1. Who we are

The MLKY Bar ("we", "us", "our") is a beauty salon based in Blantyre, Malawi, offering hair, nail, brow, and lash services. This policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect personal information gathered through our website, booking system, and in-studio visits.

2. Information we collect

When you book an appointment, create an account, or contact us, we may collect: your name, email address, phone number, birthday, appointment history and preferences, inspiration photos you upload for custom services, and any notes you share about your visit (e.g. allergies or preferences).

We do not collect or store payment card details on our own systems — any in-studio payments are handled directly by our front desk or a third-party payment provider.

If you create an account, our authentication provider (Clerk) also processes your email address and login credentials on our behalf.

3. How we use your information

We use your information to: schedule and manage your appointments, communicate with you about bookings (confirmations, reminders, reschedules), respond to enquiries, sync appointments to our staff's calendars (Google or Outlook, where connected), and, only if you opt in, send you marketing emails about new services, promotions, and studio news, including a birthday offer around your birthday.

Inspiration photos you upload for a custom service are used solely to prepare for and deliver that service, and are only shared with the technician assigned to your appointment.

4. Marketing communications

We only send marketing emails to clients who have opted in, whether at sign-up or during booking. You can withdraw consent at any time using the one-click unsubscribe link included in every marketing email, or by contacting us directly. Withdrawing consent does not affect transactional messages related to an existing booking.

5. Where your data is stored

Your data is stored on secure, encrypted infrastructure: our booking and client database runs on a managed Postgres database, account authentication is handled by Clerk, transactional and marketing emails are sent via Resend, and uploaded photos are stored on Vercel Blob storage. We do not sell your personal information to third parties.

6. How long we keep your data

We retain booking and client records for as long as you have an active relationship with us, and for a reasonable period afterward to meet accounting, legal, and service-quality needs. You may request deletion of your account and associated data at any time, subject to records we're required to keep by law.

7. Your rights

Under Malawi's Data Protection Act, 2024, you have the right to: access the personal information we hold about you, request correction of inaccurate information, request deletion of your information, withdraw consent to marketing at any time, and lodge a complaint with the relevant data protection authority.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at mlkybarinfo@gmail.com or +265 999 50 43 69.

8. Cookies & analytics

Our website may use essential cookies to keep you signed in and remember your preferences. We may also use privacy-conscious analytics to understand how visitors use our site, in order to improve it. We do not use this data to build advertising profiles about you.

9. Children's privacy

Our services and website are intended for adults and older teens attending with a guardian's knowledge. We do not knowingly collect personal information from young children.

10. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or the law. The date of the latest update will be shown below. Continued use of our website or services after a change means you accept the updated policy.

11. Contact us

Questions about this policy or your data? Reach us at mlkybarinfo@gmail.com, +265 999 50 43 69, or in person at Ginnery Corner, Off Masauko Chipembere Hwy, Blantyre, Malawi.