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Terms of Use

Using VARS

Last updated: 24 June 2026

What VARS is

VARS is a Lagos home service beauty platform that connects customers with independent stylists, barbers, hairstylists, and makeup artists who come to them. Stylist onboarding is live. Customer bookings open August 2026.

Independent stylists

Stylists on VARS are independent professionals. They are not employees, agents, or contractors of VARS. Stylists choose the services they offer, the zones they cover, their availability, and whether to accept a booking.

Pioneer Programme

The VARS Pioneers cohort — the first 50 stylists to register and verify — is now full. Pioneer benefits are permanently locked in for those 50 stylists: zero commission on their first 3 completed bookings. On Pioneer bookings, 100% of the amount charged goes to the stylist.

After those 3 bookings, and for all non-Pioneer stylists, the standard platform split applies: 80% to the stylist, 20% to VARS, calculated on the total amount charged to the customer.

Verification and safety

VARS requires stylists to complete identity verification through Youverify before receiving bookings. A clean check means the stylist goes live immediately — no waiting, no manual queue. Passing verification does not guarantee bookings, earnings, ranking, or permanent access to the platform.

The face on a stylist's profile is the face that passed verification. That is by design.

How bookings work

When a customer confirms a booking, their payment is authorised through Paystack but not yet captured. It is captured only when the stylist accepts. If the stylist declines or their 1-hour acceptance window expires, the authorisation releases automatically — no refund process, no delay, no friction.

Once accepted, a booking moves through a fixed sequence: On My Way → Arrived → Service Rendered. Each step triggers a specific platform action — phone reveal, live location sharing, and payment settlement. Steps cannot be skipped.

Fifteen minutes before the appointment, both the customer's and stylist's phone numbers are automatically shared with each other. This is a platform rule, not something either party controls individually.

Auto-accept

Stylists may configure an auto-accept zone. Within that zone, matching bookings are confirmed instantly without manual review. Customers see a clear indicator when their booking is likely to be auto-accepted. When auto-accept fires, the stylist is immediately and fully committed to that booking.

Payments and pricing

The price shown at booking is the total the customer pays. It includes the service price set by the stylist and, where applicable, a transport surcharge. The full amount is displayed before payment is confirmed — there are no hidden charges.

A transport surcharge applies when the booking location is more than 5km from the stylist's zone centre. The surcharge is ₦3,000 to ₦10,000 depending on distance, calculated automatically at the time of booking.

Paystack handles all payment processing. VARS does not store raw card details.

Payments and settlement

Your payment is not taken when you book. It is taken at the moment your stylist confirms they are on their way to you — not before.

When your stylist taps “On My Way,” VARS charges the payment method you have on file. If you are booking for the first time and have no saved card, you will receive a notification with a link to complete a secure Paystack checkout — you have a set window to do so before the booking is cancelled. The stylist's share of the payment is held in a dedicated Paystack account on their behalf. VARS does not store raw card details; all payment processing is handled by Paystack.

Settlement to the stylist's bank account is processed by VARS once the service is confirmed complete — either when:

  • you confirm the service is complete, or
  • 2 hours pass after the stylist marks “Service Rendered” without a dispute being raised.

You will receive a push notification 30 minutes before the 2-hour auto-release fires. That window is the time to raise a dispute. Once the 2 hours pass and settlement is processed, it cannot be recalled.

Cancellation policy

Your right to cancel depends on whether your stylist has already committed to travel:

  • Before the stylist sets off: You may cancel at any time with no charge. Nothing has been taken from your payment method and nothing will be. Both you and the stylist are notified immediately.
  • After the stylist sets off: Cancellation is not available. Your payment has been processed and your stylist is on their way. If something goes wrong, use the Raise a dispute option in the app — disputes are reviewed by VARS admin and a full refund is issued if warranted.

If a stylist cancels after setting off, you receive a full refund. VARS treats post-departure cancellations by stylists as a serious breach of the platform commitment — the stylist's account is temporarily restricted until the matter is resolved with VARS. If a stylist cancels before setting off, you receive a full refund and no fee is applied; the stylist's cancellation record is tracked and repeated cancellations trigger a review.

Disputes

Customers may raise a dispute after a service is marked complete and before the 2-hour auto-release window closes. Disputed bookings are fully frozen — settlement to the stylist's bank is suspended until VARS admin reviews and resolves the matter. There is no time pressure once a dispute is open.

Rescheduling

A stylist may propose a single reschedule per booking. The customer can accept or decline within a set window. If the customer declines or the window expires, the original booking stands.

Portfolio photos and consent

After a completed service, a stylist may request permission to include a photo from the session in their VARS portfolio. The customer receives a notification and can approve or decline. No photo is added to any public profile without explicit customer approval.

Acceptable Use Policy

You must not use VARS to:

  • Submit false information, impersonate another person, or harass other users.
  • Circumvent platform payment rules, upload unlawful content, or interfere with the service.
  • Misuse customer or stylist information.
  • Solicit or accept payment for a VARS booking outside the Paystack-processed flow. All transactions must go through the platform.
  • Create multiple accounts to circumvent platform rules, bans, or the Pioneer programme limit.
  • Share or request contact information before the platform reveals it. Phone numbers are shared automatically 15 minutes before the appointment.

Availability

Features, supported areas, service categories, pricing, commission rules, and onboarding requirements may change as the platform grows. Where a change affects these terms materially, VARS will communicate it in advance.

Contact

For questions about these terms, email support@bookwithvars.com.