Beauty parlors are part of Azerbaijan’s popular culture. They dot villages and towns, ranging from simple, single rooms to flashy, larger salons, and provide services ranging from a manicure to a chat over tea, from a haircut to a discussion about politics. They are, however, strictly gendered.

Male-dominated and patriarchal, Azerbaijani society also separates men and women’s personal care. Unwritten social norms have it that each sex would go to its “dedicated” salon. Yet, slowly, some people, like Baku hairdresser Ulviyya Rzayeva, are challenging this attitude.

The 28-year-old has been running her beauty salon in downtown Baku for five years and is open for business to male customers as well. They come to her salon mainly  for hair or tattoo-removals.  

In the capital’s suburbs, however, salons remain gender-segregated and men and women move within their own kingdoms of vanity.

Audio Transcript: 

Ulviya Rzayeva: “I have been working since 13 years old. Now I am 30. It is ok if the salons are mixed. There are many mixed salons in Baku now, around 70%.  People in salons changed. Clients became aggressive, the requirements increased. Before we worked on shifts, and now we work full day with one day vacation per week.

Lyaman: "Why salons are segregated? It is not acceptable in our society if women are together with men in the same salon. When it is only women salon, then they are more free and relaxed, they can take off their clothes but with men no. I personally accept it normally, but not the society. Men don’t like and agree if their woman sits next to a stranger.  I personally don’t mind.”