start your salon with Lime Light

Register: visit limelighthb.co.za, click Login / Register and choose Salon Registration
Visit a branch: Sandton, Boksburg, Stikland and M5 Business Park in Cape Town, and Durban
Call us: 011 262 2451 | Email: online@limelighthb.co.za

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