Photo submitted to the Times Observer Moonlight Salon owner and stylist Jen Betts and stylist Heather Erwin at their new sensory accommodating salon in North Warren.

Moonlight Salon, a unique sensory-friendly establishment, has opened its doors in North Warren offering a range of services for adults and children beyond standard salon offerings.

While the salon accepts all clientele, Jen Betts, the owner and stylist, puts accommodating clients that have autism, sensory processing disorders, ADHD and anxiety as a centerpiece of Moonlight Salon.

Salons are generally busy environments with a lot of noise, lights, and smells.

At Moonlight Salon, the atmosphere aims to be calmer and quieter. The lights are dimmable, the scents are less harsh, and several cape-draping options are available to keep hair clippings away from the skin.

Betts and Heather Erwin, longtime friends and co-workers, will both be stylists for Moonlight Salon. They both started on the path to an independent inclusive salon by volunteering as stylists for sensory-friendly events in the area, as planned by Emily Wachter.

Betts’ loved the idea of giving back to the community through these events, making haircuts less upsetting for children with sensory needs. The biggest drawback was frequency.

“They can now get haircuts all year round; they don’t have to wait,” said Betts.

At a previous salon where Betts had worked, she had a female Muslim client who wore a hijab and needed privacy so that no men would see her without her head covering. Betts was innovative, and she and her co-workers utilized cardboard, drapes, and the back room to accommodate her client’s beliefs. This experience led Moonlight Salon to offer private appointments by request.

The salon is open Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Walk-ins are welcome. Moonlight Salon is located at 24 North State Street in North Warren, and its phone number is 814-230-9019.