Privacy & Data Protection
Last updated: 9 November 2026
This policy explains how Afrobeautic collects, uses, shares and protects your personal data when you use our website, app and booking service. It applies to clients who book appointments through the Platform, Salon Partners (salons and freelance hair and beauty professionals) who subscribe to the Platform, and anyone visiting our website.
In short: from clients we collect only your name, email address and phone number, plus the details of the bookings you make. We never take payment from clients. Salon Partners pay us a subscription, which is processed by Stripe, so we never see or store full card or bank details.
1. Who we are
1.1 Afrobeautic Ltd (company number 16599207, registered office 71-75 Shelton Street, Covent Garden, London, United Kingdom, WC2H 9JQ) is the controller of the personal data described in this policy. We are registered with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).
1.2 For any privacy question or to exercise your rights, contact us at info@afrobeutic.com or write to us at our registered office.
1.3 Salon Partners as separate controllers. When you book, we pass your name, contact details and booking details to the Salon Partner you have chosen. The Salon Partner is then a separate controller and is responsible for how it uses your data to deliver your appointment, take any payment from you and keep its own client records. Please read the Salon Partner's own privacy notice where available.
2. The personal data we collect
2.1 Clients. We collect only the minimum we need to run your bookings:
| Category | What we collect |
|---|---|
| Contact details | Your name, either email address or phone number |
| Booking details | The Salon Partner, service, date and time of each booking, and whether it was changed, cancelled or missed |
| Account | Your name, either email address or phone number, and account settings |
2.2 Salon Partners. If you subscribe as a Salon Partner, we also collect:
| Category | What we collect |
|---|---|
| Business and contact details | Business or trading name, name of the owner or main contact, email address, phone number and business address, business location, logo and gallery pictures, and the stylists of your salon if available. |
| Listing details | The services, prices, opening hours and policies you add to your profile |
| Subscription and billing | Your subscription plan, invoices, billing history and payment status. Your card or bank details are collected and held by Stripe, not by us (see section 5) |
2.3 Everyone who uses the Platform. Like most websites, we automatically collect some technical data, such as your IP address, device and browser type, log data and cookie identifiers (see section 10). We also keep any messages you send to our support team and your marketing preferences.
2.4 What we do not collect. We do not ask clients for payment details, date of birth, photos or health information. If you have allergies, sensitivities, a medical condition or are pregnant, please tell your Salon Partner directly rather than through the Platform. If you include this kind of information in a message to us, we will use it only to deal with your enquiry.
2.5 We collect data directly from you, automatically when you use the Platform, and from Stripe (for example, confirmation that a Salon Partner's subscription payment has succeeded or failed).
3. How we use your data and our lawful bases
| Purpose | Lawful basis under UK GDPR |
|---|---|
| Creating and managing your account | Contract |
| Making, changing and cancelling bookings and passing them to the Salon Partner | Contract |
| Sending booking confirmations, reminders and service messages by email or text | Contract |
| Managing Salon Partner subscriptions, billing and invoices | Contract; legal obligation (tax and accounting records) |
| Customer support and handling complaints | Contract; legitimate interests (resolving issues fairly) |
| Keeping the Platform secure and preventing fraud, misuse and repeated no-shows | Legitimate interests (keeping the Platform safe and reliable); legal obligation |
| Checking Salon Partners when they join | Contract; legitimate interests (client safety and trust) |
| Improving the Platform and analytics | Legitimate interests; consent for non-essential cookies |
| Marketing emails and texts | Consent, or soft opt-in for existing customers for similar services |
| Complying with the law and responding to authorities | Legal obligation |
| Establishing or defending legal claims | Legitimate interests |
3.1 Where we rely on legitimate interests, we have balanced our interests against your rights. You can ask us for details of that assessment.
3.2 Marketing. You can opt out at any time using the unsubscribe link in any email, by replying STOP to texts, or in your account settings. We will still send essential messages about your bookings or subscription.
3.3 No automated decisions. We do not make decisions about you based solely on automated processing that have a legal or similarly significant effect on you.
4. Who we share your data with
4.1 We share personal data only where needed:
- Salon Partners you book with: your name, email address, phone number and booking details.
- Stripe, which processes Salon Partner subscription payments (see section 5).
- Service providers acting on our instructions, including website hosting, email and SMS delivery, customer support tools and analytics.
- Professional advisers such as lawyers, accountants and insurers.
- Authorities such as the police, HMRC or regulators, where the law requires it or to prevent fraud or harm.
- A buyer or investor if we sell, merge or restructure the business, under confidentiality.
4.2 We never sell your personal data.
4.3 Our service providers act as processors under written contracts that require them to keep your data secure and use it only for our purposes.
5. Payments and Stripe
5.1 We do not handle payments for Treatments. Clients pay Salon Partners directly for appointments, including any deposits or cancellation fees. Those payments, and the personal data involved, are handled by the Salon Partner under its own terms and privacy notice.
5.2 Salon Partner subscriptions. Subscription payments are processed by Stripe. When you enter your card or bank details, they go directly to Stripe and we never see or store them in full. Stripe shares limited information with us, such as payment status, card type, the last four digits and the expiry date, so we can manage your subscription.
5.3 Who is responsible. Stripe acts on our behalf when it processes your subscription payments. For some purposes, such as preventing fraud, carrying out anti-money laundering checks and meeting its own legal obligations, Stripe acts as an independent controller and is responsible for that use of your data. You can read Stripe's privacy policy at stripe.com/privacy. We remain responsible for the personal data we hold ourselves, including your billing records.
6. International transfers
6.1 Some providers, including Stripe, may store or access data outside the UK, for example in the United States. When this happens, we make sure it is protected by a UK adequacy decision (for example, the EEA or certified US organisations under the UK-US Data Bridge) or by the ICO's International Data Transfer Agreement or Addendum, with additional safeguards where needed.
7. How long we keep your data
| Data | Retention period |
|---|---|
| Client account data | While your account is open, then deleted within 12 months of closure |
| Booking records | 2 years after the appointment |
| Salon Partner account and listing data | While your subscription is active, then up to 6 years after it ends (in case of legal claims) |
| Subscription, invoice and billing records | 6 years from the end of the financial year they relate to (tax law) |
| Support messages and complaints | 3 years after the issue is resolved |
| Marketing preferences | Until you opt out, plus a suppression record so we do not contact you again |
| Cookie data | See our Cookie Policy |
7.1 We may keep data longer where needed to resolve a dispute or legal claim. Anonymised data that no longer identifies you may be kept for analysis.
8. Your rights
8.1 Under UK data protection law, you have the right to:
- Access a copy of your personal data.
- Correct inaccurate or incomplete data.
- Erase your data in certain circumstances.
- Restrict how we use your data.
- Object to processing based on legitimate interests, and to direct marketing at any time.
- Data portability: receive data you gave us in a common format, or have it sent to another organisation.
- Withdraw consent at any time, without affecting processing that has already happened.
- Not be subject to solely automated decisions with legal or similarly significant effects.
8.2 To exercise any right, email info@afrobeutic.com. We will reply within one month, which may extend by two months for complex requests. We may need to verify your identity. Requests are free unless they are clearly unfounded or excessive.
8.3 For data held by a Salon Partner about your appointment, or by Stripe as an independent controller, you may also need to contact them directly. We will help you where we can.
9. Keeping your data secure
9.1 We use appropriate security measures, including encryption in transit and at rest, access controls limited to staff who need it, and regular security reviews. Payment details are handled by Stripe and never stored on our servers.
9.2 If a data breach is likely to put you at risk, we will tell you and the ICO as the law requires.
9.3 Please keep your password private and tell us straight away if you think your account has been compromised.
10. Cookies
10.1 We use strictly necessary cookies to make the Platform work, such as keeping you logged in and keeping the Platform secure. With your consent, we also use analytics and marketing cookies. You can change your choices at any time through the cookie settings link on our website. Full details are in our Cookie Policy.
11. Children
11.1 Accounts are for adults aged 18 and over. We do not knowingly collect data directly from children. A parent or guardian booking for a child is responsible for the information they provide. If you believe a child has created an account, contact us and we will delete it.
12. Changes to this policy
12.1 We will update this policy when our practices or the law change. We will tell you about significant changes by email or on the Platform before they take effect.
13. Complaints
13.1 If you are unhappy with how we use your data, please contact us first at info@afrobeutic.com so we can put it right. We will acknowledge your complaint within 30 days and respond without undue delay.
13.2 You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office: ico.org.uk, helpline 0303 123 1113.