Empirical beauty parlor evidence from Montevideo. And Oxford University
Everyday we experience the power created from women and migrant led-beauty parlors. Today we received another example from Uruguay.
We got so excited to see that our work at Beauty Parlor has inspired our partner, KräftigeGüte Stiftung (KGF), to explore the role of beauty salons in connecting and empowering communities. They are currently working on a film project in Montevideo about how the hair salons there have served as meaningful social spaces for women to confide in each other, share wisdom and support one another.
“When women start conversing in these hair salons, more than small talk happens: They talk about relationships, politics, children, money, bodies, dreams. It's part therapy room, part social gathering, part network,” said filmmaker and KGF board member Monika Ritelen.
Nowadays, researchers and academics are also increasingly interested in the potential of informal gathering spaces such as beauty parlors to engage marginalized groups in political conversations and mobilize communities. This also as the trust in more traditional political institutions have also eroded.
A fresh from the press example of this is the in March 2026 study by the University of Oxford and the Centre for Climate Change and Social Transformations (CAST) in the UK spotlights beauty workers—specifically hairdressers—as an example of “everyday influencers” capable and untapped potential of driving conversations on climate change and sustainability among their clients. Here are some key takeaways from the study:
Once again, all of this reaffirms the relevance of Beauty Parlor as a platform to build feminist solidarity and foster community resilience.
“A place where women empower each other, advise one another, and share experiences. Not glamour, but community. The exciting thing is: such spaces are emerging everywhere—whether in Berlin, Montevideo, or in a village. You don't need a stage or a podium. A mirror, a chair, some time—and suddenly it becomes a political space. A hair salon is not a sideshow. It's a sounding board.” Monika said over email from Montevideo.
