Making Change: Balance Hair Spa Studio

“Our goal at Balance Hair Spa is to provide a place where clients can enjoy a salon or spa service with beauty professionals who take pride in what they do,” say co-owners Biff Piner and Thomas Crisp. Having opened Balance Hair Spa in Exton in 2007, they say West Chester was an obvious fit for opening their boutique studio location in 2013, where they perform hair, makeup, and facial waxing services. “We’re city people at heart and love the city vibe in West Chester.”

Beauty professionals at Balance stay cutting-edge by attending monthly workshops on new products and techniques taught by educators from all over the country. The team is also diverse. “Many ethnic groups are overlooked and have little to no representation in the Philadelphia suburbs,” Biff says. “Our stylists learn how to work with different hair types and textures.”

Balance’s own line of beauty products, including shampoos, conditioners, and styling products for all hair types, are 100% vegan, paraben- and sulfate-free, and safe for color-treated hair. Biff and Thomas worked hard to find a manufacturer that shared their high standards, and they plan to grow the line and improve on existing products to ensure clients receive the best quality at the best value.

Balance gives back to the community in many different ways, from donations to nonprofits to hosting fundraisers for local homeless shelters, and the team donate their services for the Unite for Her Bloom Fashion Show. “Our stylists have also come in on their days off to do hair for homeless women who are in need of some pampering,” Biff says.

“The staff take the time to get to know each client and make them feel at home,” Biff says. “We build relationships with our clients and they become part of our family.”