Why Affiliate Links Changed the Game for Hairstylists (and Why I’ll Never Go Back)

How modern retail fits perfectly with lived-in color, low-maintenance hair, and the stylist-first movement.

Affiliate links are one of the very few good things that came out of the pandemic — and honestly, they’ve been a complete game-changer for hairstylists, salon owners, and anyone focused on offering an elevated client experience without the old-school sales pressure.

Before affiliate links existed, retail looked like this:You’d buy six of every product, hope you sold all six, reorder, and repeat. Meanwhile, the majority of hair-care companies were mass-producing new formulas every other month, meaning you were constantly purchasing more inventory just to keep up. As a business owner, that cycle was exhausting… and expensive.

Then the pandemic hit.And suddenly, every bottle on the shelf turned into expensive décor.

When affiliate links arrived, it just made sense. I could recommend high-quality hair products I actually believe in without carrying a stockroom’s worth of inventory. Clients still get the right products, stylists get commission, and nothing collects dust.

Now, not every company kept their affiliate programs once the world went back to “normal.” But the brands that did?They showed who truly supports hairstylists and understands how the modern salon runs.

Affiliate links allow a stylist to focus on the job they’re meant to do: creating beautiful color, blending grays, crafting lived-in highlights, and giving clients the hair of their dreams — not stressing about selling retail to hit a quota. We’re artists, not salespeople.

This is why at Sunny Bunny, we choose brands with affiliate links:It keeps the experience authentic, sustainable, and stress-free for both the stylist and the client.