The Hidden Air Pollution Problem in Salons: What Hairstylists Need to Know
When we think of air pollution, most of us imagine car exhaust, wildfire smoke, or city smog. But for hairstylists, one of the biggest sources of indoor air pollution happens every day—right at the chair.
Hairstylist rarely talk about this type of health risk. I understand that it’s unspoken of because not many influencers will relate beauty back into tech or smart home. I started looking into this because I was sent a smart home product from the company SwitchBot. I was chosen to beta test before it was released to the public. I remember finding out I was selected and thought to myself why me? Im a makeup artist and hairstylist but a smart home company chose me to test out not just any smart home product but one of the coolest ones I’ve seen in a CES 2025 convention video. I received the product in the end of January ‘25 and now I’m finally able to talk about it a little but also I wanted to relate it to beauty in a new way and it just happened naturally as I was working on a clients hair and noticed the spike in air quality.
Using hairsprays, heat tools, and styling products releases PM2.5 particles (fine dust), VOCs (volatile organic compounds), and sometimes even nitrogen dioxide into the air. These are the same pollutants linked to respiratory irritation, headaches, and long-term risks like asthma and cardiovascular issues. The scary part? You can’t see them—but your air purifier can.
And yet, beauty influencers rarely talk about this type of health risk. I understand that it’s unspoken of because not many influencers will relate beauty back into tech or smart home. I started looking into this because I was sent a smart home product from the company SwitchBot. I was chosen to beta test before it was released to the public. I remember finding out I was selected and thought to myself why me? Im a makeup artist and hairstylist but a smart home company chose me to test out not just any smart home product but one of the coolest ones I’ve seen in a CES 2025 convention video. I wanted to combine both beauty and tech in a new way and it just happened naturally as I was working on a clients hair and noticed the spike in air quality.
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A Look at Three Air Purifiers in Action
I tested three different air purifiers during hairstyling sessions and at the end of the post are some screenshots from each brand. The results not only show which purifier is the best but how much this is affecting hairstylist that don’t have a system in place for a health risk that may affect us in the long run or have already affected some of us and don’t even realize.
1. Switchbot Air Purifier (Screenshot #1)
• Measures PM2.5 only.
• Picked up a sharp spike to 68 µg/m³, firmly in the “Bad” range.
• This suggests heavy exposure during product use, especially if ventilation is poor.
Takeaway: Very sensitive to particles, but misses chemical gases (VOCs) that hairstylists are also breathing.
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2. Blueair Blue Pure (Screenshot #2)
• Focused on PM2.5 (fine particles).
• Detected a spike up to 17 µg/m³, then trended down as the purifier ran.
• Classifies air simply: Excellent, Good, Moderate, Polluted.
Takeaway: Excellent for particle cleanup, but doesn’t track VOCs—so you won’t see chemical spray exposure captured.
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3. Dyson Purifier Hot + Cool (Screenshot #3)
• Measures PM2.5, PM10, VOCs, and NO₂.
• VOC spikes were clear when hairsprays were used—shooting into the yellow and red zones before the purifier brought them back down.
• This shows how sprays instantly degrade air quality, even if the room “feels” fine.
Takeaway: Great at detecting a broad spectrum of pollutants, especially VOCs that come directly from styling products.
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What This Means for Hairstylists
Most hairstylists spend 8+ hours a day in environments where sprays and heated tools release pollutants. While clients are exposed for an hour, stylists inhale these chemicals day in and day out. Long-term, this can:
• Increase risk of chronic respiratory problems
• Trigger headaches, fatigue, or dizziness
• Contribute to skin and eye irritation
• Worsen asthma or allergies
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How to Protect Yourself
1. Use an air purifier that measures VOCs, not just particles. (Dyson is the most comprehensive here.)
2. Ventilate your salon space—open windows, use fans, or install proper HVAC filters.
3. Wear a lightweight mask during heavy spray use.
4. Rotate products and avoid over-spraying—less chemical buildup in the air.
5. Track your air quality just like you’d track steps or calories. Awareness is the first step toward better health.
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Final Thoughts
Before I conclude my thoughts, I would like mention that I am someone who has an interest in beauty but also interest in something that’s on the complete opposite spectrum of beauty which is tech and smart home. I am not a professional researcher nor do I have any college degree or education in this matter. I simply just use the products and features of these products and try to understand what it all means. I do my research to understand more but I also have experience some of these side affects that were mentioned earlier. I’ve been a hairstylist for 8 years now and I’m not going to stop doing hair just cause of all the contaminants and pollution these products can create in my environment, instead I questioned how can I continue doing what I love but with low health risks.
Hairstylists are artists—but also frontline workers in an environment filled with invisible pollutants. Just because your salon smells good and looks aesthetically pleasing doesn’t mean the air is safe. Wearing masks can help to a certain extent but at the end of the day if you do not ventilate the room or run air purifiers the air will still be polluted. This is my conclusion and what works for me
It’s time the beauty industry has more conversations about air quality. After all, healthy stylists create beautiful styles.
Recommendations:
Investing in the right purifier and spreading awareness is not just a health choice—it’s a career longevity choice. If you are a hairstylist and would like to understand more or would like for us to recommend an air purifier best fit for you and your needs feel free to email Sharmeen@shamsglam.com or simply Send a DM to our instagram account @Shamsglamss
Link to my Amazon Storefront. Listed under “Non Beauty Related Must Haves” Category are some of the Dyson AirPurifers I would recommend. If you are thinking about purchasing one I would highly recommend you do research in choosing one that fits your needs and not to just buy one based off my review.
https://amzn.to/4b8eZRB
Since SwitchBot has announced the product I Beta Tested and are accepting pre orders; If you are interested in what smart home product/ air purifier I was beta testing ,you can check out by using the link below
https://us.switch-bot.com/products/switchbot-k20-pro-omni-ultimate-kit
Screenshots Of Each Test Run On Separate Days While Working From My Home Studio
Switchbot
BlueAir
Dyson
