Client intake forms are a way for beauty and wellness businesses to get essential information about their new clients in order to provide the most targeted, effective services. Intake paperwork can be crucial to understanding the reasons for a client’s visit, and nearly all beauty and wellness businesses should consider providing one. 

What Is a Client Intake Form?

A client intake form (sometimes referred to as a consultation form), is a questionnaire designed to collect information about your clients' well-being expectations, as well as their current health conditions that may affect them. Intake paperwork helps you screen potential clients to see if your services can even address their needs, as well as provide options for service customizations. Client intake forms are a crucial part of many beauty and wellness industries, saving you time and ensuring everyone is on the same page when it comes to safety, consent, and legalities. 

How to Create a Client Intake Form for Your Beauty & Wellness Business: 4 Elements to Include

Customer intake forms should be simple and straightforward. Below we go through the most common elements to include when crafting your own. 

1. Personal Details 

You’ll first want to collect your client’s basic information: their name, phone number, email address, physical address, and if necessary, emergency contact information. (You can also ask the client how they found your business or list any referrals, which can give you a glimpse into the success of your marketing practices.)

2. Health History 

This section is especially important because it will cover your client’s health conditions, physical state, allergies, or past experiences with similar services. Health history will let you know if a client has any existing injuries, sensitivities, or conditions, which can inform how you proceed in their current treatment. It will also allow you to safely tailor services based on their conditions, helping you (and your staff) avoid exacerbating problem areas. 

3. Client Preferences

This part of the customer intake form will give the potential client a chance to set their expectations for their intended beauty or wellness service. Are they interested in facials at your spa? Are they looking for gel manicures at your nail salon? Do they want an eco-friendly massage therapy experience? You can customize your forms so that clients can tell you exactly what they want and how, while also leaving room for them to share any past experiences they’d rather not repeat. 

4. Legal Disclosures/Disclaimers

It’s always a good idea to include a form that gives clients the chance to consent to services via signature. This, along with a liability waiver, can help protect you against some legal repercussions should the client experience any adverse reactions to treatment—especially if due to non-disclosure of pre-existing conditions (or anything else that could affect treatment). You may also want to include policies regarding cancellations, deposits, and refunds. 

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5 Tips For Creating Beauty & Wellness Client Intake Forms

Once you know all the elements to include on your customer intake forms, you can craft the perfect one tailored to your own clients. Below are some tips for helping you get started. 

1. Make It Easy

Client intake forms shouldn’t be complicated. Avoid using overly technical or aggressive language, and try to avoid vague questioning. Make the form easy for potential clients to understand and fill out. If the form is confusing or difficult to decipher, you may overwhelm people and turn them off from your business completely. 

2. Keep It Brief

You want your client intake forms to be brief but comprehensive. Ask targeted questions and give clients the option to select multiple options for their answers. Ideally, a client intake form is only a page or two, but should cover all the basics you need to deliver a premium experience. 

3. Stick To What’s Necessary

Unless there is a specific reason to collect a piece of information, avoid asking questions that are overly invasive or irrelevant to your services. For example, asking a woman if she’s pregnant might be necessary for a massage appointment, but inquiring about the date of her last period isn’t. 

4. Go Digital

Using digital forms over traditional paper forms means that both you and the client can view them anytime, regardless of location or device. Digital forms are easier to secure, store, and access, unlike paperwork which can easily be misplaced, damaged, or thrown away. 

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5. Review and Update Regularly

Review and update your client intake forms regularly to ensure your clients (and your staff) are always up-to-date on the most recent changes to services or policies. 

Beauty & Wellness Client Intake Forms Examples & Templates

When it comes to client intake forms, no one type fits all. And that’s a good thing! These forms should be custom-made for your particular beauty and wellness business. Below, we explore a few different intake form templates that can help you design your own. 

Hair Consultation Forms

A hair consultation form will help you gather info about your client’s hair type, texture, color history, damage, and what they’re looking for out of their appointment. For example, whether they’ve ever used box dye, what is most important for them on their hair journey (health vs preserving length), and if they’ve ever had any negative experiences with other salons in the past. You may also ask about their long-term hair goals, along with the types of tools and products they use to currently treat their hair. 

See more on hair consultation forms, plus get a free downloadable.

Nail Consultation Forms

A nail consultation form will cover key areas of your client’s manicure/pedicure appointment. Here, you can ask questions pertaining to the client’s nail health or skin issues, and inquire in regard to poor services they’ve received in the past. You should also provide an option for clients to select the types of services they’re looking for (such as acrylics, gels, or nail art) or even lay out what they don’t want. 

See more on nail consultation forms, plus get a free downloadable.

Esthetician Intake Forms

As an esthetician, it’s crucially important for you to provide intake forms for all of your potential clients. Skin can be highly sensitive, so you should collect information regarding their skin type (oily or dry), skin conditions (acne, rosacea, unevenness, fine lines, etc.), and whether they’re taking any medication (like retinols or Accutane) that can affect how their skin reacts to treatment. You may even inquire about their current skincare routine and which over-the-counter products they’re using. 

See more on esthetician consultation forms and facial consultation forms plus get free downloadables.

Spa Intake Form

A spa intake form should include questions regarding general spa appointment services, treatment goals (whether for relaxation or injury), or health concerns. You can also give prospective clients a chance to disclose any current conditions that may affect their treatment, or certain areas they’d prefer not get touched. A spa intake form can give those interested in your services a way to customize their appointment to their desired preferences and curate the ultimate spa experience. 

See more on spa intake forms, plus get a free downloadable. 

Massage Intake Form

These types of forms gather the critical information needed for massage services. On a massage consultation form, clients can specify areas of tension or discomfort, recent injuries or surgeries, and/or the types of massage they’d prefer (shiatsu vs deep tissue). They can also disclose whether they’ve recently had a massage or what their last experience was like. Some forms also offer a body outline to make it easier for clients to pinpoint their exact areas of focus. 

See more on massage intake forms, plus get a free downloadable. 

Transform Your Client Experience with GlossGenius

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A well-structured client intake form can streamline your healthy and beauty business and provide the ultimate in client satisfaction. Intake forms can also provide safety and comfort to prospective customers, and in some cases, liability from claims against your business. 

GlossGenius can take your beauty or wellness business—and your intake forms—to the next level. Our Genius Form builder will provide you with intake question recommendations specific to your industry and help you build out a digital intake form in minutes. Because GlossGenius has everything in one platform, it can also help you handle other business operations, such as Payments, Marketing, and Client Notifications. See all that GlossGenius can do for you with a 14-day free trial – start now!