5 TIPS FOR RETURNING TO THE SPA OR HAIR SALON

As areas around the country reopen after months of lockdowns, people are emerging from their homes with shaggy hair and clawlike fingernails — and then rushing to make self-care appointments.

Should you decide to venture out, you may be wondering how to stay safer during a haircut, wax or manicure. “It’s reducing the risk, not eliminating the risk,” said Wafaa El-Sadr, a professor of epidemiology and medicine at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health. “Nobody can tell you it’s safe to do X, Y and Z. We can make X, Y and Z as safe as possible.”

1. Evaluate the risk to yourself and others

Time can vary widely (think of a polish change compared with a full mani-pedi), and you should try to limit the length of your appointment, but one thing is constant: It’s nearly impossible to maintain a 6-foot distance. Consider, too, how many other people will be in the room.

The risk also increases for you — and the person providing your service — if you have to remove your mask or they have to touch your face. So you should forgo lip and eyebrow waxes or threading, facials and professional makeup artistry.

2. Book an appointment

Some salons and spas aren’t yet taking walk-in clients and will turn you away unless a stylist, technician or massage therapist is available at that exact moment.

As a result, bookings are both more necessary — and harder to come by. You can also find out if the facility takes private appointments, or whether your stylist is making house calls.

3. Review the business’ guidelines

Start by checking the salon’s or spa’s website, which may outline its rules. Plan for the waiting room and restrooms to be closed.

“The most important thing is, if you have any symptoms, don’t go,” says Celine Gounder, an infectious disease expert.“Be honest about it.”

4. Bring your own supplies, especially your mask

Carry hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes. Some nail salons might ask that you bring your own tools, if you have them. (Discard or sanitize them after your manicure.) Most of all, don’t forget your mask, and consider bringing an extra in case it gets wet or dirty during your treatment. If you’re going for a haircut, ensure you have a well-fitting mask that goes behind your ears, rather than around the back of your head.

5. Be patient — and tip handsomely

Stylists, barbers, estheticians and other personal-care professionals are on the front lines of the pandemic.“The vast majority of people working in these industries are women, and many of them women of color,”Gounder said.“So that definitely contributes to exacerbation of the disparities we’ve seen in terms of who’s affected by COVID.”

The economic toll of the coronavirus shutdowns has been especially steep among the small businesses that closed from March into June and July. So as shops reopen, don’t be surprised to see higher prices, and be prepared to tip to excess.