Beauty salons opening from Monday 13th July in England

[Alexandra T]

Are any of you putting your prices up?
I want to but I’m nervous about their reactions, I was thinking £2 per treatment

 

[Enchanting Beauty]

This is really for you to decide as part of your Risk Assessment. Personally, the fact that the longer you are in contact with someone increases the risk means I'm only comfortable doing treatments that are between 30-40 minutes.

We won't get any more specific guidelines than has already been given. There won't be any specifics given. It's for you to assess. I wouldn't be spending 3 hours with one individual at once (or those from the same bubble). Consider prioritising your most popular, and profitable treatments and focus on those.

I plan to bring extensions back after 2-3 weeks, this will give me time to watch and assess the impact of the lockdown releases. We'll be mid August by then so should have a clearer picture of the situation.

Thanks Trinity. That’s what I was dreading hearing as I have quite a few clients who have manicure & pedicure at the same time, then some like the group bookings. I feel like if I can only spend under an hour with them it’s not worth me going back especially as some of them live half an hour away, it’s not profitable for me to keep going to do separate treatments. Most popular treatments are mani & pedi but they’re not the most profitable, I would say massage is but then they’re always over an hour. I don’t think I even do many treatments that are less than an hour that are allowed in the guidelines.
Headache!

 

[Enchanting Beauty]

Are any of you putting your prices up?
I want to but I’m nervous about their reactions, I was thinking £2 per treatment

Do it, you need to cover the costs of your PPE. You’re going to get those that moan but it’s better than working at a loss.

 

[Alexandra T]

Do it, you need to cover the costs of your PPE. You’re going to get those that moan but it’s better than working at a loss.

Thanks, good advice as always!

 

[Beau Belle Beauts]

Risk assessments .. I’ve worked from home for a few years and I am a registered small business . The council bylaws have never required me to hold risk assessments but should I have them now due to covid for all my treatments or should I just do a mental tick list on them all ??
I’m really quite new to all this .

 

[Haydangate]

I personally are not re-opening I feel we are an afterthought because of the uproar and petitions that some therapists and salons have created. I cannot see how it is possible to perform any treatment safely under the circumstances. I chose to close earlier than recommended because I have a neurological condition and feel I would be more vulnerable than most. I'm in a fortunate position I rent off my parents and feel sorry for those of you that have shops and staff to pay for. The grant has been amazing and has enabled me to not worry financially for the time being. I wish you all the best! Stay safe x

 

[New Spa]

Risk assessments .. I’ve worked from home for a few years and I am a registered small business . The council bylaws have never required me to hold risk assessments but should I have them now due to covid for all my treatments or should I just do a mental tick list on them all ??
I’m really quite new to all this .

I had a look on the government website about this as I also work alone home based. As a lone worker, you don't need to write up any policy or changes that you have made, but we must do a risk assessment by going through our business premises and practices and make changes where required or needed.

 

[Rachel bell]

I had a look on the government website about this as I also work alone home based. As a lone worker, you don't need to write up any policy or changes that you have made, but we must do a risk assessment by going through our business premises and practices and make changes where required or needed.

Yeah i work from home too and very newly self employed. Ive never filled a risk assesment in before, not 100% of how you fill one in

 

[Theonlymrskingy]

Yeah, gyms can reopen & concerts can start outside...oh by the way beauticians, tanning & tattooists can start from Monday...meanwhile back to gyms!

That’s exactly how it felt. The messages came rolling in immediately from clients, felt a lot of pressure last night to get everyone an appointment yet they’ve been unclear on a lot of things!

 

[Enchanting Beauty]

I personally are not re-opening I feel we are an afterthought because of the uproar and petitions that some therapists and salons have created. I cannot see how it is possible to perform any treatment safely under the circumstances. I chose to close earlier than recommended because I have a neurological condition and feel I would be more vulnerable than most. I'm in a fortunate position I rent off my parents and feel sorry for those of you that have shops and staff to pay for. The grant has been amazing and has enabled me to not worry financially for the time being. I wish you all the best! Stay safe x

You have to do what is right for you. I’m not 100% happy about going back to work but I know if I don’t I will lose a lot of clients. I don’t feel like it’s worth going back now with all the restrictions anyway.
It is funny though how a lot of the beauty industry were pushing to get a date, why can’t we go back blah, blah, blah but are now moaning that they only have 3 days to get ready! Sure, such a quick date wasn’t expected (& it was just dropped into conversation) but hey, that’s what they asked for!

 

[Enchanting Beauty]

That’s exactly how it felt. The messages came rolling in immediately from clients, felt a lot of pressure last night to get everyone an appointment yet they’ve been unclear on a lot of things!

I think you can pretty much say, as long as you don’t do any treatments on the face, you can do anything & anywhere (salon, home, Mobile).
Sadly, most clients are only interested in themselves & don’t worry about you having to fit in dozens of cancelled clients. I sent an email out yesterday saying “I can work from Monday. please give me a couple of days to get the guidelines & I will be in touch with cancelled clients first as they get priority”. 2 minutes after I sent that, had 2 clients saying “yay! Can you book in me next week.” They aren’t even on the cancelled appointment list so clearly didn’t read the email.

 

[Jordon]

A client messaged me to say we can’t do facial treatments (I wasn’t planning to anyway)
But she knew before me, how crazy is that

Yeesh just what we need, clients who are more informed than us, half of them think they are anyways haha.

 

[Theonlymrskingy]

I think you can pretty much say, as long as you don’t do any treatments on the face, you can do anything & anywhere (salon, home, Mobile).
Sadly, most clients are only interested in themselves & don’t worry about you having to fit in dozens of cancelled clients. I sent an email out yesterday saying “I can work from Monday. please give me a couple of days to get the guidelines & I will be in touch with cancelled clients first as they get priority”. 2 minutes after I sent that, had 2 clients saying “yay! Can you book in me next week.” They aren’t even on the cancelled appointment list so clearly didn’t read the email.

It’s a nightmare isn’t it? Every single clients believes they’re the most important and deserves an appointment next week! I have 1 client who has insisted on paying me every 2 weeks throughout lockdown even though I obviously couldn’t do her nails so I contacted her first. Then I basically took my appointment book and contacted people in the order the were cancelled when lockdown hit. It seems the only fair way to do it and I’m hoping nobody can argue with that!

 

[Jordon]

It’s a nightmare isn’t it? Every single clients believes they’re the most important and deserves an appointment next week! I have 1 client who has insisted on paying me every 2 weeks throughout lockdown even though I obviously couldn’t do her nails so I contacted her first. Then I basically took my appointment book and contacted people in the order the were cancelled when lockdown hit. It seems the only fair way to do it and I’m hoping nobody can argue with that!

What a kind woman, she’s going to the good place.

 

[Enchanting Beauty]

It’s a nightmare isn’t it? Every single clients believes they’re the most important and deserves an appointment next week! I have 1 client who has insisted on paying me every 2 weeks throughout lockdown even though I obviously couldn’t do her nails so I contacted her first. Then I basically took my appointment book and contacted people in the order the were cancelled when lockdown hit. It seems the only fair way to do it and I’m hoping nobody can argue with that!

I’m in the same, have had 2 clients paying me the full amount every month since lockdown, haven’t pestered me, been really patient...they’re being booked in first. Then it will be elderly clients who have toenails like talons because they struggle to do them themselves, then everyone else who have been a pain throughout LOL

 

[Trinity]

Thanks Trinity. That’s what I was dreading hearing as I have quite a few clients who have manicure & pedicure at the same time, then some like the group bookings. I feel like if I can only spend under an hour with them it’s not worth me going back especially as some of them live half an hour away, it’s not profitable for me to keep going to do separate treatments. Most popular treatments are mani & pedi but they’re not the most profitable, I would say massage is but then they’re always over an hour. I don’t think I even do many treatments that are less than an hour that are allowed in the guidelines.
Headache!

I've been thinking about you most of the night when I couldn't sleep

A couple of points to consider, and I'm just chucking out ideas, feel free to ignore

Are you charging enough? The clients that are half an hour away add an extra hour to your appointment, plus fuel, wear & tear, etc. I get that doing a couple of people on a group booking type appointment would help with those costs, but we're in a different situation at the moment so different working patterns, plans and charges are acceptable.

Is it time to consider reducing your travel area and if taking bookings outside that area adding a surcharge.

If mani/pedi is your most popular are you charging enough for that service? Work smarter, not harder. We have to cut out the chit chat so you should be able to bring a mani/pedi in under an hour. If not, consider how you can change your routine to fit within an hour. Remember whilst doing feet you're not in the 'high risk' area of face to face.

Remind clients that we are in a transitional period, treatments will be adapted to 'keep them safe' and will be constantly under review for adaptions and changes. Also keep in mind that if they want a treatment they'll pay it's worth, if they don't want to pay then they leave a space for someone who does but ensure younfill that space with someone paying the new rates.

I see you've posted again about potentially not opening, that's fine too, you've considered the risk and taken appropriate action, good luck whichever way you choose to go

 

[Alexandra T]

I ordered some new tunics, I read somewhere that our uniforms should be washed at 60o but my uniforms say wash at 40o, what should I do

 

[Enchanting Beauty]

I've been thinking about you most of the night when I couldn't sleep

A couple of points to consider, and I'm just chucking out ideas, feel free to ignore

Are you charging enough? The clients that are half an hour away add an extra hour to your appointment, plus fuel, wear & tear, etc. I get that doing a couple of people on a group booking type appointment would help with those costs, but we're in a different situation at the moment so different working patterns, plans and charges are acceptable.

Is it time to consider reducing your travel area and if taking bookings outside that area adding a surcharge.

If mani/pedi is your most popular are you charging enough for that service? Work smarter, not harder. We have to cut out the chit chat so you should be able to bring a mani/pedi in under an hour. If not, consider how you can change your routine to fit within an hour. Remember whilst doing feet you're not in the 'high risk' area of face to face.

Remind clients that we are in a transitional period, treatments will be adapted to 'keep them safe' and will be constantly under review for adaptions and changes. Also keep in mind that if they want a treatment they'll pay it's worth, if they don't want to pay then they leave a space for someone who does but ensure younfill that space with someone paying the new rates.

I see you've posted again about potentially not opening, that's fine too, you've considered the risk and taken appropriate action, good luck whichever way you choose to go

Oh, bless you. I think everyone had a sleepless night last night.
Thankyou for your tips. I actually charge a lot more than most of the salons/mobiles in my area so I can see where that would go if I charged even more (although i have added an extra £2-£3 on for ppe).
Believe it or not, the clients that are half hour away, are actually only about 7miles away, it’s just I have to go through the city centre so it’s nearly always half hour getting there.
I have been going over everything in my head so much & I think I can adapt it somehow. I would say majority of clients are Pedicure more than Manicure anyway so I think that would work as you say, we’re further away. Then maybe tagging a Manicure on won’t be so bad & generally both treatments are only going to happen every 4 to 8 weeks.
A lot to think about still....and not a lot of patient clients!
Shall worry about that over the weekend lol

 

[Enchanting Beauty]

I ordered some new tunics, I read somewhere that our uniforms should be washed at 60o but my uniforms say wash at 40o, what should I do

I read 60 - 90 degrees. Not sure how they think that will work, we’ll all be walking around in dolls clothes lol.
I’ve thought that I will have a bucket of warm water ready, then strip off & put clothes in there, then have a shower then clothes in the machine at 40 degrees.

 

[Trinity]

Oh, bless you. I think everyone had a sleepless night last night.
Thankyou for your tips. I actually charge a lot more than most of the salons/mobiles in my area so I can see where that would go if I charged even more (although i have added an extra £2-£3 on for ppe).
Believe it or not, the clients that are half hour away, are actually only about 7miles away, it’s just I have to go through the city centre so it’s nearly always half hour getting there.
I have been going over everything in my head so much & I think I can adapt it somehow. I would say majority of clients are Pedicure more than Manicure anyway so I think that would work as you say, we’re further away. Then maybe tagging a Manicure on won’t be so bad & generally both treatments are only going to happen every 4 to 8 weeks.
A lot to think about still....and not a lot of patient clients!
Shall worry about that over the weekend lol

You sound a little calmer and settled which is good to hear. Good to hear you're charging your worth, and it sounds like there are enough adaptions you can make to at least get started. None of this is forever, and we'll learn and refine as we go. Chin up Chuck, you got this