To kick off the keynote speeches at the Salon Owners Summit 2026, Caroline Hirons led the audience in a refreshingly honest take on the beauty industry. The award-winning ‘Queen of Skincare’, educator, best-selling author, and founder of Skin Rocks and Skin Rocks Pro, is known for her genuine, and oftentimes blunt approach to beauty.
In an age where social media and technology dominate how clients receive information, misleading marketing and unrealistic trends are everywhere. Peppered with candid anecdotes and humour that had the room in stitches, Caroline shared how she built her platform and what truly underpins long-term success in the beauty industry. Her message was clear: building a high-performing salon culture comes from forming real connections, having open conversations, and trusting your own expertise when communicating with clients and leading your team.
Building community through authenticity and conversation
“Skincare is in my blood,” laughed Caroline when explaining her roots in the beauty industry. Her mother and grandmother both worked behind makeup counters in the 1960s. Caroline found her passion for beauty when working a weekend job selling Aveda products in Harvey Nichols. It was on the shop floor that she learned the power of connection: listening, advising, and building trust with clients face to face.
After becoming a qualified beauty therapist and later consulting for major brands, in 2010 Caroline began blogging about skincare. She brought the same honest, conversational approach online. Her following grew because she treated her community exactly as she had treated her clients in person.
Caroline built her platform by consistently:
- Having real conversations
- Actively replying to comments
- Answering questions clearly and honestly
She credits her audience for being with her from the very beginning and holding her accountable along the way. It’s this focus on honesty and ongoing conversations that has allowed Caroline to sustainably grow her platform over the years. For salons, clinics, and spas, the lesson is the same: high-performing cultures are built by nurturing relationships, communicating openly, and leading with authenticity and reliability.
The ethics of selling: why trust, honesty, and expertise matter more than ever
From sharing product reviews and curating beauty kits with major brands to launching her own skincare lines, Caroline’s focus has always been on protecting the relationship she has built with her audience. She described trust, truth, and transparency as the mantra that has defined her platform. Throughout her career, she has stayed firm in advocating for professionals within the industry, particularly when it comes to sharing knowledge and giving responsible recommendations. “Honesty has always served me well.” Caroline spoke openly about her willingness to challenge brands over harmful or misleading messaging, even when it meant being called ‘difficult’, ‘abrasive’, or even ‘gobby’.
“So for me, truth is a responsibility. I’m not good with myths. I’m not good with trends. I’m not good with marketing that is essentially lying to the consumer. It gets me on the wrong side of certain people, but I just think that’s what’s built the community.”
By actively rejecting the label of ‘influencer’, she encouraged the audience to recognise the value in their own expertise and to approach selling from a place of integrity. She urged the salon owners and practitioners in the room to see themselves not as salespeople, but as educators. Caroline highlighted how in the age of social media, professionals should be using their platform to educate, not perpetuate myths.
This sentiment sparked a lively conversation in the room, with audience members sharing stories of extreme skincare hacks their clients had tried. Caroline and her peers have seen it all, with clients using oestrogen cream on their eyelids and even menstrual blood for anti-ageing facials. Met with a resounding consensus, Caroline highlighted the reality that many professionals face daily: clients are overwhelmed and often misinformed by what they see online, but they are eager to learn. Having honest conversations and confidently sharing your knowledge doesn’t just build trust with clients, it directly feeds into creating a high-performing salon culture.
“Analogue skills, digital allies”: where technology meets expertise
Having been online since the early days of beauty blogging and social media, Caroline has witnessed first-hand how digital tools can be used to support business growth. From all-in-one software like Phorest to connecting with clients online, she emphasised that digital communication should prioritise simplicity, clarity, and accessibility.
Rather than overcomplicating the client journey, Caroline encouraged businesses to give clients exactly what they’re looking for: clear, intuitive paths that remove friction and build trust.
This includes:
- Direct booking links
- Easy-to-navigate landing pages
- Simple, seamless digital journeys
When used thoughtfully, technology strengthens the connection between teams and clients, supporting consistency, confidence, and communication. Digital tools should act as allies to professional expertise, not replacements for it. The most successful salons, spas, and clinics are those that use technology to reinforce the authentic, human connections at the heart of the client experience.
Leadership, confidence, and culture: “don’t be afraid to take up space”
“YOU are the experts” was a message Caroline returned to throughout her keynote. She encouraged the audience to stop shrinking themselves and stand confidently in what they know. While building meaningful connections with clients is essential, truly high-performing cultures are led by owners who are unapologetic about their expertise, and who actively share their confidence with their teams.
Having been criticised for being outspoken and for standing firm in her beliefs, Caroline reframed this as a strength rather than a weakness. Her perspective was clear: leadership means setting the tone, protecting professional standards, and creating an environment where expertise is valued and celebrated.
According to Caroline, high-performing cultures are founded on:
- Shared values
- Clear standards
- Confidence in professional expertise
When expertise leads, culture follows
A high-performing culture is built when owners and teams stop competing with misinformation and start leading with clarity, honesty, and confidence. As Caroline reminded the room, it’s the everyday conversations with clients, those moments of trust, education, and connection that make the biggest impact.
The core message of the keynote can be summed up in one of her characteristically direct reminders to the room:
“So own your expertise, challenge the nonsense, and don’t let the tail wag the dog.”
