A beauty salon or beauty parlor (beauty parlour) (or sometimes beauty shop) is an establishment dealing with cosmetic treatments for men and women.AskOxford: Search Results Other variations of this type of business include hair salons and spas. There is a distinction between a beauty salon and a hair salon and although many small businesses do offer both sets of treatments; beauty salons provide more generalized services related to skin health, facial aesthetic, foot care, nail manicures, aromatherapy, — even meditation, oxygen therapy, mud baths, and many other services.