Baghdad beauty salons face slowdown as costs rise and customers cut back

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Women's beauty salons in Baghdad, once among the city's most profitable businesses, are struggling as foreign exchange volatility, higher import costs, rising rents and a decline in household purchasing power squeeze both operators and clients. Former salon owner Marve Khalid, 25, said she shut her own shop because she could no longer cover rent, electricity and service costs, and has since moved to a rented chair inside a larger center. Prices in upscale districts have climbed sharply, with blow-dries now costing between 50,000 and 70,000 Iraqi dinars and hair coloring more than 200,000 dinars. Many families now treat such services as a luxury and have stopped booking them, according to a Shafaq News field survey, which found that roughly 70 percent of customers cap their monthly salon spending at 25,000 dinars. The Barbers and Hairdressers Union said workers from closed salons have largely shifted to bigger centers, and that most of the sector now sees activity only around weddings and other special occasions. Salons in lower-income neighborhoods have been hit hardest, with some operators reducing staff or cutting services to stay open.