Beauty salons opening from Monday 13th July in England

[Enchanting Beauty]

Thanks for asking @Enchanting Beauty, how are you?
I’m enjoying being back more than I thought but it’s physically tiring with the ppe and all the extras to remember are mentally tiring.
Also people are moaning about wearing masks(I think it’s because it’s in their own home)
I’ve had one say she gets too hot from being menopausal and one say it effects her anxiety.
I only ask them to wear it in the treatment.

I’m glad you’re sort of coping ok. i agree, people do seem to moan more about wearing masks if they are at home, they don’t seem to grasp the fact that for the therapist it is the same as the client entering a salon, we’d both be coming into an environment we can’t control. Persevere with them but if they refuse to wear a mask, refuse the appointment. My experience is if a client of mine who has chronic COPD & emphysema can sit for an hour with a mask on & not have any difficulties, the majority of other people can wear one too.
Thankyou for asking, I am having ups & downs. Haven’t worked this week as just couldn’t face it, have left a couple of clients booked in this week but really dreading it. One minute i’m saying “just get in with it” the next I feel sick & just want to run away from it all. Not a nice feeling!

 

[Enchanting Beauty]

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So facial electrolysis with client wearing mask? Hmm.....

If the client always has to wear a covering then why didn’t they add it to the list of shops with Friday’s new rules?

Is this a document that shouldn’t be in the public domain yet? Haven’t seen it anywhere else (yet!!).

It maybe that the final version issued by government will be different??

Don’t know what to think at the moment. Makes me not want to work anymore ☹

I just saw it on the off chance when I saw the British beauty council announce saunas & steam rooms can reopen on 1st August this also popped up. These guidelines are very confusing for a federation that has been working officially with the government, how do they not understand more about the industry?!
I’m thinking the official guidelines from the government will just say face treatments can be done as long as we can make them covid secure, which doesn’t give anymore clarity to what we already know.

 

[Enchanting Beauty]

It’s stupid isn’t it.
I won’t be offering facials or lip and chin wax, anything where the mask has to come off.

I can’t see how they consider facials to be workable with the ‘circling’ of the client but make up is unsafe. It’s the same criteria really but with a facial you’re really touching the face.

Tbh I don’t think the beauty industry should of been allowed to open, I’m afraid we’re going to be the super spreaders and it will get worse.
It just doesn’t make sense for such close quarters to be allowed.

It doesn’t help that after the first week of bedlam half our clients haven’t come back and have told us when contacted that they don’t feel comfortable coming to a salon for their hair or beauty right now.
My friend at another salon told me that when she contacted one of her fortnightly regulars she laughed and basically said ‘ you must be kidding’ in regards to coming back to the salon for her hair and waxing right now.

There’s about 6 salons in our town centre and when we’ve been having little looks out there’s no one in the them and other members of staff from the other salons have been coming over to ask if it’s quiet here too ☹

I don’t think it will be long until we’re shut again to be honest, & I agree, it was still too early for us to reopen they just panicked because the industry was getting on to them.
Sadly, I think most clients are scared to go to salons at the moment. I am mobile & could easily be booked up solid at the moment but I literally hate my job now so choose not to be.
If clients aren’t comfortable coming into an area which is as sterile & secure as it can be (as so many were spouting off about when we weren’t being given a date) then where are they going to be comfortable?

 

[user 111574]

Not sure if anyone has seen this with the reopening of all close contact services on the 1st August
https://britishbeautycouncil.com/th...-share-guidance-for-hair-and-beauty-services/Not sure how you can circle the client during a facial :-/ & as for doing treatments at arms length, how uncomfortable & impossible I would have thought.
Also, the last time I checked, we have to face the client for nail treatments

Babtac have now posted this document on their Facebook page.[emoji15]

 

[Trinity]

Babtac have now posted this document on their Facebook page.[emoji15]

Ffs! So Nail Techs have 'to stand at arms length' to perform services - someone surely got a hit 'copy/paste' trigger happy. If our so called governing bodies can't get their act together what hope is there

 

[Enchanting Beauty]

Ffs! So Nail Techs have 'to stand at arms length' to perform services - someone surely got a hit 'copy/paste' trigger happy. If our so called governing bodies can't get their act together what hope is there

Exactly, & not face the client! How do they expect us to do nails, get client to put their hands behind their back & do them from there

 

[Jordon]

Ffs! So Nail Techs have 'to stand at arms length' to perform services - someone surely got a hit 'copy/paste' trigger happy. If our so called governing bodies can't get their act together what hope is there

I know!
Tbh I’m mad at them for forcing the governments hand getting us thrown back into work, by letting salons open again it’s forced the vast majority of us to go back out of fear of losing our clients and livelihoods.

 

[Jordon]

I don’t think it will be long until we’re shut again to be honest, & I agree, it was still too early for us to reopen they just panicked because the industry was getting on to them.
Sadly, I think most clients are scared to go to salons at the moment. I am mobile & could easily be booked up solid at the moment but I literally hate my job now so choose not to be.
If clients aren’t comfortable coming into an area which is as sterile & secure as it can be (as so many were spouting off about when we weren’t being given a date) then where are they going to be comfortable?

It would maybe be for the best. Instead of giving us 3 days to organise ourselves after claiming it was an unsafe industry, what does that tell you.
The fact that they (the government) crumbled so fast every time the councils descended on them for the next ‘unlocking’ of treatments is pathetic. They’ve made themselves look weak, crumbling to every demand from the public. I’m so very annoyed by the vanity of it all, people have died and all people could think about was how their roots looked or what colour they were going to have on their nails next [emoji35]

 

[Enchanting Beauty]

It would maybe be for the best. Instead of giving us 3 days to organise ourselves after claiming it was an unsafe industry, what does that tell you.
The fact that they (the government) crumbled so fast every time the councils descended on them for the next ‘unlocking’ of treatments is pathetic. They’ve made themselves look weak, crumbling to every demand from the public. I’m so very annoyed by the vanity of it all, people have died and all people could think about was how their roots looked or what colour they were going to have on their nails next [emoji35]

Hear hear! It makes me laugh that for hairdressers & beauty that need time to schedule their work was only given 3 days to do so, gyms, pools etc get weeks to sort themselves out.
It sickens me also the amount of clients & hairdressers/therapists who flouted the lockdown to creep into houses illegally & make hundreds of pounds & have basically got off with no penalty. and everyone is still laughing & almost disgusted at the industry still.

 

[Trinity]

I’m so very annoyed by the vanity of it all, people have died and all people could think about was how their roots looked or what colour they were going to have on their nails next [emoji35]

As I understand it, it wasn't the public that campaigned to get beauty/nails/close contact back, it was the industry itself. I saw the campaign being pushed (I think it was #letmework or something) and templates for letters to MP's asking for support in opening.

It's all so hard, I know there were many, man techs who didn't get financial support during the shutdown and were desperate to get back to work and earning to support their families, but there are many, many who are just not comfortable with putting the themselves and their families at risk by opening too soon, but feel they have to.

 

[TheDuchess]

It’s hard isn’t it. I’m afraid I was one of the ones demanding we be allowed to make the decision for ourselves about whether we could safely reopen. I was interviewed by Radio Bristol at 8am and by 5pm the same day government had capitulated. Be careful what you wish for!

it was the hypocrisy and unfairness of allowing hairdressers to reopen and saying that other close contact services weren’t Covid secure. It seemed to me that the pandemic had been especially hard on women, because the strain of looking after children whilst supporting older loved ones fell on more women than men - and many women were juggling working from home as well. Meanwhile men could nip into the barbers and enjoy a socially distanced pint. It struck me that women were not receiving equal acknowledgment of the things that women valued for their emotional well-being - like activities for the kids, and yoga classes and any beauty services.

I agree not all treatments are equal. But it does depend on how one works and where you are. In Bath we have an enviably low infection rate. I feel quite happy doing a few treatments in my salon. I wouldn’t want to work in a Spa on a conveyor belt of customers. Or have clients in my home using my front door and loo. I wouldn’t want to go into people’s homes. But I’m not sure that it’s fair to say that no-one can open, because some can’t work safely. I’m not sure that’s fair for customers either.

I do feel very anxious for Brow and lash techs. I’m so grateful I’m multi skilled. I don’t have great ventilation in my treatment room - so I’m happy to take nail bookings for the first time in years as my nail station is by the front door which I can leave open. At the moment I’m working for nothing to pay rent to the Council who is in turn spending it on social care. There are a few people who have money to spend and I’m not sure if it’s fair to shut down an entire industry and demand that no one work.

Don’t forget that private pensions are paid by companies who have investments in businesses and shopping malls. Covid is devastating for everyone, not equally, it’s true, but I don’t begrudge the success stories. We all benefit if some can work. Their taxes pay for the things we need as a society. The businesses that stay open keep people in work and off benefit. Why shouldn’t the NHS frontline workers be able to get a massage or their nails done in the few places that can reopen? I’m only seeing an average of 4 people a day. So far, everyday I’ve seen a pregnant lady, a doctor and a clinically vulnerable person. On Saturday my first client was a doctor taking a week off work for her chemo treatment.

Are we really saying that the beauty industry should stay closed just because it’s not right for some of us to be open during a pandemic? I’d prefer to stay closed, but I’ve got scary debts close to 5 figures and counting, plus 3 staff on furlough and a landlord trying to pay for social care with my rent. Should I keep my doors closed, stay home and wait for the bailiffs to turn up on all our doorsteps?

 

[Alexandra T]

I’m glad you’re sort of coping ok. i agree, people do seem to moan more about wearing masks if they are at home, they don’t seem to grasp the fact that for the therapist it is the same as the client entering a salon, we’d both be coming into an environment we can’t control. Persevere with them but if they refuse to wear a mask, refuse the appointment. My experience is if a client of mine who has chronic COPD & emphysema can sit for an hour with a mask on & not have any difficulties, the majority of other people can wear one too.
Thankyou for asking, I am having ups & downs. Haven’t worked this week as just couldn’t face it, have left a couple of clients booked in this week but really dreading it. One minute i’m saying “just get in with it” the next I feel sick & just want to run away from it all. Not a nice feeling!

Yes I think I will refuse treatment without mask but I’m sure I’ll lose clients some of whom are friends but they should be thinking of my safety too!
I hope your treatments go well, I totally understand your mixed feelings! And when I get negative comments from clients I feel like throwing it all in .
I feel like I’m just getting used to the treatments I’m doing and now I’m under pressure to do the eye treatments and face waxing, I haven’t even read the new guidelines yet, just couldn’t face it!
Good luck for this week!

 

[Enchanting Beauty]

Yes I think I will refuse treatment without mask but I’m sure I’ll lose clients some of whom are friends but they should be thinking of my safety too!
I hope your treatments go well, I totally understand your mixed feelings! And when I get negative comments from clients I feel like throwing it all in .
I feel like I’m just getting used to the treatments I’m doing and now I’m under pressure to do the eye treatments and face waxing, I haven’t even read the new guidelines yet, just couldn’t face it!
Good luck for this week!

Too true, everyone should be doing their bit & I feel if a client is not considerate of your wellbeing then do you really want them as a client? Lose one client you’ll soon pick up more!

 

[Jordon]

As I understand it, it wasn't the public that campaigned to get beauty/nails/close contact back, it was the industry itself. I saw the campaign being pushed (I think it was #letmework or something) and templates for letters to MP's asking for support in opening.

It's all so hard, I know there were many, man techs who didn't get financial support during the shutdown and were desperate to get back to work and earning to support their families, but there are many, many who are just not comfortable with putting the themselves and their families at risk by opening too soon, but feel they have to.

I think you’re right Trinity, I just meant the constant chatter and messages I was experiencing first hand from people wanting their hair done and there was so much ‘banter’ about it on chat shows on the radio and tv.
I personally watched the brands and councils sharing the hashtags etc with worry hoping the government wouldn’t cave.

I know it’s been difficult and people were desperate to get earning again and a lot of us don’t have the luxury or staying away from our work to feel safe, but what happens when in a few months and there’s hypothetically another wave and they turn the evil eye of the media onto hair and beauty like they did in California where they named a nail Bar in being a major spreader of the virus.
What happens then?
It’s not the big spas and department store beauty that will suffer, it won’t even be the nasty cheap conveyor belt nail bars that close and pop up at a different locale under a different name with all the same staff and nasty products purchased from overseas and who’s customers don’t give a damn about hygiene as long as their acrylics are £15 for a full set with art and plastic ‘Swarovski’ it will be us small businesses in the middle who don’t cut corners on hygiene and products and who don’t have a huge corporation behind us who will suffer.

 

[Jordon]

It’s hard isn’t it. I’m afraid I was one of the ones demanding we be allowed to make the decision for ourselves about whether we could safely reopen. I was interviewed by Radio Bristol at 8am and by 5pm the same day government had capitulated. Be careful what you wish for!

it was the hypocrisy and unfairness of allowing hairdressers to reopen and saying that other close contact services weren’t Covid secure. It seemed to me that the pandemic had been especially hard on women, because the strain of looking after children whilst supporting older loved ones fell on more women than men - and many women were juggling working from home as well. Meanwhile men could nip into the barbers and enjoy a socially distanced pint. It struck me that women were not receiving equal acknowledgment of the things that women valued for their emotional well-being - like activities for the kids, and yoga classes and any beauty services.

I agree not all treatments are equal. But it does depend on how one works and where you are. In Bath we have an enviably low infection rate. I feel quite happy doing a few treatments in my salon. I wouldn’t want to work in a Spa on a conveyor belt of customers. Or have clients in my home using my front door and loo. I wouldn’t want to go into people’s homes. But I’m not sure that it’s fair to say that no-one can open, because some can’t work safely. I’m not sure that’s fair for customers either.

I do feel very anxious for Brow and lash techs. I’m so grateful I’m multi skilled. I don’t have great ventilation in my treatment room - so I’m happy to take nail bookings for the first time in years as my nail station is by the front door which I can leave open. At the moment I’m working for nothing to pay rent to the Council who is in turn spending it on social care. There are a few people who have money to spend and I’m not sure if it’s fair to shut down an entire industry and demand that no one work.

Don’t forget that private pensions are paid by companies who have investments in businesses and shopping malls. Covid is devastating for everyone, not equally, it’s true, but I don’t begrudge the success stories. We all benefit if some can work. Their taxes pay for the things we need as a society. The businesses that stay open keep people in work and off benefit. Why shouldn’t the NHS frontline workers be able to get a massage or their nails done in the few places that can reopen? I’m only seeing an average of 4 people a day. So far, everyday I’ve seen a pregnant lady, a doctor and a clinically vulnerable person. On Saturday my first client was a doctor taking a week off work for her chemo treatment.

Are we really saying that the beauty industry should stay closed just because it’s not right for some of us to be open during a pandemic? I’d prefer to stay closed, but I’ve got scary debts close to 5 figures and counting, plus 3 staff on furlough and a landlord trying to pay for social care with my rent. Should I keep my doors closed, stay home and wait for the bailiffs to turn up on all our doorsteps?

I agree with you too it did seem male centric in the drive forwards, but I disagreed with pubs reopening alongside hair and beauty.
- after visiting a on Saturday night i saw no social distancing inside, it was better in the beer garden where we sat, and no attempt from the One member of staff present to create it, when the police arrived and chastised the barman for lack of social distancing they then left and nothing was done to secure it.
And the open laughter in parliament at the expense of our industry was unforgivable, something I hope we all remember next Election Day.

I feel for you in regards to the money side of things and this is what makes it so hard to know what’s the right thing to do. I’ve watched my saving drain away over the past few months with mounting panic, that’s why I’m back at work with an immune disorder myself and hoping the ppe and covid hygiene works.
I feel for us all and I honestly don’t know what’s best for us but I felt that as a nation battling a pandemic we could have kept off the pubs and unfortunately, and it really does pain me to say, our hair and beauty to help drive it out faster.

 

[Trinity]

It’s hard isn’t it. I’m afraid I was one of the ones demanding we be allowed to make the decision for ourselves about whether we could safely reopen. I was interviewed by Radio Bristol at 8am and by 5pm the same day government had capitulated. Be careful what you wish for!

No judgements here, you've summed up how most of us feel I believe. The lack of clarity and consistency from the Government has been the biggest issue. Not just regard close contact and who can and who can't do what, but across our whole lives. Go to work but don't, wear a mask in public but not for a fortnight. What the hell?!?

All the travel stuff kicking off today is just another example of pandemonium

 

[Enchanting Beauty]

I agree with you too it did seem male centric in the drive forwards, but I disagreed with pubs reopening alongside hair and beauty.
- after visiting a on Saturday night i saw no social distancing inside, it was better in the beer garden where we sat, and no attempt from the One member of staff present to create it, when the police arrived and chastised the barman for lack of social distancing they then left and nothing was done to secure it.
And the open laughter in parliament at the expense of our industry was unforgivable, something I hope we all remember next Election Day.

I feel for you in regards to the money side of things ☹ and this is what makes it so hard to know what’s the right thing to do. I’ve watched my saving drain away over the past few months with mounting panic, that’s why I’m back at work with an immune disorder myself and hoping the ppe and covid hygiene works.
I feel for us all and I honestly don’t know what’s best for us but I felt that as a nation battling a pandemic we could have kept off the pubs and unfortunately, and it really does pain me to say, our hair and beauty to help drive it out faster.

I also feel that as a whole our industry was not given credit & especially when it came to the announcement we could reopen, just sort of thrown into the conversation as if to say “you’ve got what you want, 3 days to sort out your appointments, now get off our backs the rest is up to you.”
And with reopening the rest of close contact beauty, what is the difference by making the date 1st August? Could have been done at the same time of 13th July, the virus & doing face treatments isn’t going to be any different from July to August. Seems they were just plucking dates out of the air!

 

[Enchanting Beauty]

No judgements here, you've summed up how most of us feel I believe. The lack of clarity and consistency from the Government has been the biggest issue. Not just regard close contact and who can and who can't do what, but across our whole lives. Go to work but don't, wear a mask in public but not for a fortnight. What the hell?!?

All the travel stuff kicking off today is just another example of pandemonium

I must admit, I do sometimes feel sorry for the government even though they have made a mockery of everything.
They are damned if they do, damned if they don’t. I certainly wouldn’t want their job right now. No one knows what this situation holds for any of us, it kind of comes to a point of making it up as we go along.
But I agree, there’s a lot we’re still in the dark about & no consistency.
I think with the suggested guidelines from the British Beauty council which I posted above, they are putting it out there that we should all be wearing masks with visors & clients wearing masks for nearly all treatments because they think the PPE guidelines from the government are not enough.

 

[ReVivebeauty]

I've put off opening until the 3rd August. I will be going back under pressure because I feel I have to and I have a living to earn. However as a clinically vulnerable person I'm far from happy about it. I've Just done my risk assessment, Health declaration and letter to clients outlining my new protocols. If anything its made me feel worse about the prospect of re-opening. I offer a variety of beauty and massage treatments and I've made a decision that all clients will wear a mask, and I will not carry out any treatments where the client needs to remove the mask. So facials, Natural face lift massage, Indian Head Massage and facial waxing of lip and chin are well and truly off my treatment list for the foreseeable future. I will be wearing mask, visor, disposable apron and gloves for all and every treatment. Not sure how that will work for massage but time will tell. My clients will be told to wash their hands, whilst I supervise and once this is done I will also request that they then use hand gel! Whilst as a profession we are geared up to be spotlessly clean I'm now being overly cautious and will even be washing the floors between clients and allowing a minimum of 30 - 45 minutes between each client. I am not looking forward to Monday 3rd August in the slightest and feel the enjoyment I got from my job previously has vanished. Hopefully I will feel differently once I am back into the swing of things....time will tell!

 

[Enchanting Beauty]

I've put off opening until the 3rd August. I will be going back under pressure because I feel I have to and I have a living to earn. However as a clinically vulnerable person I'm far from happy about it. I've Just done my risk assessment, Health declaration and letter to clients outlining my new protocols. If anything its made me feel worse about the prospect of re-opening. I offer a variety of beauty and massage treatments and I've made a decision that all clients will wear a mask, and I will not carry out any treatments where the client needs to remove the mask. So facials, Natural face lift massage, Indian Head Massage and facial waxing of lip and chin are well and truly off my treatment list for the foreseeable future. I will be wearing mask, visor, disposable apron and gloves for all and every treatment. Not sure how that will work for massage but time will tell. My clients will be told to wash their hands, whilst I supervise and once this is done I will also request that they then use hand gel! Whilst as a profession we are geared up to be spotlessly clean I'm now being overly cautious and will even be washing the floors between clients and allowing a minimum of 30 - 45 minutes between each client. I am not looking forward to Monday 3rd August in the slightest and feel the enjoyment I got from my job previously has vanished. Hopefully I will feel differently once I am back into the swing of things....time will tell!

Good luck with your reopening.
I think it is a wise idea to give yourself extra time between clients. I’m mobile which is slightly different, but I find it has taken me between 30 mins to an hour to clean everything between clients, i’m not really sure how some are doing it in in 15 minutes.
I also think you can’t be over cautious at the moment, especially if you are vulnerable like yourself. Do whatever feels comfortable for you & I agree with you about delaying the treatments that would require removal of the mask. We’re not allowed in shops without a mask now, so how is it safe to be in such close proximity to a client without a mask.
Let us know how you get on.