It goes without saying that, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, our priorities have changed. Before the pandemic, staying well-groomed and getting your much-needed R&R was as easy as visiting your favorite salon or spa. Now, with several health and safety protocols in place, we’ve gone from keeping up with the latest fashion and beauty trends to cutting our own hair, wearing pajamas to work, and even dressing up only half our bodies for our regular Zoom meetings. Leaving the house is no different, as we’ve come to appreciate face masks, caps, and other accessories that cover our botched haircuts, facials, and mani-pedis.

The lack of personal care has not only affected us but has also significantly affected the beauty and wellness industry. With a shift in consumer priorities and the rise of e-commerce, not only do businesses have to cope with the global health crisis, but they need to continuously find ways to reassure customers that they will be safe in salons and spas.

How Salons and Spas are Creating Safer Environments for Customers

Keeping ourselves safe doesn’t mean having to sacrifice our personal care routines. In fact, as salons and spas slowly start to open up across the country, these establishments are taking the necessary steps to ensure the health and safety of their customers.

Integrating Technology

Before the pandemic, a visit to the spa meant having to fill out paperwork indicating your contact information, health condition, and in some cases, your preferred massage pressure before proceeding inside. Some spas might have even accepted walk-in clients. Now, both salons and spas are going digital, needing customers to book their appointments online in advance and collecting information through a digital form.

In addition to that, most if not all establishments also ask customers to fill out a digital intake form to check on whether any customers have been experiencing symptoms, have previously been diagnosed, or have been in contact with someone who was diagnosed with COVID-19.

If any problems are seen on the digital info sheets, establishments can contact customers to address these problems before the appointment date. Many businesses are also utilizing contactless payment methods such as contactless cards and mobile wallets to reduce the amount of person-to-person contact and salons and spas are following suit.

Running at Half-Capacity

Since the pandemic began, many businesses were forced to operate at reduced capacities to reduce cramped spaces and allow for social distancing. If you’re planning to visit the salon or spa, it’s important to check whether they’re following regulations by operating at least at half-capacity, or even less, to ensure the safety of their customers.

Regular Sanitation and Disinfection

Since spa and salon tools were used on countless customers before the pandemic, these establishments had already taken steps to sanitize or dispose of any tools that may cause customers to contract allergies or even infections. Salons that offer waxing services are among these establishments that are implementing extra safety precautions such as replacing gloves after every customer, wiping down seats and beds with disinfectant regularly, mask-wearing, providing sanitizers by the entrance and near other high-touch areas, and even implementing additional safety screenings through temperature checks.

Many businesses have also taken the necessary steps to properly disinfect and sanitize their establishments every day and taking extra time to clean up between customers.

Touchless Spa Services

Due to the pandemic, the percentage of people going into spas to receive high-touch services like massages has gone down significantly from 42% to only 19%. Now, people are finding different ways to get their rest and relaxation outside from home by taking advantage of touchless services, which include:

• Compression therapy
• Infrared saunas
• Hyperbaric chambers
• IV drips
• Salt caves
• Float tanks
• Cryotherapy

Above-the-Mask Treatments

You may have been feeling stressed out because of everything happening in the world, and whether you find yourself excessively worrying about your health or dealing with the negative effects of remote work, it’s still important to give yourself the care you need to achieve that glow. Fortunately, above-the-mask treatments like microblading, lash extensions, fillers, and other similar treatments are slowly starting to become available again.

While we’d like to think that all salons, hairdressers, spas, and other similar businesses are properly following the health and safety guidelines, it doesn’t hurt to stay cautious. Before you make your appointment at any spa or salon, it’s important to check their online reviews and make sure that they’re ensuring the safety of their customers by implementing safety protocols and creating a safer environment for those who want a little rest and relaxation in these stressful times.